yeahyeahnah
Registered
Hi,
Apologies upfront for the length of this post, however i wanted to include a list of things i have already tried to attempt to fix this issue.
I have a powerbook G4 running 10.3.9. The hard-drive was recently replaced due to hardware issues and a clean OS X installation applied. Printing worked fine for a few days however i am now unable to print either via the attached physical Epson printer nor print to pdf. No new printers were added; no new software was installed (between the time when i could print and then when i couldn't) - there isn't anything i can think of that should have changed any of the print settings.
When attempting to add a printer via the print utility i obtain the "server-error-service-unavailable" error message. Having read through a number of forums (links below) i tried the below steps/actions but have yet been able to successfully add a printer.
Additional information:
- external printer connected directly via USB cable
- printer make / model successfully identified via print utility (Epson Stylus Photo R2400) [although given i can't print to pdf either i don't think it's printer specific]
- epson print utility successfully talks to the printer to get ink status, etc
The CUPs error log file shows the following information when trying to add a printer:
I [17/Sep/2007:20:07:57 +0100] Setting Stylus_Photo_R2400 device-uri to "file:///dev/null" (was "file:///dev/null".)
I [17/Sep/2007:20:07:57 +0100] Setting Stylus_Photo_R2400 printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 0.)
I [17/Sep/2007:20:07:57 +0100] Setting Stylus_Photo_R2400 printer-state to 3 (was 5.)
E [17/Sep/2007:20:07:57 +0100] add_printer: Unable to copy PPD file from /private/var/spool/cups/00000000 to
/private/etc/cups/ppd/Stylus_Photo_R2400.ppd - Bad file descriptor!
where:
[XX] root# ls -l /private/etc/cups/
total 544
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 1774 7 Feb 2004 apple.convs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 2550 7 Feb 2004 apple.types
drwx--x--x 3 root lp 102 17 Sep 20:49 certs
-rw------- 1 root lp 0 17 Sep 20:03 classes.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 2347 17 Sep 2003 client.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 1225 14 Sep 2003 command.types
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 21761 14 Sep 14:12 cupsd.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 21689 17 Sep 2003 cupsd.conf.applesaved
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 21742 10 Sep 17:28 cupsd.conf.bak
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 21743 14 Sep 08:41 cupsd.conf.old
drwxr-xr-x 2 root lp 68 24 Sep 2003 interfaces
-rw-rw-rw- 1 user unknown 1012 29 Oct 2003 iproof.convs
-rw-rw-rw- 1 user unknown 189 17 Nov 2002 iproof.types
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 4599 17 Sep 2003 mime.convs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 5889 17 Sep 2003 mime.types
drwxrwxrwx 4 root lp 136 12 Sep 18:54 ppd
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 138416 17 Sep 20:03 ppds.dat
-rw------- 1 root lp 0 17 Sep 20:03 printers.conf
[XX] root#
Things have already tried:
===========================
Have read through:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107054
as well as:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=2003072416002263
I have tried the following:
Attempt 1:
Resetting the print system manually:
- Open Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/).
- sudo su
- cd /var/spool/
- chown –R daemon:admin cups
- chmod 700 cups
- cd tmp
- chmod 700 cups
- restart
Actions = unsuccessful
Attempt 2:
Try deleting cups and tmp directories and re-creating:
- Open Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/).
- sudo su
- cd /var/spool/
- rm –R cups
- mkdir cups
- cd cups
- mkdir tmp
- cd ..
- chown –R daemon:admin cups
- chmod 700 cups
- cd tmp
- chmod 700 cups
- restart
Actions = unsuccessful
Attempt 3:
Try deleting cups and tmp directories and re-creating with permissions 777:
- Open Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/).
- sudo su
- cd /var/spool/
- rm –R cups
- mkdir cups
- cd cups
- mkdir tmp
- cd ..
- chown –R daemon:admin cups
- chmod 777 cups
- cd tmp
- chmod 777 cups
- restart
Actions = unsuccessful
Attempt 4:
Verified correct files in the /etc/cups directory as per suggestion in http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=2003072416002263
however all looks fine
Attempt 5:
Used Disk Utility to verify and repair permissions
Actions = unsuccessful
Attempt 6:
Utilised Printer Setup Repair 4..3 tool to try and fix any issues (including recommended restarts)... again, was unsuccessfully able to add any printers
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance for your help!
