I have a PowerPC G4 w/OSX 10.4.11 and a HP laserjet 4 connected with a USB to parallel cable, I cannot get it to print,
how do I fix it ?
thanks in advance
G4 and mac book, Mac OS X (10.4.11)
Do you have the HP Laserjet 4 driver(s) installed, and if so, what happens when you try to print; what error messages do you get, if any? Be specific, and include screen shots if possible.
Hi Kurt, thanks for reading.
I have installed the drivers package from HP, and it appears to install ok. I then select the printer with the mac printer select menu, and that seems to be ok.
When I send a print job to the printer, nothing happens. No error messages, no blinking lights on the printer, no output, nothing. The print job just goes to the big bit bucket in the sky....
any ideas ?
Did you Repair Permissions using Disk Utiity then reboot, often needed on 10.4.x
Try using usbtb. It is alternative communications software that usually works better with parallel to USB adpaters. Please see http://buymelunch.org/printing/usbtb/
I loaded USBTB, and it ran but it could not detect my printer. I am using a HP Laserjet 4 that worked fine with a PC and centronics parallel cable, but now with the Mac I am using a Sabrent USB to parallel cable and not working.
maybe the cable is bad ??? It looks OK, the serial to parallel chip is in the connector, I can see it so it's not a fake cable.
any other suggestions ?
thanks
andy
Try opening System Profiler (/Applications/Utilities). In the left hand column under Hardware, highlight the USB item. What devices does it show are found in the right hand section? Is there any sort of listing for a USB printer or possibly something with the name Sabrent in it?
I went to the system profiler and queried the USB/parallel cable and this is what came back:
IEEE-1284 Controller:
Version: 2.00
Bus Power (mA): 500
Speed: Up to 12 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: Prはlific Technology Inc.
Product ID: 0x2305
Vendor ID: 0x067b
so the computer recognized the cable correctly, but I still can't figure out how to "find " the printer in the computer and load the correct driver. any ideas ?
thanks
andy
The printer will not work if the system only sees the cable. The cable should be invisible to the system and you should see your printer rather than the cable.
The best I can suggest is to try another parallel-to-USB cable. I strongly recommend that you buy one locally where they will give you a full refund if it does not resolve your issues.
I also downloaded and installed both Gutenprint (latest version for OSX) and USBTB, but that does not seem to make any difference.
How do I start and run Gutenprint ? Does that offer an alternative way to set up a printer ? I still dont think I have even setup what's available, I cannot get gutenprint to run.
also, the only thing I see in the old mac printer setup menu is IEEE 1284 controller, it sees the chip in the usb/parallel cable but cannot see the printer. any more thoughts ?
I appreciate any help you can give.
andy
I also tried a usb to serial cable and the computer did not see the printer with that cable either. any other thoughts ?
andy
Have you tried going to the "Print and Fax" pane of the system preferences, and Control-clicking into the panel at the left that would normally show installed printers?
If not, do that and if the cursor spins, wait until it stops, and the LaserJet 4 should show up as a Bonjour Printer/Scanner. Then click "+" to add a printer, then "more printers" and then select the HP device, and with any luck it should work.
andy2175m4@yahoo.com wrote:
I also downloaded and installed both Gutenprint (latest version for OSX) and USBTB, but that does not seem to make any difference.
How do I start and run Gutenprint ? Does that offer an alternative way to set up a printer ? I still dont think I have even setup what's available, I cannot get gutenprint to run.
You set up a printer to use the Gutenprint drivers just as you would any other printer. You can also use the standard method to add a printer for the usbtb software the same way. Both USB and usbtb are listed as possibilities in the Default Browser when you add your printer.
You "open" Gutenprint the same way you "open" any printer driver. You select the driver you want in the process of setting up the printer. When you print a job, the options will appear under Printer Features in the print window.
If the installer for usbtb was not able to detect your printer and lead you through the set up process, however, I don't think that you will be able to print using your current parallel-to-USB cable.
andy2175m4@yahoo.com wrote:
I also tried a usb to serial cable and the computer did not see the printer with that cable either. any other thoughts ?
Serial printing is a totally different topic. Specifically, what model of the LaserJet 4 do you have? There are models that have various I/O ports ranging from parallel to serial (D 25 pin or D 9 pin) to LocalTalk (miniD-8).
I have installed all the drivers suggested but it makes no difference, the problem seems to be the cable, the Mac cannot see the printer thru the cable so it's not working.
I am using a "SABRENT" $8.99 usb/parallel cable and it's not working at all, it claims on the package to be MAC compatible, but it's not
can anyone out there suggest a brand of USB to parallel cable that works with a MAC and a parallel printer ?
there are about 23 listed on line at MAC MALL but none of them have any info to suggest they will work for this application.
if you know of a brand that works please advise,
thanks
andy
the printer is am using is an HP Laserjet 4, just 4, not 4M or 4P or some other variant,
the 2 ports on the back are 25 pin serial, and centronics / parallel.
Need help how to get G4 mac to print to HP Laserjet 4 w/usb/parallel cable
