MEPIS Community Forum

My printer has the "internal" designation E710a. But it doesn't matter. In the install printer wizard, under HP printers, there is NO mention of 6500-anything or E-anything.

If I click on Other, it asks for a directory where it can find a driver.

Grrr. I'm about ready to throw the stupid thing out the window.

Any ideas? Just don't suggest upgrading my version of MEPIS.

Jennifer

Just about any Canon... great support for Linux, inexpensive upfront, ink decently priced. No linux support in the USA (of course) but all you need to do is go to http://www.canon.co.uk/ or here http://software.canon-europe.com/

I think you are looking for a solution to getting your printer working, not recommendations for a new printer. Correct?

RIght Rich, but at this point I'm not totally ruling out throwing it away and starting over.

However, I DID get the printer to print -- finally! There is no model choice for OfficeJet 6500A or OfficeJet E710a at install wizard time, but there IS one for just plain OfficeJet. I chose that, and got the test page to print -- but without color (just black/white/gray). (I'm also printing from a laptop using W7; that also prints in black/white/gray.) I have new starter color ink cartirdges that show up as having plenty of ink.

A small text file also worked.

Maybe I need a new PPD, or to edit the existing one.

BTW, is there any way to DE-install a printer? I tried deleting the PPDs from etc/cups/ppd but that didn't do it.

Thanks again everyone for all your support.

Jennifer

Hello again,

I went into the PPD and changed *ColorDevice: to True and *DefaultColorSpace: to CMYK .

I still have to test it. I tried to re-print the test page using the HP Device Manager but it won't let me select the printer (probably because I named it StupidPrinter).

Jennifer

You mention the install printer wizard, is that the KDE 3 printer wizard? I always had mixed results with it even when Mepis 8.0 & KDE 3.5.x were shiny and new.

If you were using the KDE 3 printer wizard, have you tried using the hplip related programs I mentioned earlier?

There is also the cli command /usr/bin/hp-setup that I think you can use to detect, setup & install HP printers.

If your HP Officejet 6500 e710a still isn't getting detected and setup correctly you might try manually pointing either the KDE install printer wizard or the hp-setup program (if it allows you to do so) to the ppd file at /usr/share/ppd/hplip/HP/hp-officejet_6500_e710a-f-hpijs.ppd because I think that's the PPD file your printer needs to use. {I'm assuming you have HPLIP version 3.11.1 from the Mepis 8.0 CR installed}

I always see lots of printers at the thrift stores and will be taking a closer look at them soon. However, refills for my Epson 860 run about $7 for B&W and another $7 for color. Carrot doesn't seem to carry ink for it.
http://www.inkjetrefills.com/Epson/Styl ... r-860.html

Print quality is not what I'd like. Tends to be "fuzzy" but useable.

BG

The Install Printer Wizard DID install the printer, it just didn't install it correctly.

At this point I think my best bet would be to deinstall ALL printers (how would I do that?) and start over with hp-setup.

My printer is working, but not in color, just in grayscale. The PPD changes I made (according to my Mar/31 post) didn't fix that. Does anyone have any additional PPD tweaks that I might be able to try?

Thanks for all your kind attention.

Jennifer

I just bought a 6510 and was able to install in Mepis with the latest hplip software in the CR.
In Kubuntu I had to download the hplip software from HP, which directs to another site for Linux drivers. (3.12.2). I think you tried that route without success. I deleted any other printers using the cups interface.
They list two 6500 printers

HP Officejet 6500A e-All-in-One Printer - E710a
HP Officejet 6500A Plus e-All-in-One Printer - E710n

But when I go to the other site for Linux the 6500 is not listed. I chose Debian and version 6.02. I wonder if the 6510 driver would work for you?

Hot Dog... Canon USA now has Linux support... no more Queens English.. :)