UPDATE:
A little more additional information to throw into the mix:
Tried to add the Adobe PDF Printer manually.
i.e. to add the Adobe PDF Printer to the Printer List dialog box:
1. Start the Printer Setup Utility in the Applications/Utilities folder.
2. Hold down the Option key, and click Add in the Printer List dialog box.
3. Choose Advanced from the Printer Connection menu.
4. Choose Adobe PDF (pdf) from the Device menu.
5. Type Adobe PDF in the Device Name text box.
6. Type pdf://www.adobe.com in the Device URL text box.
7. Choose Adobe from the Printer Model menu.
8. Click OK.
Output of cups error log:
I [18/Sep/2007:01:08:29 +0100] Setting Adobe_PDF device-uri to "pdf://www.adobe.com/" (was "file:///dev/null".)
I [18/Sep/2007:01:08:29 +0100] Setting Adobe_PDF printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 0.)
I [18/Sep/2007:01:08:29 +0100] Setting Adobe_PDF printer-state to 3 (was 5.)
E [18/Sep/2007:01:08:29 +0100] add_printer: Unable to copy PPD file from /private/var/spool/cups/00000001 to /private/etc/cups/ppd/Adobe_PDF.ppd -
Bad file descriptor!
When trying to create the file manually via "touch" at the Terminal CLI:
[XX]%touch Adobe_PDF.ppd
touch: Adobe_PDF.ppd: Bad file descriptor
[XX]%
Trying to create using vi:
"Adobe_PDF
pd" E212: Can't open file for writing
i had su-ed into root, used chown on the ppd directory and ensured 777 permissions on the directory as well ......
the ppd files need to be created in /private/etc/cups/ppd/
i can create test files in /private, /private/etc, /private/etc/cups but not in the ppd directory
[Note: i am logged in as root - confirmed by prompt and whoami ...]
i can't remove the directory ppd as it just says "directory not empty" ... have tried rmdir, rm -rf and rm -ri but can't get rid of it!
SOLVED!!
I still haven't been able to get rid of the old ppd directory, but i was eventually able to move/re-name it to ppd-bkp. Upon creating a new ppd directory everything works fine!
Apologies upfront for the length of this post, however i wanted to include a list of things i have already tried to attempt to fix this issue.
I have a powerbook G4 running 10.3.9. The hard-drive was recently replaced due to hardware issues and a clean OS X installation applied. Printing worked fine for a few days however i am now unable to print either via the attached physical Epson printer nor print to pdf. No new printers were added; no new software was installed (between the time when i could print and then when i couldn't) - there isn't anything i can think of that should have changed any of the print settings.
When attempting to add a printer via the print utility i obtain the "server-error-service-unavailable" error message. Having read through a number of forums (links below) i tried the below steps/actions but have yet been able to successfully add a printer.
Additional information:
- external printer connected directly via USB cable
- printer make / model successfully identified via print utility (Epson Stylus Photo R2400) [although given i can't print to pdf either i don't think it's printer specific]
- epson print utility successfully talks to the printer to get ink status, etc
The CUPs error log file shows the following information when trying to add a printer:
I [17/Sep/2007:20:07:57 +0100] Setting Stylus_Photo_R2400 device-uri to "file:///dev/null" (was "file:///dev/null".)
I [17/Sep/2007:20:07:57 +0100] Setting Stylus_Photo_R2400 printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 0.)
I [17/Sep/2007:20:07:57 +0100] Setting Stylus_Photo_R2400 printer-state to 3 (was 5.)
E [17/Sep/2007:20:07:57 +0100] add_printer: Unable to copy PPD file from /private/var/spool/cups/00000000 to
/private/etc/cups/ppd/Stylus_Photo_R2400.ppd - Bad file descriptor!
