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HP LaserJet 4100N-print queue reverts to pause

I've been trying relentlessly to get my iMac (early 2008 model) to print on an HP LaserJet 4100N. I've been able to establish the connection (via ethernet) using the IP address on the printer and configuring as Protocol LPD, HP LaserJet 4100 Series v.3010.107. All looks good, including valid connection, etc. However, when I try to print the printer queue goes into action, shows that it's "printing-copying print data-printing", but as soon as it gets to the next step "connected to printer" the job suddenly drops and reverts to pause mode. According to the information provided under printer "Options and Supplies", I have driver version 19.5. HP says that OS 10.6 comes with the necessary driver (where I started before upgrading to Mountain Lion), and that an update for Mountain Lion can be found under Apple's Software Update. But no such update is found.


My older PowerBook G4 with OS 10.6 works fine, so I'm assume it's an issue with the software/driver that's supporting Mountain Lion.


Any suggestions?

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), 2008 imac A1224

Posted on Mar 15, 2013 4:54 AM

Reply
32 replies

Mar 15, 2013 1:08 PM in response to Linc Davis

Sorry, no luck. Followed the reset instructions, and still have the same problem. Printer is connected, recognized by computer, starts the print job, but then suddenly aborts goes into pause mode. With the print job still in the queue "ready to print". When I select "resume", it simply goes through the same cycle.

Mar 15, 2013 1:42 PM in response to wb4fly

So I just shut the printer off, and the network was correctly showing that there was no ethernet connection. However, under the "print & scan" pane, the printer was registering as "idle" with the green dot lit up, as if the printer was connected. The dot should have turned red with the printer shut off. When I restarted the printer and tried to print, the print job got as far as "printing-connecting to printer", but then after a minute or so I got a prompt that the "printer is not responding". So although the network is fine, there seems to be a communication hangup on both ends. I say both ends because the printers status indicator under the "print & scan" pane did not turn red when I shut the printer off, and from the printer side, I got a "printer not responding" prompt in the print queue.

Mar 15, 2013 1:43 PM in response to wb4fly

Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:


• Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)


• In the Finder, select Go > Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

• Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.


Select "/var/log/cups/error_log" from the file list on the left side of the Console window. If you don't see that list, select

View > Show Log List

from the menu bar. Then select the messages from the time of the last failed printing attempt. Copy them to the Clipboard (command-C). Paste into a reply to this message (command-V).


If there are runs of repeated messages, post only one example of each. Don’t post many repetitions of the same message.

When posting a log extract, be selective. In most cases, a few dozen lines are more than enough.

Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.

Mar 15, 2013 5:18 PM in response to Linc Davis

There are three series of log messages to consider.


1. BEFORE I reset the printing system and the print job was aborting and going into pause mode (my original message in this thread), the error messages look like this:


E [14/Mar/2013:16:20:41 -0400] [Job 6] Unable to queue job for destination "ipp://krishna-j-fishers-imac-2.local:631/printers/Canon_MP480_series_2".

E [14/Mar/2013:16:20:41 -0400] [Job 7] Unable to queue job for destination "ipp://localhost:631/printers/Canon_MP480_series_2".

E [14/Mar/2013:16:40:23 -0400] [Job 12] Stopping unresponsive job.

What's curious about these error messages is that it seems that the computer was trying to connect to another printer (Canon MP480) that I had loaded as an available printer. Even though I specifically selected the HP LaserJet for printing.


2. AFTER resetting the printing system, the error messages look like this:


W [14/Mar/2013:23:02:17 -0400] [Job 13] The printer may not exist or is unavailable at this time.

W [14/Mar/2013:23:02:22 -0400] [Job 13] The printer may not exist or is unavailable at this time.

W [14/Mar/2013:23:02:32 -0400] [Job 13] The printer may not exist or is unavailable at this time.

E [14/Mar/2013:23:04:49 -0400] [Job 13] The printer is not responding.


What's curious here is that the log time is way off. 23:00 would be 11:00 pm, and the actual print execution was around 4:00 pm.


3. AFTER resetting the printing system and restarting the printer, the error messages are now consistently as shown below:


E [15/Mar/2013:18:49:20 -0400] [Job 11] The printer is not responding.


With the printing system reset, it just seems that the printer is not responding to the computer. And knowing that the printer does respond to OS 10.4, not OS 10.6 as I had cited earlier, it seems like it's a compatibility issue with OS 10.8. In fact, I do recall having intermittent problems with the printer when I was working with OS 10.6. I'd have to restart the printer, or computer, to get the connection to go. But with OS 10.4 no problems.

