New Macbook Air Trouble Getting Printer Drivers.

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Level 1

5 points

New Macbook Air Trouble Getting Printer Drivers.

Long time Mac user and moving to a new Macbook Air from a Macbook Pro. Cannot get the printer drivers downloaded from the App Store and keep getting the following message:

"Can't download the software for the EPSON WorkForce 840 because of a network problem."

My assumption was our local area network has a problem and did the full monte re: Airport Utility, signal strength, etc. to no avail.

Older MacBook Pro is printing fine to the printer. Any ideas for what I may be overlooking? I then downloaded the Epson software from the Epson site. Changed my security preferences so as to be able to install it, did the "installation" via the installer and cannot find it on the computer. Can find the original download, but cannot find the installed file anywhere on the Macbook Air. Strange.

Suggestions?

Bill

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Jul 14, 2013 4:51 PM

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Answer 1

arthur

Level 5

5,242 points

Jul 14, 2013 5:04 PM in response to Bill Batten

Sounds like you may need to reset the printer system and then reinstall the driver. See this reference:

OS X Mountain Lion: Reset the printing system

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Answer 2

Bill Batten Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 14, 2013 5:12 PM in response to arthur

arthur,

Thanks for your post. First, there were no printers in the print & scan list, but I went ahead and did Reset the printing system action as you suggested. Afterwards I again tried to connect to my Epson printer and was prompted to get driver software from the App Store and once again got the following message:

Can't download the software for the EPSON WorkForce 840 because of a network problem.

Please keep the ideas coming! I've got a feeling it is something simple that I am overlooking.

Thanks,

Bill

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Jul 14, 2013 5:27 PM in response to Bill Batten

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, or by a peripheral device.

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. Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.

Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain iMacs. 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.

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Answer 4

arthur

Level 5

5,242 points

Jul 14, 2013 5:28 PM in response to Bill Batten

random ideas:

disable your firewall
disable any outgoing network monitoring software you might have (Little Snitch, for example)

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Answer 5

Bill Batten Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 14, 2013 6:08 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc, I did the Boot in Safe Mode and got the following message splashed on the screen at start up.

"“/Library/StartupItems/Executor” has not been started because it does not have the proper security settings."

Questions:

1 How do I fix the library problem?

2. Did the print and scan loading work again and got the same message as before:

"Can't download the software for the EPSON WorkForce 840 because of a network problem."

Bill

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Answer 6

Bill Batten Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 14, 2013 6:12 PM in response to arthur

arthur,

1. We don't have a firewall. Just a Time Warner Cable Modem feeding to an Airport Time Capsule which, in turn talks to an Airport Express at the end of the house closest to the Epson printer.

2. Don't have any outgoing network monitoring software. At least none that I am aware of at this time.

Bill

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Answer 7

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Jul 14, 2013 6:30 PM in response to Bill Batten

If you're not using "ProSoft Data Backup," remove it according to the developer's instructions. Otherwise, see:

"Insecure Startup Items folder" message appears after logging in

If you booted in safe mode, you should have seen the words "Safe Boot" in the login screen, and a dark gray progress bar on a light gray background before that. Did you?

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Answer 8

Bill Batten Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 14, 2013 6:52 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

I did all of the actions your link above listed including throwing away what appeared to be the offending file in the startup library as well as doing a repair disk permissions. Interestingly, I did a disk permissions repair earlier this evening and it repaired a bunch of files and then just did it five minutes ago and it repaired a big list of files that time, too.

Am still getting the library/startup/executor not loading message.

Yes, I did see the Safe Boot and dark gray progress bar on a light gray background. Searched and did not find a ProSoft file on the computer.

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Answer 9

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Jul 14, 2013 7:18 PM in response to Bill Batten

If you tried to remove the ProSoft software, you didn't succeed. Do so according to the developer's instructions, if any. Otherwise you'll have to do a clean installation, which is a lot of work.

That issue is separate from the one in your original message. You wrote that you installed the EPSON software but "could not find it." Where did you look? Can you find it on the other Mac?

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Answer 10

Bill Batten Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 14, 2013 7:56 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

I have had some problems trying to do exactly what you prescribed in the link re: StartupItems and am going to park it for the night and work on it fresh in the morning.

Here are the snags encountered:

1. Set up Root User but never figured out how to log in. Yes, I set up a password, but when I logged out and then tried to relog in as Root User, the new un-named account would not let me log in with the Root User password. When trying to go straight from the Users & Account set up for Root User, it always wanted my normal computer password to unlock and to do actions. Am kind of confused as to the Root User thing.