where:
[XX] root# ls -l /private/etc/cups/
total 544
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 1774 7 Feb 2004 apple.convs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 2550 7 Feb 2004 apple.types
drwx--x--x 3 root lp 102 17 Sep 20:49 certs
-rw------- 1 root lp 0 17 Sep 20:03 classes.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 2347 17 Sep 2003 client.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 1225 14 Sep 2003 command.types
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 21761 14 Sep 14:12 cupsd.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 21689 17 Sep 2003 cupsd.conf.applesaved
-rw-r--r-- 1 root wheel 21742 10 Sep 17:28 cupsd.conf.bak
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 21743 14 Sep 08:41 cupsd.conf.old
drwxr-xr-x 2 root lp 68 24 Sep 2003 interfaces
-rw-rw-rw- 1 user unknown 1012 29 Oct 2003 iproof.convs
-rw-rw-rw- 1 user unknown 189 17 Nov 2002 iproof.types
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 4599 17 Sep 2003 mime.convs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 5889 17 Sep 2003 mime.types
drwxrwxrwx 4 root lp 136 12 Sep 18:54 ppd
-rw-r--r-- 1 root lp 138416 17 Sep 20:03 ppds.dat
-rw------- 1 root lp 0 17 Sep 20:03 printers.conf
[XX] root#
Things have already tried:
===========================
Have read through:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107054
as well as:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=2003072416002263
I have tried the following:
Attempt 1:
Resetting the print system manually:
- Open Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/).
- sudo su
- cd /var/spool/
- chown –R daemon:admin cups
- chmod 700 cups
- cd tmp
- chmod 700 cups
- restart
Actions = unsuccessful
Attempt 2:
Try deleting cups and tmp directories and re-creating:
- Open Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/).
- sudo su
- cd /var/spool/
- rm –R cups
- mkdir cups
- cd cups
- mkdir tmp
- cd ..
- chown –R daemon:admin cups
- chmod 700 cups
- cd tmp
- chmod 700 cups
- restart
Actions = unsuccessful
Attempt 3:
Try deleting cups and tmp directories and re-creating with permissions 777:
- Open Terminal (/Applications/Utilities/).
- sudo su
- cd /var/spool/
- rm –R cups
- mkdir cups
- cd cups
- mkdir tmp
- cd ..
- chown –R daemon:admin cups
- chmod 777 cups
- cd tmp
- chmod 777 cups
- restart
Actions = unsuccessful
Attempt 4:
Verified correct files in the /etc/cups directory as per suggestion in http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=2003072416002263
however all looks fine
Attempt 5:
Used Disk Utility to verify and repair permissions
Actions = unsuccessful
Attempt 6:
Utilised Printer Setup Repair 4..3 tool to try and fix any issues (including recommended restarts)... again, was unsuccessfully able to add any printers
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance for your help!
UPDATE:
A little more additional information to throw into the mix:
Tried to add the Adobe PDF Printer manually.
i.e. to add the Adobe PDF Printer to the Printer List dialog box:
1. Start the Printer Setup Utility in the Applications/Utilities folder.
2. Hold down the Option key, and click Add in the Printer List dialog box.
3. Choose Advanced from the Printer Connection menu.
4. Choose Adobe PDF (pdf) from the Device menu.
5. Type Adobe PDF in the Device Name text box.
6. Type pdf://www.adobe.com in the Device URL text box.
7. Choose Adobe from the Printer Model menu.
8. Click OK.
Output of cups error log:
I [18/Sep/2007:01:08:29 +0100] Setting Adobe_PDF device-uri to "pdf://www.adobe.com/" (was "file:///dev/null".)
I [18/Sep/2007:01:08:29 +0100] Setting Adobe_PDF printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 0.)
I [18/Sep/2007:01:08:29 +0100] Setting Adobe_PDF printer-state to 3 (was 5.)
E [18/Sep/2007:01:08:29 +0100] add_printer: Unable to copy PPD file from /private/var/spool/cups/00000001 to /private/etc/cups/ppd/Adobe_PDF.ppd -
Bad file descriptor!
When trying to create the file manually via "touch" at the Terminal CLI:
[XX]%touch Adobe_PDF.ppd
touch: Adobe_PDF.ppd: Bad file descriptor
[XX]%
Trying to create using vi:
"Adobe_PDF
pd" E212: Can't open file for writingi had su-ed into root, used chown on the ppd directory and ensured 777 permissions on the directory as well ......
the ppd files need to be created in /private/etc/cups/ppd/
i can create test files in /private, /private/etc, /private/etc/cups but not in the ppd directory
[Note: i am logged in as root - confirmed by prompt and whoami ...]
i can't remove the directory ppd as it just says "directory not empty" ... have tried rmdir, rm -rf and rm -ri but can't get rid of it!
SOLVED!!
I still haven't been able to get rid of the old ppd directory, but i was eventually able to move/re-name it to ppd-bkp. Upon creating a new ppd directory everything works fine!