Can't Print PDFs in Lion

Question

Level 1

46 points

Can't Print PDFs in Lion

I am desperate for a solution. Since installing Lion I can't print any PDFs. Printer dialog box just shows constant loading, spooling. I've had to send the PDF to myself in an email or download it through my son's PC laptop, connect his laptop to my printer and it prints from there fine. Ridiculous waste of time when working on a big project. I am able to view PDFs and apparently also save them (only through the floating Adobe dialog bar that drifts up at the bottom of the screen) but the using the print icon there yields the same result as going to the top bar to File-Print. I appears I have Adobe Reader 10.1.3, and I have Lion OS10.7.4 -

I won't be able to upgrade to Mountain Lion because I have a MacBook Late 2007 with a 2.2GHx Intel Core 2 Duo, and a HP Photosmart C4200.

iPad 2, iOS 5

Posted on Aug 6, 2012 12:04 PM

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Answer 1

etresoft

Level 8

46,530 points

Aug 6, 2012 1:25 PM in response to CPH

You don't need any Adobe software to work with PDFs. You can try to either update Adobe to the latest version or remove it.

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Answer 2

LilyLC

Level 4

2,828 points

Aug 6, 2012 9:13 PM in response to CPH

Consider opening the PDF in the Preview app and try printing from that.

...Since installing Lion I can't print any PDFs. Printer dialog box just shows constant loading, spooling.

Just to be sure it's not the print driver on your computer, you can print other file types, yes?

HTH

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Answer 3

CPH Author

Level 1

46 points

Aug 9, 2012 10:08 AM in response to LilyLC

Yes, I am able to print everything else on my printer since upgrading to Lion, including other pages from websites, emails, Word documents, etc. I have the latest version of Reader 10.1.3 and I thought Reader was necessary to read and print PDFs - otherwise why do all the sites that put documents in PDF format send you to download free Adobe Reader to access them?

I really, really need a fix - not being able to print when necessary is insane.

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Answer 4

etresoft

Level 8

46,530 points

Aug 9, 2012 10:40 AM in response to CPH

CPH wrote:

I have the latest version of Reader 10.1.3 and I thought Reader was necessary to read and print PDFs - otherwise why do all the sites that put documents in PDF format send you to download free Adobe Reader to access them?

That is only for Windows users.

I really, really need a fix - not being able to print when necessary is insane.

If you want to keep Adobe Reader, you will have to contact them for support: http://helpx.adobe.com/reader.html

If you want to remove Adobe Reader, you are pretty much on your own. I couldn't find any straightforward uninstall instructions on the Adobe site. I did find this thread here on the Apple forums that lists the files you need to remove manually.

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Answer 5

smsurine

Level 1

0 points

Aug 23, 2012 7:48 AM in response to CPH

Did you ever find a fix? Because I'm having the exact same problem! I updated to Lion and suddenly couldn't print anything from Preview. I can only print Word documents, spreadsheets, etc... I hoped updating again to Mountain Lion might fix the problem, but no such luck.

It's been a huge waste of time for me too trying to figure out a workaround. So if you've found a solution I'd love to hear it.

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Answer 6

CPH Author

Level 1

46 points

Aug 23, 2012 1:38 PM in response to smsurine

No, sorry to say I have not found an answer. I've tweeted @Adobe_Care several times with no response. Apparently they don't care. I removed Reader and then can't even read PDFs so the previous responder was incorrect. I re-downloaded it and still didn't print. And yes, it is enormously frustrating & time-consuming, because even if one wants to be green, there are still things one has to print! I have just downloaded the latest update 10.1.4 but have not had a chance to see if it makes a difference. Next stop is Genius Bar next week, although I'm doubtful it will help because I'm not dragging my printer with me so won't be able to re-create the problem. I can print everything else, webpages, receipts,Word, Excel, PPT, etc. As long as it is not a PDF. This is ridiculous.

I can't upgrade to Mountain Lion, but am thinking of getting a new MacBook Pro with Mountain Lion on it, but if it also has this problem, I won't do it. There has to be some way to fix this and would again welcome help. Thanks!

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Answer 7

smsurine

Level 1

0 points

Aug 24, 2012 6:57 AM in response to CPH

I haven't found a solution per se yet either, but I'm starting to think it's the printer, or a driver issue with the printer, and not Lion itself.

