Q: 10.8.5 - Can anyone select a printer driver?

Download and install Brother Printer Drivers 2.10 for OS X and try adding the printer again in the System/Print & Scan preference pane.

OT

You can also try resetting the printing system.

Reset Printing System

John Knowles wrote:

 

...there's no option to select a driver; it's showing up as CUPs which I know is the problem.

 

JVK

Brother printers use the CUPS printing system that is built into OS X so it is not surprising that it shows up as CUPS. Knowledge Base article TS3147 on Troubleshooting printer issues in OS X might be of some help to you.

I agree with Joe Bailey, the CUPS printer driver should be all you need.

Have you tried re-setting the printer. The User Guide tells how.

Those pages you are getting are Postscript errors. The Brother web site shows that this model supports their proprietary BR-Script3, which is the Brother version of Postscript. The web site also shows this printer supports PCL6. So you still have the option to add an alternate driver on 10.8 and I would recommend you try the Generic PCL Laser driver that is included with the OS. To do this, remove the current printer and select to add again. But when you click the plus button in Print and Scan, don't click on the Brother if it appears in the small window with a heading of Nearby Printers. Instead, within this window you will see Add Printer or Scanner. Click this to open the Add printer window which will typically be set to the Default view. If not, select the Default icon. From this window you will most likely see the Brother. Select it and then look at the Use menu near the bottom. This will probably automatically select the Brother PS driver. Click on this drop menu and select the Generic PCL Laser driver. Click Add to complete the printer creation and then see if this driver will let you print.

Note that this Generic PCL driver is set to 300dpi as a default, but you can increase the resolution to 600dpi via the print dialog.

All I can say is in answer to your question, "Can anyone install a printer driver" the day after I updated to 10.8.5 I downloaded and installed a Brother printer on a WiFi network connection with absolutely zero problems. My Macs saw the printer on the network and went through a "setting up the printer" process I don't recall seeing before and the printer, scanner, and fax all worked flawlessly. So yes, I can and have installed a printer.

That raises the question for me, what is different between our two systems. Just as a diagnostic, would you try something? If you do not have a "test" account with administrative priveleges create on in System Preferences > Groups and Users then logon to that pristine account and...

1. Try to print to the printer. If that works then there is something in your user account that is somehow interfering with the CUPS print system. It would most likely be in System Preferences > Groups & Users > your account > Login items, where ~/ is shorthand for your user account look in ~/Library (Since the user's library is by default invisible you may have to get to that through Finders GO > Go to Folder... and type in ~/Library) then one of the following folders, LaunchAgents, LaunchDaemons, Startup Items. Don't delete the items in those folders but drag items out of them to the desktop, reboot, and test. If the problem still exists return the items to the folder it came from and repeat with the next item. If the problem goes away return the items to the folder one at a time until you find the culprit.
2. If the first test reveals nothing, while logged into the Test account go to System Preferences > Print & Scan and delete all printers. Reboot and log into the Test account and Install the printers then test again from the Test account and from your regular account.
3. If you are still getting garbage then there is something amiss in the System. Try unplugging all external devices including hubs but excepting the Keyboard and Mouse/Trackpad. Once again reboot and test from both accounts
4. In the Library folder at the drive root look in the following folders, LaunchAgents, LaunchDaemons, Startup Itemsthe following folders, LaunchAgents, LaunchDaemons, Startup Items for potential culprits.

This is a long and tedious process, but it is the only way to positively eliminate some outside driver or softwre entity as the source of the problem.