Post by: RHPConsult on June 11, 2007, 10:28:53 PM
Sequence of events:
- Without any warning(s), printing became non-functional this afternoon, when we began to print both color photos and grayscale photos (we're working on editing a Family History)
- No on HP LaserJet 4MV
- No on HP DeskJet 970cse
- Printer Set-up utility lists both printers, while declaring Jobs Stopped, BUT, Resume not available for selection.
- Rebooted both printers and all Macs
- Repaired Permissions w/DiskUtility
- Verified Disk w/Disk Utility
- Downloaded and installed new drivers for both printers from HP's we site
- Repaired Permissions
Nothing newly installed except new firmware for AEBS. Subsequently, it functioned quite smoothly for several days and then Boom!, this afternoon. Nothing.
No grayscale, no color photos. Nothing except Text.
How do I get Jobs Stoppedoverridden by Resume?
One request, please: Do not recommend that 3d party alleged repair utility for Printer Setup. I'm sorry, at my age, sad to say, that was absolutely the murkiest set of instructions (filled with insider references) I recall ever having the misfortune to encounter. It's use was NOT necessary to get out of a similar dilemma in the past. Thank you.
Post by: chriskleeman on June 12, 2007, 12:14:12 AM
Additionally, are you hard-wired in to one of the computers with one of those printers and nothing still works?
But you are printing text?
I'm stumped! But then, it doesn't take much sometimes...
Chris K
Post by: RHPConsult on June 12, 2007, 02:41:10 AM
I am connected to the 'net just fine. Seamonkey and Firefox are working just fine. I can print text . . . photos . . . I don't think so!
DP
Post by: sandbox on June 12, 2007, 03:16:56 AM
A shared printer would require you to access the printer from the computer that sent the print file. If your trying to resume or delete a file sent by another computer the options will not be available.
Post by: pendragon on June 12, 2007, 07:08:44 AM
Indeed it does seem (to me) to be a printer queue or network problem. Of course, the network can be verified (or not) by connecting a printer directly to computer.
So, if SB's suggestion doesn't work, a few suggestions, well, guesses really, just to prime the pump a bit more--
1. When you restarted, was it just a restart or was it from a shut down? AFAIK, printer queues are often deleted when the power is off, ergo, a power down of both the printers and computer may clear the Job Stopped/Resume issue.
2. Since this may be a network issue, resetting all network devices (Airports, routers, modems, etc.) can't hurt (well, shouldn't). Also, since you have a scanner (and other peripherals?) connected, disconnecting that is worth trying.
3. You checked for loose cables and the like?
4. I have five printer plists (Home/Library/Preferences). I presume you have a similar list:
com.apple.print.PrintingPrefs.plist
com.apple.print.PrinterProxy.plist
com.apple.print.PrintCenter.plist
com.apple.print.custompresets.plist
com.apple.print.favorites.plist
Perhaps one of your printer plists is corrupt and needs removing.
Sorry for all the guesswork.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on June 12, 2007, 11:34:51 AM
Other than that, just be sure you are not asking for a print job in any abnormal way from either of these printers. I think you now have them attached directly to the two Macs, correct? They should therefore not be concerned about any networking problems other than having the Printer Sharing turned ON at each Mac.
Post by: RHPConsult on June 12, 2007, 01:08:33 PM
Without preamble or warning the LaserJet resumed “normal†operations when I came in this morning, i.e. it again prints BOTH text and images from both the iMacs (G5 and Intel). The only recalcitrant puppy now is the DeskJet.
Both Printers and all Macs were shut down cold and restarted at least 3 times last evening
Both are part of our Airport LAN, have been for m-o-n-t-h-s
Latest AEBS firmware was updated 4-5 days ago. Everything was working quite fine until yesterday afternoon
DeskJet is ON
Personal fire sharing ON;
Printer sharing ON
Have just trashed 5 plists as suggested by Harv
Printer Set-Up Utility seems stuck-on-stupid as afar as having “Resume†become active.
