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General discussion

Printer "stopped"

May 9, 2008 1:14AM PDT

In recent days, when I try to print something on my HP 4ML laser printer with my G4 desktop computer, I get up to the point just after the file is uploaded (I can see it doing that), and then I get a message that the printer has been stopped. I click on the "Continue" link, but it doesn't continue. I have done all I can to "unstop" it: gone to the print monitor window (it's not called that anymore, I think), to the Printing and Fax preferences, and so on. Yes, the printer's light is on; yes, the printer is recognized.

I did have some problems a while ago, before I reinstalled Tiger (OS 10.11, updated from 10.7) with a brand-new DVD (yes, I finally found one on eBay). I seem to recall also that I was able to print with dialup, even after that, but now I'm on a network. At first, the only printers I could get to come up in the printers list were some that belonged to the network, but since they were far away, I worked at getting my own printer to be on the list, and now it is. Nobody else on the network seems to have any problems printing to their own printers.

I wonder whether I've missed any opportunity to get the printer unstuck. I have repeatedly clicked on "buttons" to get printing to start again, but nothing seems to work. Should I reinstall the printing software? Do something else? I am truly bothered and bewildered but not, I think, bewitched.

Thanks so much,

Jenny

Discussion is locked

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Oops, I forgot!
May 9, 2008 1:16AM PDT

If it makes any difference, I use Firefox as my browser. I haven't tried yet printing something that isn't an email message, but I suspect that wouldn't make a difference.

Best,

Jenny

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Just popped in to say "Hi"
May 9, 2008 9:42AM PDT

and to ask, "is AppleTalk" running on your Mac?"

Before you ask, go to System Preferences, Network, Built-in Ethernet, AppleTalk, Make AppleTalk Active, and make sure there is a check mark there.

Tiger is 10.4.x (latest 10.4.11)

Me and you, in our lifetimes, are not going to see OS X 10.11!!! Happy

How's Mumsie, well, I hope?

P

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Thanks!
May 10, 2008 2:32AM PDT

My Sawtooth Mac G4 never had an Airport Card (I was too late to find one by the time I wanted one), so lately I got a Belkin USB Wi-fi adaptor. The setting is for "Ethernet adaptor." The Network pref is set for that, and AppleTalk is active. The Built-in Ethernet setting says that the cable isn't plugged in. I have my AsanteTalk device, which connects my printer (LaserJet 4ML, which has no USB connection)and the computer. The cable goes into the Ethernet port on the back of that computer.

That worked fine, to the best of my recollection, until I changed somethimg (until I reinstalled Tiger, perhaps, or joined the network that enables broadband access). I know it worked with dialup before. Unfortunately, I don't really remember the succession of events. It was quite a while ago. I've been away in the meantime and have been just trying to catch up with work and other responsibilities since my return. I do know that I couldn't even get the printer recognized before I reinstalled Tiger, and now it shows up as the default, and the file I want to print loads into the printer's memory now.

I tried what you suggested, but it didn't work any better than the Ethernet Adaptor preference with AppleTalk activated.

"Mumsie" has her good days and her bad days. That's all I can say. My younger sister is visiting her this weekend, and that always is cheering and invigorating for her. Thanks for asking.

Best,

Jenny



Should I choose the Built-in Ethernet preference, anyway? Will that make my network connection no longer work?

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AppleTalk
May 10, 2008 3:48AM PDT

You can only have AppleTalk active on one network interface at a time.

Currently, AppleTalk is active on the USB wireless thingy.

You actually connect to your printer via the ethernet port, (Built-in Ethernet) so this is the one that should have an active Appletalk connection.

I wonder if that AsanteTalk device is fully functional?

P

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(NT) A restart after changing the settings may help
May 10, 2008 3:49AM PDT
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Answers
May 10, 2008 5:32AM PDT

I know that Apple Talk can only be functional on one configuration at a time, and it was ? that is, both times I tried it (once with the "thingy" and once with Ethernet. It didn't work, either time. As for the AsanteTalk device, it has always worked, and worked until I got on the network. I would think that the settings for the wi-fi device or Ethernet would be more to the point, but then, what do I know?

I shall try restarting the computer with Ethernet, AppleTalk activated, as the configuration. I shall let you know what happens.

Thanks,

Jenny

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Got on the network?
May 10, 2008 5:45AM PDT

This would be the wireless network?

The printer is, to all intents and purposes, directly connected to the G4 with an ethernet cable and the AsanteTalk device.
The network should not make a difference.

Another tip. WIth AppleTalk active on Built-in ethernet, try deleting the printer and adding it back again.