Mar 15, 2013 7:52 PM in response to Linc Davis

Bingo! That's the problem; i.e. software update from Apple. According to HP's website and support forum (see links below), the update is available via Apple's Software Update. But I've found nothing.


http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&task Id=120&prodSeriesId=83436&prodTypeId=18972&objectID=c03413323


http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=c01664444 #N69


However, going directly to Apple's Support site I find an HP Driver 1.1.1 (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL339), and the links for additional information seem to suggest that the download is compatible with the LaserJet 4100 series. However, when I download the driver and open the dmg file, I get the following message:


"HewlettPakardPrinterDrivers.pgk can't be opened because it is from an unidentified developer"

"Your security preferences allow installation of only apps from the Mac App Store and identified developers"


So I checked the Mac App Store for the driver, and it came up empty. I turned off my firewall to make sure that wasn't blocking the download, but no luck. And Apple is saying that HP is an unidentified developer, even though they're suppose to be providing the HP download???? It makes absolutely no sense. Either I'm just not making the right key strokes, or somebody dropped the ball. Good Grief!

Mar 16, 2013 4:47 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hey Linc-


First let me thank you for hangin' in there with me on this one. I don't know how I missed this version of the HP driver in Apple Support. I swear the only item that came up was v.1.1.1. Even after trying multiple variations of search terms. I must have been loosing sight of "the ball" due to mounting frustration.


However, no joy with the v.2.13 driver. It installed just fine, but when I tried to print a test page from the print queue same outcome as before. I restarted the computer and tried again, but no joy. Then restarted the printer, but no joy. Here's the console messages from those three print executions.


E [16/Mar/2013:06:31:23 -0400] [Job 13] The printer is not responding.

E [16/Mar/2013:06:37:26 -0400] [Job 14] The printer is not responding.

E [16/Mar/2013:06:55:10 -0400] [Job 15] The printer is not responding.


I watched the disk activity monitor during the print operations, and the disk was writting data, but not reading any. Not sure if this is diagnostic or not, but I'd expect to see the monitor reading data if data transfer was open on both ends?


So I reset the printing system as before, reloaded the LaserJet with the new IP address, and now I'm back to the original problem of having the print operation drop-off and go into pause mode. Deleted the printer, and reloaded again. But same drop-off issue. All the console shows is the following:


E [16/Mar/2013:07:08:01 -0400] [Job 1] Stopping unresponsive job.

E [16/Mar/2013:07:13:51 -0400] [Job 1] Stopping unresponsive job.


As always, the ethernet connection is recognizing the printer, and when I load the printer with the IP address I get a prompt indicating that there's a valid and correct connection. So no issues with the ethernet connection. It's weird that I'm back to the drop-off issue after resetting the print system. Regardless, the printer is just not responding to the computer's demands.


Hopeless in Carolina.

Mar 16, 2013 5:16 AM in response to wb4fly

So I tried one more swing in the canopy. Silly me. I shut the printer off and tried to print a test page from the print queue. The job launched, but the outcome was exactly like before I reset the printing system. No drop-off to pause mode, but I got the prompt that the printer is not responding; not surprising (console message below). So clearly, the printer just doesn't seem to exist, from the eyes of the computer, whether it's on or off.


E [16/Mar/2013:07:59:32 -0400] [Job 10] The printer is not responding.


Further evidence to this is that the LaserJet is showing up in the Print & Scan window as being idle with the green dot lit-up when the printer is shut off. It should be red.


End result, the new HP driver (v.2.13) that's suppose to allow compatibility between the HP 4100 series and Mountain Lion does not. And I say this knowing that the same printer works fine with OS 10.4.

Mar 16, 2013 6:58 AM in response to wb4fly

Please read this whole message before doing anything.

This procedure is a diagnostic test. It’s unlikely to solve your problem. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
The purpose of the test is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party software that loads automatically at startup or login.


Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode* and log in to the account with the problem. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:

  • Shut down your computer, wait 30 seconds, and then hold down the shift key while pressing the power button.
  • When you see the gray Apple logo, release the shift key.
  • If you are prompted to log in, type your password, and then hold down the shift key again as you click Log in.
*Note: If FileVault is enabled under OS X 10.7 or later, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t boot in safe mode.


Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs. The next normal boot may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.


Test while in safe mode. Same problem?


After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of the test.

Mar 16, 2013 9:23 AM in response to wb4fly

Is there some reason you chose to use the IP > LPD protocol?

HP printers prefer to use IP > HP Jetdirect(socket).

But if you need to use LPD, you need to use the correct queue name. In the "standard document" for LPD (for IPP, for that matter, too), queue name is a part of the address to the printer. IP address alone isn't supposed to be sufficient (although many manufacturers have overridden this).

I've seen "ps," "text," and "raw" used for queue name on HP printers.

Mar 16, 2013 9:31 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks. I'm familiar with booting in safe mode and have used before as a diagnostic test when I was having hard drive issues. I followed your instructions to the T, and received no prompts of third party interfence. I tried to print a test page, and ended up with the same out come. Console message below:


E [16/Mar/2013:12:24:32 -0400] [Job 16] The printer is not responding.


So I assume this means that the issue is not third party software interference. Shucks.

HP LaserJet 4100N-print queue reverts to pause

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