[attachment=365:Print_Qu..._DeskJet.jpg]
The Print Dialog for the DeskJet continues to displays a tiny exclamation point next to its placement in the Printer roster . ..before/after trashing the prefs. Clicking on it produces . . .nothing! No explanation, no clue to remediation. It's the tiny black circle in the ilustration below.
The Dropdown in the DeskJet now shows a strikethrough I've not seen before this morning
[attachment=364:Dropdown...ethrough.jpg]
And, finally, a very curious "stop error" dialog is non-functional and grayed-out after it pops-up. Unfortunately I cannot display it, since a sterm FORBIDDEN appears as I attempt to upload the prospective attachment it to this message. Its legend offer the following alternative: Add to Queue; Cancel; Continue none of which are functional.
Further ideas solicited.
Post by: Paddy on June 12, 2007, 01:46:38 PM
Post by: Xairbusdriver on June 12, 2007, 02:01:01 PM
Now do the above steps on the other Mac. Any difference in those two "activity" windows?
The basic problem is that one or both printers think they have jobs in a queue for printing. There is a file on at least one Mac that says it has stopped a print job for each printer. It is similar to the file that is supposed to get deleted when you shut down your Mac intentionally, if the Mac gets shutdown in any other way, it knows from the existence of that file that things may not be copasetic and it performs some basic routines to make sure. A similar file ( the "Queue" has not been erased for some reason for both the printers. The solution is to find the file(s) and delete them. They may well be hidden in a "/tmp" directory which I don't think Spotlight can display. Do you have another Find utility such as EasyFind?
The real problem is, we don't really know the name of this queue, it could be called a chache, a queue, a printtmp, etc. You might have better luck just looking for files that were created yesterday, especially any that have "cache", "queue", "print" or "This_is_the_file_that_tells_the_printer_dialog_that_the_requested_printer
_is_not_available_without_easy_and_simple_access_to_how_to_fix_it.txt".
Post by: RHPConsult on June 12, 2007, 07:02:52 PM
I, too, had the horseback opinion that something was probably "stuck" but everywhere I looked there has been
- An absence of data on what, where, why
- Some kind of barrier (i.e. no access to Resume) to surmount the barrier, the congestion, the clog (technical term)
I'll also search for
QUOTE
"This_is_the_file_that_tells_the_printer_dialog_that_the_requested_printer_i
_not_available_without_easy_and_simple_access_to_how_to_fix_it.txt". wallbash.gif
_not_available_without_easy_and_simple_access_to_how_to_fix_it.txt". wallbash.gif
Thanks. very much.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on June 12, 2007, 08:48:03 PM
( ink pens should be used for archived 'prints' )
Post by: krissel on June 12, 2007, 10:46:13 PM
Post by: RHPConsult on June 13, 2007, 12:41:07 AM
He/she did crash into one of our picture windows on the 1st day of "solo" flying, last week. AOK now.
Post by: cdub1988 on June 13, 2007, 01:09:46 AM
I know that you don't normally want to discuss anything Terminal-related, but at this point, you may find it easier to solve the problem by opening a Terminal and trying to locate where the print job was spooled in the process list.
You can do it by typing:
ps ax
Then when you find your print job, you can issue the following command:
kill process#
So, in my case, I'd say:
kill 9214
When I spool on this Linux partition, I get this in the process list for our Samsung LAN laser printer.....
Again, I apologize for suggesting Terminal, but it really may be the easiest way. You need to get the queue clear from everything you've said.
Be glad to walk through a sample of it on the Mac here if you need me to spool something and then grab another screenshot from Terminal on that if it would help.
Just let me know.
Take care,
Chris
Post by: RHPConsult on June 13, 2007, 01:30:26 AM
Do you have iChat, should I need you to perch on my shoulder for a few minutes, if I were to try this exercise for the first time?
