What printers will work with OS9 ?

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alex7375 Author

Level 3

695 points

What printers will work with OS9 ?

Hello,

I inherited an iMac G4 powerpc 17 with 1ghz. CPU and 768mb. of ram, 80gb HD. ( M8935LL/A )

Running OS9 Classic / Tiger.

Or should I upgrade to OS Leopard ?

What printers will work with this computer.

I have in my garage storage the following printers available.

1) Lexmark E312 USB laser printer

2) Lexmark inkjet printer parallel port

3) NEW HP all-in-one 8710 USB/Wifi

4) Epson all-in-one WF 3460 USb/Wifi

5) Samsung laser printer 2950 USB/Wifi

6) Samsung laser printer 2883 USB/Wifi

7) NEC parallel port laser printer

8) HP All-in-one inkjet printer K80

9) Kodak USB all-in-one injet printer 2150

Posted on Feb 24, 2017 4:24 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,183 points

Feb 24, 2017 7:10 AM in response to alex7375

iMac (17-inch 1Ghz) - Technical Specifications

Two things to consider regarding printers. First of all, the interface. Then the driver software.

Interface. USB (normally) not a problem. For printers with a parallel port, a USB-to-parallel adapter would be needed. Alternatively, an Ethernet-to-parallel print server (allowing a parallel printer to be networked).

Drivers. The software may or may not be a problem under Mac OS X 10.4, depending on the printer model (other limitations when using the Classic environment). In many cases one would have to visit the printer manufacturer's support site to check whether software exists at all for your chosen system version. Sometimes, drivers developed for Linux computers can be used/adapted. Do not expect driver software for modern all-in ones to work, though (except perhaps for plain printing).

Also, do not expect Wi-Fi printing to work as intended.

One idea for this computer model (which can be equipped with an AirPort Extreme card) could perhaps be to use it in connection with an AirPort Extreme base station of the same age (and with an older printer).

AirPort Extreme Base Station (no modem) - Technical Specifications

AirPort Extreme Base Station (Modem and PoE/UL2043 models) - Technical Specifications

https://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/0/MA95/en_US/AirPort_Extreme_Base_Station _Setup_Guide_v4.2.pdf

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Answer 2

alex7375 Author

Level 3

695 points

Mar 7, 2017 8:39 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

I had some Lexmark E312L USB mono chrome laser printers in the garage that I bought a long time ago for cheap.

I never used them until now. They work great. Now I remember why I bought them.

These printers have drivers for Windows-3.1x through Windows-10 and Drivers for Mac OS 8x through Sierra and IBM OS/2.

However these printers have been discontinued and are hard to find.

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Answer 3

alex7375 Author

Level 3

695 points

Mar 9, 2017 8:04 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

I have been able to get a hold of a "Lexmark E360dn" it is a USB or Network laser printer that works with MS-Windows 3.x thru Win-10 and MacOS 9x thru Sierra. Should work with MacOS 8x also.

