HPLIP

Ubuntu, laserjet 4050 prints same 4 lines again and again, not so good.

Asked by John Teisberg

I am new to Linux, Ubuntu install, hp laserjet 4050 on parallel port works great in Windows XP, prints the same four lines on several pages when trying to print in Linux. Have tried many uninstalls and re-installs. Have gone to HP website and downloaded and installed hplip-3.9.2. Now have the HP Device Manager up and running. Same problem. Frustrated. Thanks in advance.

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John Teisberg
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John Teisberg (john-burningtruck) said : 		#1

I ran hp-check -t
Here is a piece of the results.
I'm do not know what to do next.

HP_LaserJet_4050
----------------
Type: Printer
Installed in HPLIP?: Yes, using the hp: CUPS backend.
Device URI: hp:/par/HP_LaserJet_4050_Series?device=/dev/parport0
PPD: /etc/cups/ppd/HP_LaserJet_4050.ppd
PPD Description: HP LaserJet 4050 Series Postscript (recommended)
Printer status: printer HP_LaserJet_4050 is idle. enabled since Sat 28 Mar 2009 12:08:54 PM CDT
error: Unable to communicate with device (code=12): hp:/par/HP_LaserJet_4050_Series?device=/dev/parport0
error: Device not found

Revision history for this message
John Teisberg (john-burningtruck) said : 		#2

It is working! I would have been money ahead buying a new printer instead of spending two days trying to get this to fire up. Oh well. Here is what I did.
1. I downloaded the HP Device Manager.
2. I deleted my printer and had the manager look for a new one.
3. I clicked on the 'Cups Web Interface' button. It said to have my original Ubuntu DVD in the drive while it sniffed around.
4. I did that and it pulled something off of there that opened my parallel port.
5. It brought me to a weird page (http://localhost:631/admin?op=add-printer) and I went through all the steps.
6. Son of a gun if it didn't work!
The weird thing is that the Device Manager says 'No installed HP devices found'.
Go figure.

Revision history for this message
dwelch91 (dwelch91) said : 		#3

You must have installed the printer with a non-HP CUPS backend (socket:,
usb:, etc). The HP device manager only works with devices installed using
the hp: backend.

On Sat, Mar 28, 2009 at 11:00 PM, John Teisberg <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Question #65684 on HPLIP changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/hplip/+question/65684
>
> Status: Open => Solved
>
> John Teisberg confirmed that the question is solved:
> It is working! I would have been money ahead buying a new printer instead
> of spending two days trying to get this to fire up. Oh well. Here is what I
> did.
> 1. I downloaded the HP Device Manager.
> 2. I deleted my printer and had the manager look for a new one.
> 3. I clicked on the 'Cups Web Interface' button. It said to have my
> original Ubuntu DVD in the drive while it sniffed around.
> 4. I did that and it pulled something off of there that opened my parallel
> port.
> 5. It brought me to a weird page (
> http://localhost:631/admin?op=add-printer) and I went through all the
> steps.
> 6. Son of a gun if it didn't work!
> The weird thing is that the Device Manager says 'No installed HP devices
> found'.
> Go figure.
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you are a member of HP
> Linux Imaging and Printing, which is an answer contact for HPLIP.
>