Re: New kernel / stable Debian fails to detect USB printers
Jen Craigson wrote:
> I still cannot normally operate any USB printer connected to my system
> after I upgraded to stable Lenny with the stock 2.6.26-2-amd64 kernel.
>
> It's clear now after more testing that this problem described below is
> not ehci_hcd specific as I can get the "module reload" workaround
> kludge to work with any of the three USB modules.
If playing with modules helps make the printer work, then it sounds like
a kernel problem.
> What I'd like to know is if there's anything else I can do to get this
> to work properly. This problem only happened after upgrading to the
> latest "stable" Debian.
>
> Right now if I ever want to print I have to unload ehci_hcd (or
> uhci_hcd or ohci_hcd) and then reload it after the printer is on.
> Otherwise they do not see my printer when it's turned on. Do I need to
> have some other module loaded for autodetection to take place? Does
> this have to do with udev or hotswap? I'm stumped and could use some
> help.
Ordinarily, problems with printing are the result of user error or bugs
in CUPS. To rule out user error, you should follow the standard
procedures recommended to set up a CUPS printer. You can use the docs
on your own computer installed with CUPS, or use the internet. For
example, there is the CUPS Book:
http://www.cups.org/book.php
If you cannot get it to work following the recommended steps, I would
usually recommend searching to see if the problem has already been
reported in the Debian Bug Tracking System (BTS).
http://bugs.debian.org
If you find a similar bug report, you can add your two cents using email
or, better, the 'reportbug' program. If you find no similar report, you
can start your own new bug report:
http://www.debian.org/Bugs/Reporting
If you can make CUPS work correctly with your printer after unloading
and loading kernel modules, the bug should be filed against the kernel
instead of CUPS.
> I'd also like to know if this is a bug or if I just did something
> wrong. And is there a better place to ask this question then
> debian-user or am I at the right place? I appreciate any help or
> guidance since I am not a technology oriented person.
Debian is a community-based distribution. The developers and
maintainers are volunteers, and this mailing list is mostly read by
Debian users (with a sprinkling of maintainers and developers). If
others aren't having EXACTLY the same problem you are having, then you
will most likely not receive an EXACT solution to your problem here.
The Right Way to use Debian is to engage in as much self-help as you
can, then rely on the resources that exist to get further help. I
follow a procedure like this when I run into nasty problems:
1. Read the 'man' (manual) pages and the documentation in
/usr/share/doc/<package-name>
on my own system first.
2. The info from (1) allows me to try experiments to see if I can get
things working on my own.
3. Failing success with step (2), I search the internet -- Google,
forums, mailing list archives, Debian-specific websites -- to try to
learn beyond what I found in the docs on my own machine. I then go back
to step (2).
4. Failing step (3), I will ask someone for help here on debian-user,
or I may drop an email on some package-specific Debian mailing list (see
lists.debian.org) to see if anyone else already knows about the problem
I'm having.
5. Failing step (5), I file a bug report. I hate doing this, since the
BTS is often overwhelming the volunteers who are supporting the Debian
packages, but this is what the BTS is for. If a package isn't working
as advertised, then something is broken and needs to be fixed. But
under no circumstances do I proceed to step (5) unless the previous four
steps are exhausted.
Hmm, seems like I omitted step (0): please read the valuable overviews
of Debian usage provided here:
http://www.us.debian.org/doc
The "Debian Reference" is great. If you're new to Debian, you can also
look at the NewbieDOC site:
http://newbiedoc.berlios.de/wiki
(This can be downloaded locally in the package called "newbiedoc".)
HTH,
Dave W.
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