On Wed 07 Mar 2012 at 16:05:01 -0500, Ethan Rosenberg wrote:
> At 06:57 PM 3/6/2012, Brian wrote:
>>
>> Please let us know how you make out.
>
> Brian -
>
> Thanks.
>
> Not well regrettably.
>
> I tried the stable version and then testing, and had the same result -
>
> rosenberg:/proc/sys/dev/parport/parport0# modprobe parport
> rosenberg:/proc/sys/dev/parport/parport0# modprobe parport_pc
> rosenberg:/proc/sys/dev/parport/parport0# cat modes
> PCSPP,TRISTATE
>
> Does that mean that the parallel port is not being properly detected?
I'd think it was, otherwise parport0 would not be in /proc. In dmesg I
have
[ 39.872683] lp0: using parport0 (interrupt-driven).
[ 39.883749] ppdev: user-space parallel port driver
> When I try to add a new printer, it never gives me the option of a
> parallel port printer.
Let's establish some basic groundwork. You are using Debian unstable.
Your printer is an Okidata 10ex which uses the parallel port and it was
previously working on unstable. The connection between the machine and
the printer is tight and secure. Please correct any misconceptions.
It is possible the printer ceased to work because of bugs in an upgraded
CUPS or programs associated with it but, with all the changes you have
brought about in attempting to rectify the problem, the state of your
system may not be known to you. So we are are going to be drastic by
starting by completely removing any printing abilty from your machine.
We will also take this step-by-step, so it be some time before we
conclude.
List the packages involving CUPS with
dpkg -l | grep cups
You are going to remove all of them with
apt-get purge <package>
Start with libcupsimage2. Then do
apt-get --purge autoremove
Repeat these three steps until you are CUPS-free, apart from libcups2. Do
not purge this package.
There are probably other printing related packages installed. They could
be left alone but we may as well be ruthless! Using the first command,
search for 'gutenprint', 'pppds' and 'foomatic'i. Purge if necessary.
Run the third command too. Back out of this if it looks as though half
your software or something you recognise as important will be removed.
Check for /etc/cups, /usr/lib/cups, /usr/share/cups, /var/spool/cups and
/var/log/cups; they should all be absent.
Now 'apt-get update' and 'apt-get dist-upgrade', followed up by
apt-get install --no-install-recommends cups
We will test this minimal printing system with cups-pdf.
apt-get install --no-install-recommends cups-pdf
A printer named PDF is automatically set up. You should see it in the
print dialogue for Iceweasel. Print a web page to it. You should find
the resultant pdf in $HOME/PDF. Being able to successfully display the
pdf in your pdf reader is a strong indication that the CUPS filtering
system is working.
Do say how all this turns out before we move on to attending to your
printer.