HP Laserjet 4mp won't print with Snow Leopard

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Level 1

102 points

HP Laserjet 4mp won't print with Snow Leopard

My great Laserjet 4mp prints just fine with OS 10.5.8 but not with Snow Leopard (10.6.2) on my new iMac. Have spent three plus hours with senior level Mac Techs to no avail. The printer screen shows the correct printer and driver and indicating valid connection, but when attempting to print I get the message "Unable to print, try again in 30 secs". Since 10.6 doesn't have Appletalk, am unable to use it; techs have tried to use the 4mp driver supplied with Snow Leopard and also downloaded it separately from the web site. We (they) have also tried using all methods (IP, Daemon, and HP Jet Direct using Ethernet and Serial to USB connections). Techs have talked with HP techs and have no other solutions. The security system is off. Any suggestions are welcome! Thanks!

iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Nov 29, 2009 3:10 PM

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Answer 1

K T

Level 7

23,865 points

Nov 29, 2009 3:51 PM in response to James Wittmer

Seen these threads?

• http://discussions.apple.com/search.jspa?search=Go&q=Laserjet+4mp

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Answer 2

James Wittmer Author

Level 1

102 points

Nov 30, 2009 11:06 AM in response to K T

I've read the threads and don't understand some, but I think we (the Apple support techs and I) have tried the ones I recognize. One new idea--in a reply to a similar post someone mentioned being sure to use additional data when using the IP address-- submask address or some such, I
haven't been told to do this--should I? (I can get it from the printer readout if told what to get.) Also, in another post someone suggested deleting the OS 10.5.8 driver that was transferred when all the data from my old iMac G5 was moved over, saying that it would interfere. If true, how do I do that?

What I really need is a stepwise instruction on which connection to use (Ethernet, Serial to USB, or parallel port are the only options); which protocol to use (IPP, Line Printer Daemon, or HP Jet Direct socket, whatever they are); what to put in the Address line (the IP address is the one used by Apple techs); what to put in the Queue line (techs said to leave it blank); what to put in Name and Location blocks, if anything; and what to put in the Print Using line (techs have unsuccessfully tried Autoselect, Generic, and the HP4mp driver selected both from the Select Printer Driver option and from the driver downloaded directly from the HP web site).

I'd be grateful for this help or even advice on where I can get it! (With this new computer I still have free telelphonic Apple tech support but they've given up.) Thanks!

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Answer 3

Nov 30, 2009 11:22 AM in response to James Wittmer

You need to tell us how you are connecting the computer to the printer. There is no native way to connect a 4MP to an Intel Mac, so you need to tell us what connection you are using.

It has to be something that connects to the parallel port on the printer, not the serial port.

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Answer 4

James Wittmer Author

Level 1

102 points

Nov 30, 2009 12:02 PM in response to Bruce De Benedictis

The 4mp has Ethernet, serial port, parallel port, local talk, and BNC (a coax connection) labelled ports on a panel entitled Jet Direct. I've always used Ethernet via Apple Talk, now not available on Snow Leopard. Have tried to use Ethernet and Serial Port to USB without success; but have not tried Parallel to USB. Do I need to get a Parallel to USB connector cable? Thanks.

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Answer 5

James Wittmer Author

Level 1

102 points

Nov 30, 2009 12:28 PM in response to James Wittmer

PS The parallel port has 36 pins and described in the manual as a DB8.

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Answer 6

Nov 30, 2009 1:13 PM in response to James Wittmer

The Jet Direct interface is what you have to configure. (The printer may be irrelevant.) The protocol that works, if there is one, depends on the card. Tell us what model interface it is, and perhaps someone can help you.

Forgive me if I do not have the particulars correct. A 4MP is very old; I even wore out my 6MP long ago, and I do not remember these details.

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Answer 7

James Wittmer Author

Level 1

102 points

Nov 30, 2009 1:48 PM in response to James Wittmer

Bruce, thanks for hanging in. My 1994 4mp manual gives three parts numbers for 3 different JetDirect card configurations. My ports fit the description for J2552A I can find no other pertinent numbers in the manual. I also have a 100+ page HP manual "HP JetDirect Configuration Guide, with separate chapters for Unix, Windows, Novell, etc. and one for "Apple Ether Talk or LocalTalk Networks (one of my ports is a receptacle for a round 8 pin Local Talk plus). I don't see any Jet Direct references on the 4MPself-test printout; there are some in the MIO section for LAN EW address (under 10BaseT port) and Apple Talk status. Is there another place I should look for an interface model number?

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Answer 8

Nov 30, 2009 6:35 PM in response to James Wittmer

As I said, I am not certain about the particulars, but the one thing to avoid is the LocalTalk port. You probably need to look into the Unix section of the manual to find the proper configuration to use the printer now. However, the terminology has perhaps changed since the manual was written.

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Answer 9

Dec 29, 2009 11:25 AM in response to James Wittmer

I discovered your post when I was looking for help connecting my HP Laserjet 4MP to a new MacBook Pro 17" running OS 10.5.8. Can you tell me what king of adapter cable you used to connect? I downloaded the driver from HP. Then I tried using a local talk cable from the printer to an Asante bridge, which connects to the compuer via an Ethernet cable-this is how I used to connect the printer a few years back to G4 running OS9. Not sure if my problem is the system, seems from what you're saying it isn't, but need help with what sort of adapter cable to order. Thanks to anyone who can help.

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Answer 10

greg sahli

Level 7

25,508 points

Dec 29, 2009 1:44 PM in response to martha Sedgwick

martha,
you need a USB to parallel adapter cable.

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Answer 11

ps58

Level 1

4 points

Dec 29, 2009 5:05 PM in response to martha Sedgwick

http://tekgems.com/Products/la-par03-c36m.htm

This is what you need and I am in the same perdicament . But hope I dont have problem with
snow leapard.

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Answer 12

Dec 30, 2009 9:50 AM in response to James Wittmer

thank you, Greg and others, who responded to my post. I'll try the USB to Parallel adapter route.

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Answer 13

Dec 31, 2009 9:59 AM in response to James Wittmer

I have an additional question about the USB to Parallel adapter cable which has been recommended to hook up my HP Laserjet 4 MP to a MacBook Pro: Can I connect the adapter cable directly into the parallel port on the printer? or do I need to by a 24542D cable to hook into computer and then connect the adapter cable to that? Originally, I used the round pin local talk cable connection. Don't know if I ever had a 24542D cable but if I did, I don't now. Thanks.

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Answer 14

Dec 31, 2009 11:20 AM in response to martha Sedgwick

The parallel to USB cable is all you need.

Meritline is another company that sells the cable for under $10.

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Answer 15

Jan 2, 2010 9:43 AM in response to martha Sedgwick

Martha,

Noticed your post while trying to solve my own LJ4M problem. Your setup sounds exactly like mine, MacBookPro, OS 10.5.8, Asante bridge, etc. Mine works fine. I'm using a different driver though which might be your problem. It is the Gutenprint 5.1.3 for HP LJ4, not an HP driver. Try that first before spending any money and see if it works. It should come up in the driver menu list in System Preferences.

And if you do get the adapter cable I'd be interested in knowing how well it works. My problem is that the connection periodically drops for no apparent reason, and then comes back for no apparent reason. I figure it's the Appletalk cable.

George

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