print error msg the file '/private/var/spool/cups/tmp/.....

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Level 1

9 points

print error msg the file '/private/var/spool/cups/tmp/.....

I have a MacBook Pro running ios 10.15.7 and am suddenly unable to print to my HP Laser jet over home wifi. I can see the file going to the printer, but the process immediately stops in the queue with the message Stopped - the file 'private/var/spool/cups/tmp/......

I tried restarting the computer and the printer. Tried printing email, pdf from Adobe Acrobat Reader and even this web page - and always get the same result. I am able to print a test page from the HP utility page so I know the connection with the printer is good.

I can print from my iPad over wifi so the problem appears to be something related to the MacBook Pro.

Any suggestions on how I can fix this?

Posted on Oct 23, 2020 12:42 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

127,435 points

Oct 25, 2020 7:49 AM in response to MorningCrewJJ

User:

Bill225 -- User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Oct 24, 2020 8:48 PM in response to HHussmann

The problem is the HP Printer Driver Certificate has expired. A programmer within HP has posted an ftp link to a package that updates the drivers and the Certificate. It worked for my HP Deskjet 6980 with Mojave 10.14.6 so I can once again print. Here's a link to the solution discussion on the HP community forum. Look for the Accepted Solution entry in the discussion.

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printing-Errors-or-Lights-Stuck-Print-Jobs/Driver-Certificate-Expired-Yesterday/m-p/7826768#M895582

procedure:

delete your Print queue.

download this updated package and install:

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software12/HP_Quick_Start/osx/Installations/Essentials/hp-printer-essentials-S-5_14_8_4.pkg

.

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Answer 2

Camelot

Level 9

54,333 points

Oct 23, 2020 12:45 PM in response to phwillsea

The most obvious question relates to available disk space.

Printing works by first creating a print spool file containing the data to print, then that file is transmitted to the printer.

If your drive is out of space then the spool file can't be created and would give the message you see.

There may be other issues, too, such as incorrect permissions on the directory or some such, but disk space is the first thing that comes to mind.

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Answer 3

Oct 23, 2020 5:34 PM in response to ilze16

do you have any more to that error message? or any other error messages?

System Preferences > Printers & Scanners ...

showing any statuses with error messages?

print queue for that Printer showing anything more?

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Answer 4

phwillsea Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 23, 2020 8:04 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Printer shows green/ok in system preferences. No error messages there. The print queue is where the error shows up. When I first press 'print' in the print dialog box the job seems to go to the queue, and almost immediately the error message comes up in small print below the title of the print job.

Interesting I tried my wifes MacBook Pro tonight, which is almost identical to mine and also running ios 10.15.7. Hers printed right away with no issues - also over the same wifi connection with the printer. I have to think the problem is on my laptop - the one thing I have yet to try is to connect my laptop to the printer with an ethernet cable, then log on to HP to make sure I have current HP software loaded. I'll try that tomorrow - although I am sure my wife has NEVER had her laptop connected. Quite the mystery!

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Answer 5

Oct 24, 2020 7:37 PM in response to phwillsea

Did we ever get any help from Apple in solving this? I have the exact same problem. I don't need a work-around (eg, ethernet cable or air-drop to some other device), I need to fix the problem with my MacBook Air so that I can print from it....

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Answer 6

phwillsea Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 25, 2020 11:10 AM in response to MorningCrewJJ

I spent an hour on the phone with Apple Support trying all kinds of things - which did not cure the problem. The agent concluded that it was an HP problem and suggested I contact them.

I did connect my laptop to the printer with an ethernet cable then logged on to HP support to check if HP software was current. There was a download available which I did, and now I can print. Hooray.

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