This does not appear too intimidating . . . only if I think of what you (and other denizens of Terminal) would conceive of as nothing more than reflexive behavior, for which I would require step-by-step instructions, so to avoid unintended (and very unpleasant) consequences!
Post by: cdub1988 on June 13, 2007, 07:54:42 AM
Don't use iChat myself, but we can setup a chat if iChat will support AIM addresses and you had one......I've got an AIM screen name or MSN......
Just let me know.
Chris
Post by: RHPConsult on June 13, 2007, 08:11:52 AM
RHP
Post by: RHPConsult on June 14, 2007, 11:52:59 AM
For the past couple of weeks our LAN has been experiencing a variety of inconsistent, episodic problems, about which I have posted herein, and on which several TeeEssers have generously offered sage advice. These problems ultimately affected printing, on-line connections, mail in/out, etc. etc. apparently even iChatting/iSighting, on 3 different computers (iMacIntel, iMac G-6; AluminumPB) each running an apparently well-maintained 10.4.9
Over the last 36 hours, the problems became near-totally debilitating, so that I called AppleCare 3 times - primarily on why our 3-month old Apple Extreme Base Station would not maintain proper settings for our LAN. Finally, I was told to take it to the Genius Bar @ the Burlingame Apple Store, for testing and possible replacement.
Over 90 minutes or so, The Resident Genius there tried to break it. No luck: reconfigured twice - no problem; connected to the Apple network no problem; downloaded a BIG file - no problem. So back home “we” came. I decided it was clean-up time of the physical desktop, hereabouts. I have been checking connections so often in the past 10 days that both equipment and cables were, well, askew.
Everything's clean and neat, now. Cables labeled, coiled etc. etc. Oh yes, the connectors on the 18" ethernet cable between the Comcast modem and the AEBS seemed not to fit as snugly as the other jacks of various sorts. It has those rubberized doohickeys (technical term) covering the tangs on the jacks). Losing pliability (I surmise) meant that the tang was not “permitted always to fully seat itself in the port. Bingo!
Before you say anything . . . “Of course, I checked the cables several times during this ordeal. What I didn’t do was check to see that apparent snugness-of-fit was accompanied by the “click” of the jack-in-the-port”
So, however/whatever the combination of factors in the Base Station's connection to the cable modem, they apparently produced a deterioration in router (and LAN) effectiveness that messed over most everything else
I really do thank everyone for their valuable effort and suggestions.
Post by: sandbox on June 14, 2007, 01:09:33 PM
jack-in-the-port
Jack Danials & Port Wine
old #7 and something tasty from Napa perhaps?
http://www.intowine.com/port.html
Post by: RHPConsult on June 14, 2007, 08:07:52 PM
Airport Utility has a brief series of rather illuminating pages for the task. When in the first screen your airport devices appear in icon form (on the left), clicking on an icon takes you into "Manual" as opposed to "no-brainer/semi-automatic'. We found that the "Manual" mode picked-up some nuances of settings that the "automatic" overlooked/forgot/failed to record whatever. It required a few more minutes, but then you knew the job was done absolutely right - happy green lights all around.
Just a suggestion.
PS: SB. What Californian?
Post by: sandbox on June 14, 2007, 11:54:01 PM
QUOTE
What Californian
You know, The Californian, that was in the vicinity of Titanic just before Titanic hit the iceberg. I’ll bet they could have used some of that Californian Port.
Post by: Xairbusdriver on June 18, 2007, 09:33:23 PM
If you elect to delete any/all 'queues' in this manner, you may find that all your printers are missing and will need to be replaced. But, at least those 'sticky' queues will be history! ;P
Post by: RHPConsult on June 20, 2007, 10:58:24 AM
Somehow, the combination of replacing the cable with one with "snugger-jacks" (new technical category), and using manual procedures in Airport Utility did the trick?
No goat sacrifice necessary, apparently.
Just back in town after happily witnessing our granddaughter's graduation from UCSB and everything is whizzing along . . . really discernible.