2. Could not throw away the StartupItems folder. I could get the items in the start up folder into trash but could not then get the StartupItems folder into trash. I guess this goes back to screwing-up the Root User step somehow.

3. Is there a way for me to simply kill off this entire operating system and re-doing this new computer from scratch? It may be easier for me to do this than to parse through finding the corrupted files.

Thoughts?

Bill

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Answer 11

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Jul 14, 2013 10:14 PM in response to Bill Batten

Back up all data to at least two different storage devices, if you haven't already done so. The backups can be made with Time Machine or with a mirroring tool such as "Carbon Copy Cloner." Preferably both.

Boot into Recovery mode, launch Disk Utility, and erase the startup volume with the default options. This operation will destroy all data on the volume, so you had be better be sure of your backups. Quit Disk Utility and install OS X. When you reboot, you'll be prompted to go through the initial setup process. That’s when you transfer the data from one of your backups.

Transfer only "Users" and "Settings" – not "Applications" or "Other files." Don't transfer the Guest account, if it was enabled on the old system. Test. If the problem is still there, the cause is external to the machine, or else you're dealing with a bug or a hardware fault.

If the problem is resolved, reinstall your third-party software cautiously. Self-contained applications that install into the Applications folder by drag-and-drop or download from the App Store are safe. Anything that comes packaged as an installer or that prompts for an administrator password is suspect, and you must test thoroughly after reinstalling each such item to make sure you haven't restored the problem.

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Answer 12

Bill Batten Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 15, 2013 3:10 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

I did the full tear down as you suggested above and eventually stopped the process after seven hours and the screen telling me 18 more hours was needed. This was with an ethernet cable arrangement. I tried to re-erase the computer again but no go for that action (grayed out). I then started my MacBook Pro in T mode and Firewired the user and settings data to the new Macbook Air. It looks like everything is a go at this point.

However, it still will not get the printer drivers from Apple's App store. It goes to look for printer software at the App Store, grinds for a while with only the left most side of the loading bar showing a bit of blue and then kicks out with the following message displayed:

"Can't download the software for the EPSON WorkForce 840 because of a network problem."

Meanwhile, I am blithely printing away with my older MacBook Pro to the printer shown above. How does one get around this App Store issue? The MacBook Air's firewall is off.

The Software Update is also prompting for some updates. This is the message given when I try to update:

"Can't install updates now because other updates are being installed.(104)"

It sounds like there is a hang-up somewhere. Should I kill off this Macbook Air again (total erasure) and just set it up as a non-affiliated computer standing on its own, i.e. no Migration Assistant action, just a new name, new user, etc.?

Thanks for all your help.

Bill

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Answer 13

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,535 points

Jul 15, 2013 4:39 PM in response to Bill Batten

It sounds like you really do have a network problem. Can you ping "swcdn.apple.com"?

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Answer 14

Bill Batten Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 15, 2013 6:03 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

I've got it fixed and have downloaded the printer drivers (HP and Epson) from the App Store. Here is what I did and also what I "think" was the issue:

I once again totally erased the new MacBook Air's hard drive (technically speaking it is not a hard drive but rather 512 GB of flash memory, but I digress . . . .) and set hit the command saying it was essentially being set up as a stand alone Mac for the time being, i.e. NO Migration Assistant.

The MacBook Air then spoke to Apple for about 30 minutes and got its groove on regarding getting a full complement of Mountain Lion OS 10.8.4 operating software. I then said the heck with downloading anything from my older Mac and went straight to the App Store to check Software Update. It duly downloaded some OS updates and afterwards shut down and then restarted. I then looked for our printers, the MacBook Air found them and they nicely went about their business downloading the appropriate printer software from the App Store.

Summary:

My older MacBook Pro has some issues. Some of those issues are not causing it problems but they cause problems in the new MacBook Air. The issues probably stem from the older computer formerly being used in a company setting on a Mac fileserver that pulled down updates and quickly dispensed them whenever one of our Macs was being going through a Software Update. The server now has an older Operating System (can't remember, maybe Leopard) and thus no longer does this software updating functionality for the Macs having newer OS software. I've got a feeling there is some kind of residual "looking for Mama" code still in my older computer from that aforementioned situation. At any rate, the printer software updating issue has been solved. Yes!!!!

I plan to erase the older computer and get the gremlins out now that the newer computer is running fine. Linc, thanks for all your help.

Regards,

Bill

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