------------------------------

Lexmark C54x	C540 C543 C544 Note: Also applies to C546	macOS 10.12 and Mac OS X 10.11.x, 10.10.x, 10.9.x, 10.8.x, 10.7.x, 10.6.8, 10.5.8, 10.4.11, 10.3.9, 10.2.8, 9.2.2 Visit Support & Downloadspage to download the web driver and additional utilities. Use Apple Software Update to get the latest driver for 10.6.8 and later Mac OS. Click herefor a list of supported printers.
Lexmark X54x	X543 X544 X546 Note: Also applies to XS544
Lexmark X26x / X36x	X264dn X363dn X364dn X364dw Note: Also applies to XS364
Lexmark X46x	X463de X464de X466de X466dte X466dwe Note: Also applies to XS463 and XS466
Lexmark X20x	X203n X204n
Lexmark X73x	X734de X736de X738de Note: Also applies to XS734, XS736, XS738
Lexmark T65x	T650 T652 T654 T656 Note: Also applies to TS650, TS652, TS654, and TS656
Lexmark TG65x	TG654
Lexmark X65x	X651de X652de X654de X656de X658de Note: Also applies to XS652, XS654, XS656, and XS658
Lexmark X86x	X860de X862de X864de Note: Also applies to XS860, XS862, and XS864
Lexmark W85x	W850 Note: Also applies to WS850
Lexmark C73x	C734 C736 Note: Also applies to CS736
Lexmark E26x / E36x	E260 E260d E260dn E360d E360dn Note: Also applies to ES360	10.8.x, 10.7.x, 10.6.8, 10.5.8, 10.4.11, 10.3.9, 10.2.8, 9.2.2 Visit Support & Downloads page to download the web driver and additional utilities. Use Apple Software Update to get the latest driver for 10.6.8 and later Mac OS. Click herefor a list of supported printers.
			Lexmark E45x / E46x	E450dn E460dn E460dw E462dtn Note: Also applies to ES460
			Lexmark EG46x	EG460dn
Lexmark C92x / C93x	C920 C930 C935
Lexmark X94x	X940e X945e
Lexmark C78x	C780 C782 Note: Also applies to CS782
Lexmark X64x	X644e X646e X642e
Lexmark X85x	X850e X852e X854e
Lexmark C53x	C530 C532 C534		10.8.x, 10.7.x, 10.6.8, 10.5.8, 10.4.11, 10.3.9, 10.2.8, 9.2.2 Visit Support & Downloads page to download the web driver and additional utilities. Use Apple Software Update to get the latest driver for 10.6.8 and later Mac OS. Click herefor a list of supported printers.
Lexmark C77x	C770 C772
Lexmark E12x	E120n
Lexmark E35x	E350d E352dn
Lexmark E25x	E250d E250dn
Lexmark E23x	E238
Lexmark E24x	E240 E240n
Lexmark E34x	E340 E342n
Lexmark C51x	C510
Lexmark W81x	W812	10.8.x, 10.7.x, 10.6.8, 10.5.8, 10.4.11, 10.3.9, 10.2.8, 10.1.5, 9.2.2 Visit Support & Downloads page to download the web driver and additional utilities. Use Apple Software Update to get the latest driver for 10.6.8 and later Mac OS. Click herefor a list of supported printers.
Lexmark W82x	W820
Lexmark W84x	W840
Lexmark X42x	X422
Lexmark T64x	T640 T642 T644
Lexmark C52x	C520 C522 C524
Lexmark E23x	E230 E232 E234 E234n
Lexmark C76x	C760 C762
Lexmark T43x	T430
Lexmark C72x	C720	10.6.8, 10.5.8,10.4.11, 10.3.9, 10.2.8, 10.1.5, 9.2.2 Visit Support & Downloads page to download the web driver and additional utilities. Use Apple Software Update to get the latest driver for 10.6.8 and later Mac OS. Click herefor a list of supported printers.
Lexmark C75x	C750 C752
Lexmark C91x	C910 C912
Lexmark E22x	E220
Lexmark E32x	E320 E321 E322 E323
Lexmark E33x	E330 E332n
Lexmark T42x	T420
Lexmark T52x	T520 T522
Lexmark T62x	T620 T622
Lexmark T63x	T630 T632 T634

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Answer 4

alex7375 Author

Level 3

695 points

Aug 23, 2017 10:27 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

I was able to get WiFi networking and printing to work with the use of an WiFi-extender.

Works great !...

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wi-Fi-Range-Extender-TL-WA850RE/dp/B00E98O7GC/ref =sr_1_20?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1503509106&sr=1-20&keywords=wifi+extender

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Answer 5

Feb 24, 2017 4:31 AM in response to alex7375

Leopard would work, but it might not be indicated, possibly slow and overheating. Tiger is the most efficient on these systems. Most printers are automatically discovered, and should appear in your system preferences, once plugged through usb. I don't think a wifi connection would work on tiger, but possibly Bluetooth.

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Answer 6

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,183 points

Mar 8, 2017 2:12 AM in response to alex7375

Yes, the Lexmark OS compatibility lists and download pages show an impressive range of supported systems. However, I would expect the Mac OS 8.6 and 9. x to be valid for the E312 model (not L) only, since it is a PostScript printer (see page vi in http://publications.lexmark.com/publications/pdfs/optrae312/enUser.pdf).

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Answer 7

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,183 points

Mar 8, 2017 4:36 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

I may have spoken too soon. On the Optra E312 support page, under Drivers, there are two downloads for Mac OS 9.2.2 and 8.6. One has a 312L file name and the other a plain 312, but PostScript is mentioned in the web page text for both. I do not know how to interpret this.

Anyway, you would have to check whether there is any relevant printer driver download information that applies to an iMac using the Classic environment under Mac OS X.

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Answer 8

alex7375 Author

Level 3

695 points

Mar 9, 2017 9:38 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

Know of any good color inkjet or color laser printers that work with iMac G4 in MacOS 9.2 Classic mode?

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Answer 9

Oct 31, 2017 5:00 PM in response to alex7375

Good old HP 970 CXI ect. should work via USB.

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