Worth a try

P

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I'll try that.
May 10, 2008 6:19AM PDT

OK, I'll do that as soon as I can, because restarting the computer didn't help. I also disconnected all cables attaching the printer and AsanteTalk, AsanteTalk to the computer and so on. I still get a message saying that the print jobs are "stopped" and inviting me to change that. When I try, I get a message saying that the printer is stopped. Endless loop.

One curious thing about the Ethernet port configuration: It says that the cable is attached but maintains that my computer doesn't have an IP address. There also is a red circle next to that configuration. Can that be right?

Even when I change the Network preference for which port configuration to use, I find, sometimes, that (despite applying the changes and locking them) the Ethernet adapter (what you call the USB "thingy") is the configuration chosen in the port configurations.

Back when I have a chance. I may also try attaching the printer to my laptop (which doesn't use a network, but is on dialup), to see whether it's the AsanteTalk device that has a problem or something to do with my desktop computer or something else. Even when I'm not online, I still can't print.

Thanks,

Jenny

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I tried it and woe is me!
May 14, 2008 8:29AM PDT

I tried deleting the printer, and now I can't get it back! Tried reinstalling the drivers from the OS X DVD, but it says that because I have a new version of Tiger (10.11 instead of 10.7, the version on the DVD), I can't do a custom install.

I also used Spotlight to find the file of drivers for Tiger, but every time I try to do the installation, it gets started, the little ribbon starts progressing, and then I get a message that there was an error, and I should try again. I really wish I could try dowloading again that installer for Tiger's HP printer drivers, to try for another, fresher file, but I don't think I can find the place where I got them again. I can't imagine what the error is, but there you have it. I tried detaching external devices, but that didn't help, either.

Then I went to a file for software that would work that I had gotten from Hewlett-Packard, the maker of my 4ML printer, and apparently installed it. Repeatedly. But though the log for the installation shows that it's among the PPDs in the Libary folder, Spotlight can't find anything that is faintly like the printer's name or anything at all that indicates that it exists as anything but an installer. It finds the installer and very old, obsolete files (such as the icons for the printer with Xs across them) but not what I need.

When I use the Printer Setup Utility and it looks for drivers recently installed, it comes up with nothing?not my printer nor any other. The lights on the AsanteTalk flash, showing that it is on and working, but OS X can't find anything. I can't even remember how I got LaserJet 4ML to show up before, but I wish I hadn't eliminated it in my effort to get the printer going. Before, I could have gone back to dialup to print what I wanted to print (that's what worked in the past, before I was on a network), but now, without a printer to set up, I'm really up the creek without a paddle again.

I really don't think that any of what was happening before (the printer not picking up on what the Ethernet was trying to convey) owed to AsanteTalk. I really don't. I once got things going again, by following suggestions from Asante, but I did all that before I went and deleted my printer from the printer list. Now I don't even have access to the printer to try it again. I can't print things from email using dialup, either, and certainly, not anything that isn't on the Internet.

Sorry that this is so long, but I wanted to explain everything that I did, so nobody would have to bother asking me whether I had done it. Not quite at the tearing-my-hair-out stage yet, but I have so much else to do that I'm getting there. . . .

If anyone is inspired by this to offer some insight to me, I would welcome it. Somehow?I am sure that you all will regard this as apostasy?OS 9 was so much friendlier and for me, more functional. Yes, it lacked Tiger's quickness and cleverness (though it didn't take so many steps from A to B, I think), but it did what I wanted it to do. Well, can't go back, and I don't really want to. I just want to make friends with the beast I have now.

Thanks,

Jenny

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Me too!
May 14, 2008 10:04AM PDT

I just took a look at the Apple site and there say that support for the HP LaserJet 4ML is built into 10.4(Tiger)

See this Article for details

This is where the current HP drivers are for the ML Right here

I could not find any definitive installation instructions for this printer, using the AsanteTalk device, but you would be pleased/displeased (delete as applicable) that Google(ing) for this problem turns up none other than, Jennywren1420.

I wonder if Asante would still talk to you?

P

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Remarkable!
May 14, 2008 2:12PM PDT

I did know that my printer's driver is supposed to be included in Tiger, but when I looked for it, I found nothing?leading me to believe that nothing had been installed. Being told that I couldn't reinstall those drivers because my system was too advanced for the DVD was annoying, of course, as was the error message when I tried reinstalling the drivers from that file I found on my hard drive.

