Unable to check HP printer ink levels via Supply Levels

I've got an HP Photosmart 8450 printer, and so far no printing problems with 10.5.1. However, I can't check ink levels in the printer via the "Supply Levels" window, and I can't find another way to see this information. I'm using the printer driver supplied with 10.5.1.

This information was available under 10.4.11 - is there a way to obtain printer ink levels in 10.5.1?

Dual 2 GHz G5, Mac OS X (10.4.6), 3 GB RAM

Posted on Dec 26, 2007 10:18 PM

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17 replies

Dec 27, 2007 12:22 PM in response to Barry Hemphill

There's no such thing as "HP Device Driver" on my system according to Spotlight. Did you install software from HP, or did you just use the printer driver(s) with Leopard?

However, there's the "Print & Fax" control panel, under which there's a button for "Options & Supplies", under which there's a tab marked "Supply Levels". This shows no information. That's the point of my question.

Dec 27, 2007 5:16 PM in response to Bob Rodenburg

If the printer was added using the HP driver, you can open the printer's queue and select Printer Utility under the Printer menu, or you can launch the utility directly from /Library/Printers/hp/Utilities.

I don't know if there is a Gutenprint driver for this particular printer, but, if so and you used that driver when adding the printer, the utility won't work; the utility only works when the printer is added with the manufacturer's driver.

Hope this helps.

Dec 27, 2007 9:08 PM in response to John Blanchard1

Barry & John,

I would like to know whether you used the printer drivers with 10.5.1 or installed them manually from software from HP.

Barry, I don't have a Hewlett-Packard folder with something called HP Device Manager.

John, you describe the Printer Utility (which I find at the location you describe), but it only allows the selection of a printer - not access to its maintenance information.

When I try to run "HP Inkjet Toolbox" (which may have been what I used in 10.4.11), it starts then apparently quits a few seconds later with evidence that it ran at all. Console window shows no errors . . . ???

Dec 31, 2007 5:14 PM in response to Bob Rodenburg

I think I've found the source of my problem with the Hp Inkjet Toolbox. I've examined the contents of its package, and found the words "MacOSClassic", which indicates that it only runs under Classic which is not supported in Leopard. The other HP utilities, Printer Selector & Printer Utility both run under Leopard. This helps explain why I was able to see the ink levels under 10.4.11 but can't under Leopard.

Jan 1, 2008 11:05 PM in response to Bob Rodenburg

Hi again Bob:

I just opened the +"HP Printer Utility."+ I did not see +"HP Inkjet Toolbox"+ at all. When the printer utility opens, there is a sidebar with a number of choices. I have it set to supplies status - which display ink levels when the utility first opens. It takes about 10 seconds to open.

I did locate the +"HP Inkjet Toolbox"+ application and opened it. After a pause, it automatically opened the aforementioned +"HP Printer Utility."+

The only variable I can think of is the printer type (mine is an HP Deskjet 6940).

Barry

Jan 11, 2008 10:23 AM in response to Barry Hemphill

Dear Sir

i am sorry to hi-jack this message topic. But, I have spent the day trying to find the driver for the 8450!!! I have tried the disc that came with my iMac and so on, but to no avail. I am trying to rpint from my iMac, through the BT Home Hub to a Vista Hp laptop which is connected to the HP Photosmart.
Any ideas and if not where can I go?

Billy

Thank you

Jan 11, 2008 2:02 PM in response to billynicol

I loaded mine from the 10.5.1 disk, but it's a separate operation from the main install. There's an optional install folder on the 10.5.1 disk with the info.

Load the system disk for your iMac and look at it in the Finder to see if there's a similar optional install folder. Then, there's always the HP website if you can find the driver there . . .

Regarding how you've got the 8450 printer set up, why not put the printer directly on the (ethernet?) hub rather than hanging it off the Vista laptop? There's an Ethernet port on that printer, and that's one of the reasons I picked that model. Your iMac probably can't see the printer the way you've configured things. Bonjour will be able to find the printer and get you hooked up with the printer directly on the hub.

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Unable to check HP printer ink levels via Supply Levels

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