[stavrosbezas]

*Note: i posted this previously in the Software forum, I now believe this to be the best place for it.*


Welp, I'm a recent convert to OS X and regard myself as fairly savvy with networking. I set up my printer on my windows XP computer with sharing. (HP Deskjet 5150, brand spankning new) When I try to add this printer it to my mini I get a bunch of wierd results. I go into the printer setup and attempt to add it, I go through the Windows Printing, find the computer, put in my password, and click to add the printer. Then it wants to recognize it as "generic' Odd, but ok. I then assume it wall went well and try to print, where I get 14+ pages of gobbely gook. Some diagnostics and such.

Frustrated I download the HP driver (after installing it from CD as well) and it says it installed the software just fine. Then it brings me to a window where I assume I have to manually add my printer, bring back the similar results...

So i click other on printer model and hunt through my system library in th HP directory and find a file named HP Deskjet 5100.ps1t. I click that, and now my driver is a Local System V Printer.

No response now whatsoever, no reference to my other computer or anything.

I'm just stumped now and my limited knowledge of OS X is really showing. If anyone could help me through this I would appreciate it!


PS-I had this problem in Panther as well, before I upgraded.

System :

Mac Mini 1.42
Tiger 10.4
512mb RAM
HP Deskjet 5150
192.168.0.5

Windows XP
LAN
192.168.0.4

[seanc]

So you're saying that you can't select your printer driver so the prrinter prints out rubbish. This should be an easy fix, and if it works you're lucky, my kyocera laser printer is connected to a hp jetdirect box, and over the network prints out rubbish, and that's with the correct driver!
Anyway....

Go to the Printer and Fax preferences,
Click the plus button and navigate to your printer over the network and select it (highlight it),
At the bottom you should see a pull down menu with generic in it, pull it down and select your printer from it.
Press ok etc.

If you want screenshots I can send them via e-mail.

Sean

[drsquirlz]

I have the same problem, and I'm still fighting it. I can tell you that the HP 5150 is a notoriously bad model when it comes to accessing it over a network with a Mac. Download the latest driver at www.hp.com and you should be fine. The only problem I'm having now is that even after installing the new driver, the printer still does not display in the list of available printers... strange... Good luck!

[stavrosbezas]

For a while I had it working, now, randomly it gives me an NT_FAILURE (cannot remember exact error and can't reproduce while at work) error randomly, but sometimes it wants to print. This is quite frustrating and I am not well versed enough to troubleshoot I believe, i can't seem to force it to find a certain IP address vs. the one I installed it with.

[seanc]

I assume when the printer is detected as generic, you are reading that from the pull down menu.
Have you tried clicking HP in that menu and then selecting your printer?

I know os x is a bit weird with printers and networking. It detects my Aculaser C4100 printer properly but I can't see the driver in the list. I downloaded the driver for it and installed it via the other method but that gave me the pages of gobbledy gook too.

I deleted the Epson driver I downloaded and now it detects my Aculaser again and it works. I have no idea what driver it's using though.