You may have solved the problem of getting the printer to show up. That will be discovered as soon as I am able to get to applying the most relevant parts of what you have sent me. I had found some of this in my own meandering way, and one link seems really to be only for drivers for OS 7 and up, but I'm amazed you found so much, and some of it looks useful.

I had found the "print-only" option and downloaded it before I wrote to this forum, but I didn't know what "print-only" meant. The explanation and instructions about what to do may be just what I need. I shall try doing the installation tomorrow, if I can. (I'm very appreciative of your efforts and am eager to do the installation, but there are some other things I really am obliged to do first.) I don't think that AsanteTalk will inhibit the process, if it's to work at all. I did get LaserJet 4ML to show up once before, after all!

Many thanks,

Jenny

P.S. Very funny about Google, but rather ridiculous, don't you think? I must look it up myself. jdl

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No go
May 20, 2008 12:43AM PDT

I installed the softwere for the 4ML on the Mac?or at least, the end result was a window saying that it had been successfully installed?but I still can't get the printer even to show in the Printer Setup window or any other. I've used the Help topics for everything related to setting up a printer, as well as the ReadMe that comes with each version of the printer software. Nothing seems to help.

The System Preference for Network is on Ethernet, with AppleTalk activated. No go. It says, for that setting, that Ethernet has its IP own number, and sometimes it says that it doesn't have one. Regardless, it says I may not be able to use it for the Internet, but since the printer setup doesn't work in any situation now, nor did the printer print, even when it was recognized (because it was "stopped" and refused to be started again), it is irrelevant whether or not the Ethernet choice for Network Preference will work with the Internet.

Anyway, when I go to the Internet, the setting changes automatically to the Ethernet Adaptor, without any action on my part. Because I'm on a network, I suppose. I can't stop it from doing that. I guess that OS X just doesn't like my setup, although I can't see why. And as with a trip on the River Styx, you can't turn back. I can't even use my brand-new installation copy of OS X to do a custom install of the drivers (just in case) because I have updated from 10.4.7, which was on the DVD, to 10.4.11.

Grump, grump! Sorry! It just seems as though there should be some ready solution for this. I can't even get Spotlight to find anything relating to my printer except a few obsolete icons and installers of various vintages, including the ones that the ever-kind, ever-vigilant mrmacfixit sent me, and searching for the name of the printer brings up nothing.

Thanks for everything, anyway,

Jenny

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Coda on stopped printer
May 31, 2008 1:04AM PDT

Just dropping the other shoe, so to speak. I finally got around to trying my Laserjet 4ML printer with another computer, my PowerBook G3, which is running OS 9.2.2. The printer functioned like a dream. Clearly, nothing is wrong with AssanteTalk or the Ethernet cable. I believe (from Assante's materials) that they are supposed to work with OS X, but maybe that's only for earlier versions than what I have (10.4.11) or the version on my Tiger DVD (10.4.7). It's all that I can figure out. On the other hand, 10.4.7 does install a LJ 4ML driver!

Still haven't been able to get to, let alone choose to add, the driver for the printer. As mrmacfixit noted, it's included in those installed with Tiger (OS 10.4). I also have downloaded everything I can find (and that mrmacfisit found) from Hewlett-Packard, the manufacturer. Each time I get a message, "Installation successful," but the printer's name never shows up. It's difficult even to find it by using Spotlight. It's supposedly in the Library Folder, but that information and two bucks will get me on a bus or subway, not get my computer (G4) to acknowledge that the driver exists.

I can keep on trying or just get myself another AsanteTalk device and Ethernet cable for the laptop and print from there until I find a better solution. Don't really want to detach the device and cable from the G4. First, they are needed for using the G4; second, when I have detached them, in the past, I've had to mess around with Ethernet preferences at length, because the computer ceases to acknowledge that I can use either Ethernet or the Ethernet adaptor that I have connected to the Mac. I think it's best to give anything else relating to this up. Using the laptop to print isn't ideal, but it's OK, and it allows me to use the printer I have with the old Mac system on the laptop and to use up the two newish toners I bought a while ago.

I know, I know. I could buy a new printer, but I don't want to. Not yet. I'm not ready to ditch the G4, and by the time I get a new computer (desktop or laptop), that new printer could be obsolete.

I don't really expect that any of you has more to offer about this, so let's just consider this matter closed. I thank you for all your care to date.

jenny

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Oh No!!
May 31, 2008 8:35AM PDT

Say it ain't so!

What will we have to talk about now?

Secretly, and not very seriously, I have been hoping that the 4ML would kick the bucket and allow you to move along but that machine is like the Energizer Bunny. It just keeps going!

I'm sorry all our efforts have been for naught.

P