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User profile for user: Turtlewiz
Turtlewiz Author
User level: Level 1
47 points

Help! How do I locate/restore an old printer driver after resetting the print system?

I have two USB printers in my office: a Canon MP495 inkjet multifunction and a very old HP 3200 Laserjet All-in-One. MY PROBLEM: After I returned from a trip where I was using a different printer driver, both my regular printers said "Printer offline" and wouldn't print, even when they were both powered on and the USB connections were secure.


I was able to get the Canon MP495 working again with a restart, but the HP 3200 Laserjet still says "Printer offline." So I looked up Apple's Basic Printer Troubleshooting article, <http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Mac-Printing-and-Scanning/Basic-Printer-Troubleshoo ting-Steps-for-Mac/td-p/2634941> and reset the printer system according to instructions (System Prefs > Printer/Fax > Option + "-" > "Reset").


1. The Canon MP 495 driver appeared in the "Add Printer" window when I clicked on the "+" sign in System Prefs > Printer/Fax, but nothing appeared for the HP 3200 printer.


2. I don't have a CD installer for this printer--I inherited it from someone else in 2006--so I went to the HP website and found out that Snow Leopard includes a printer driver for the HP 3200 Laserjet and is therefore unavailable as a download from the HP website.


3. I then tried to reinstall the printer driver from my Snow Leopard install disk. However, when I tried to begin the installation process to my hard drive, the dialogue window said that I couldn't install it to "Macintosh HD" because "this disk is used for Time Machine backups."


Can anyone tell me how to install the correct printer driver from the Snow Leopard install disk?


More info, in case it's relevant: (1) Although I have had Snow Leopard for several years, the original printer driver for the HP 3200 was called "Gutenberg 3.2" (or something like that--no idea what that was :). (2) If I have to disable or uninstall Time Machine to get my printer back, that's okay. I don't use Time Machine--I use Shirtpocket's SuperDuper! with Passport.


Would be very grateful for any help out there--thanks!

Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Feb 4, 2015 5:21 PM

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8 replies
User profile for user: Turtlewiz
Turtlewiz Author
User level: Level 1
47 points

Feb 12, 2015 8:37 PM in response to Eric Root

Eric: Sorry it's taken me a while to get back to the discussion. I went to HPIJS for Max OS X and downloaded and installed the driver package listed as compatible with Snow Leopard (Driver Version 19.8) on an HP 3200 Laserjet All-in-One printer (triumph!). However, I must have done something wrong, because it prints only code ("%!PS-Adobe-3.0/%APL_DSC_Encoding: UTF8/%APLProducer: (Version 10.6.8 (Build 10K549", if that means something to you and then keeps on spitting out blank pages.


I've double-checked the driver version I need and this seems to be what's needed for the HP 3200. Apparently some 3200 models aren't compatible, but mine isn't listed among them, so I guess I got the right driver package. I looked for an FAQ for Mac OSX on the Linux site, but haven't found one so far.


Would you have any suggestions? I could try GIMP - Print from the Linux site, but I might run into the same problem--i.e., do whatever I'm doing wrong with the HPIJS.


If it's any clue, when I go to System Preferences/Print & Fax/Driver and click on "Options and Supplies..." / "Driver" tab, the dialogue window asks me to make sure my printer's options are accurate and offers two options: Fit to Page (default = "Prompt User") and Total Printer Memory (default = 8-15 MB). I have no idea what the options settings should be, but that's probably irrelevant.


Thanks so much for any more help or suggestions you might have!

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User profile for user: Turtlewiz
Turtlewiz Author
User level: Level 1
47 points

Feb 12, 2015 8:42 PM in response to Turtlewiz

Eric: PS: The "General" box in Print & Fax gives my AirPort Express as the "Location" and shows a URL under the Driver Version. I've never seen that before because I've always used USB printing on this printer (it's still hooked up on a USB wire). Could that be causing the problem I describe? If so, is there a way I can get it to recognize that I want it to function as a USB printer? Thanks!

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User profile for user: Turtlewiz
Turtlewiz Author
User level: Level 1
47 points

Feb 13, 2015 10:46 AM in response to Eric Root

Thanks, Eric--resetting worked, and I have a laser printer again. Actually, this time, when I clicked the + sign, it gave me the option of adding that printer using the Gutenprint driver I had before it crashed last week. It didn't show up the first time I tried adding it back, but now it's there again, so I just restored it. Very much appreciate the help!

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Help! How do I locate/restore an old printer driver after resetting the print system?

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