Here's where I'm at in the process: I went ahead and upgraded to Mountain Lion hoping that the bug would be fixed in this version. Unfortunately I still had the same problem - I could print everything except from Preview or email. Then I noticed that there was an update available for Mountain Lion so I downloaded it (now running OS X 10.8.1), and things just got worse! Now I can't print at all!

However, there is another printer in my office - it's slower so we typically don't use it. I tried to print to that and had no problems. So with one printer/copier I can't print anything, and with another I have no issues.

So like I said, I'm thinking that the issue is with the with driver for the first printer.

I went to their website and tried to find a newer driver, but the latest one is for Mac OS X 10.7.

Our service rep is coming out next week, maybe he'll have some answers. If so, I'll let you know.

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Answer 8

LilyLC

Level 4

2,828 points

Aug 26, 2012 3:16 PM in response to CPH

CPH,

You haven't said, but have you tried Apple's Preview app to open and print PDFs?

Have you check your hard disk and repaired permissions with the Disk Utility app in the Utilities folder?

Are you able to view PDFs within a browser and then print from there?

... I've tweeted @Adobe_Care several times with no response.

You might consider the Adobe Reader forum.

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Answer 9

CPH Author

Level 1

46 points

Aug 28, 2012 4:03 PM in response to LilyLC

For some reason I cannot find the Apple Preview app to open and print PDFs. I looked at the hard disk and it appeared ok but did not want to mess with a repair on the Disk Utility - I'd go to the Genius Bar first. I can view PDFs within Safari but it still wouldn't print. So I updated to Safari 6.0 and updated my HP driver to what I think is 5.0 and still it wouldn't print PDFs - just continually says "sending data to printer". But finally I found a troubleshooting guide on the HP Support site. It is quite long. Here is the link:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01879546&tmp_task=solveCate gory&cc=us&dlc=en&lang=en&lc=en&product=3192753

I went through all the steps and nothing was working (yes, I could print other documents in Word, etc., turned computer and printer on and off to clear memory, it wasn't on a network or peripheral, yes would print from another compter) and finally - Under Solution two, step one: Print the PDF as an image worked! I think I tried this before but it finally worked: Open PDF, Click File, Click Print or Print icon, Click Advanced (in upper right corner) - Advance Print Setup window opens, Select Print As Image checkbox, and click OK, on the Print window, click ok again to begin printing. Yea! It says then if these steps resolved the issue, there is no need to continue trouble shooting. I have not yet had the time to test this with the many other PDFs I could not get to print, but I'm hopeful. Please let me know if this works for you.

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Answer 10

CPH Author

Level 1

46 points

Aug 28, 2012 4:04 PM in response to smsurine

Smsurine:

For some reason I cannot find the Apple Preview app to open and print PDFs. I looked at the hard disk and it appeared ok but did not want to mess with a repair on the Disk Utility - I'd go to the Genius Bar first. I can view PDFs within Safari but it still wouldn't print. So I updated to Safari 6.0 and updated my HP driver to what I think is 5.0 and still it wouldn't print PDFs - just continually says "sending data to printer". But finally I found a troubleshooting guide on the HP Support site. It is quite long. Here is the link:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01879546&tmp_task=solveCate gory&cc=us&dlc=en&lang=en&lc=en&product=3192753

I went through all the steps and nothing was working (yes, I could print other documents in Word, etc., turned computer and printer on and off to clear memory, it wasn't on a network or peripheral, yes would print from another compter) and finally - Under Solution two, step one: Print the PDF as an image worked! I think I tried this before but it finally worked: Open PDF, Click File, Click Print or Print icon, Click Advanced (in upper right corner) - Advance Print Setup window opens, Select Print As Image checkbox, and click OK, on the Print window, click ok again to begin printing. Yea! It says then if these steps resolved the issue, there is no need to continue trouble shooting. I have not yet had the time to test this with the many other PDFs I could not get to print, but I'm hopeful. Please let me know if this works for you.

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Answer 11

smsurine

Level 1

0 points

Sep 10, 2012 11:19 AM in response to CPH

Sorry I didn't respond sooner.

My issue seems to be a driver problem. A rep from our copier company came and looked at it. What we discovered is the issue is that the copier requires a user number, which can be saved/locked. But for some reason when I try to print a PDF, it unlocks that number and I have to re-enter it each time. It will stay locked if I print word documents, web pages, etc..., but as soon as I try to print a PDF the number is gone and I need to re-enter it.

But I can print to the other printer in the office with no issues. So, like I said, I think in my case the problem with the copier, or a driver, not with my computer or any of my programs.

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