kubuntu!!!! rant

[kdeputer]

I just looked for over 2 minutes or more trying to figure out where to post this.

I am trying to print in my Kubuntu 12.10 install. This OS is so annoying. This is why I keep leaving KDE-based distros. Because.... you always run into problems eventually. But, what else is there? All these DEs are crap.

I cannot print. My Samsung printer is ML-2510 and it works normally usually. But, then it just stops working suddenly. I check the settings and it shows rending completed. I check the CUPS settings and everything looks normal. I am wondering if it might have to do with the Samsung drivers but then I still blame the OS since it doesn't indicate anything is wrong.

Anyway, this problem is really annoying. So, I have to shut down all these applications and cancel all my work to reboot? What other option is there? There's no guarantee that will help either.

[dequire]

FWIW if Samsung does not support Linux then support might be hit or miss. I know both Brother and HP printers work excellently in Linux. If the Samung website is not much help, you might try linuxprinting.org to see if others have had issues with that printer as well.

[oshunluvr]

I have a Samsung ML-2510. Sorry to say it works perfectly here as did my previous ML-2050. Mine is connected to a server running Ubuntu Server 12.04 and I print to it using cups via my network from various computers running several different versions of Kubuntu.

You can blame whatever you want to, or you can begin to try and figure out what is happening and why. You can start by posting actual information about you system and how the printer is installed/attached. You could try booting to a live USB or CD and seeing if it works "out-of-the-box" that way. This might indicate there's something wrong with your install setup.

The difficult thing is if it works sometimes and other times not. It can be hard to determine where the problem lies.

Of course, it could be that your printer is the problem, not the crap DE.

[Dutchman]

I had a similar problem some time back with a Brother printer, which normally worked good. After pulling my hair out for over a week I took the printer to a friend and asked him to run it on his Windows computer for a while, see if he had any problems, and he did. He took it to a friend of his that runs a computer shop, and they found it had a bad block in the buffer memory chip. As long as that particular block of memory wasn't written to the printer worked fine.

Sound like you might be experiencing the same thing. Once CUPS has spooled everything out to the printer, it's job is done and it figures everything is cool. If the printer's buffer is going bad, CUPS has no way to know that.

[irvcobb]

Have you tried cycling the printer on and off, rather than the computer? I have a 2525 that acts sort of the way you describe, and an off/on cycle fixes it every time. Not elegant, but functional.

[GreyGeek]

I have a Samsung ML-1210 laser printer for several years. It has worked "out of the box" in every version of Kubuntu since I switched to Kubuntu with 9.04 alpha, and it worked with Mandriva before that and PCLOS before that.

[kdeputer]

Have you tried cycling the printer on and off, rather than the computer? I have a 2525 that acts sort of the way you describe, and an off/on cycle fixes it every time. Not elegant, but functional.

It worked after such a cycle. I turned it off and then on again. I don't think that solution always works but it did this time, at least.

Thanks for all the replies.

I don't use Windows 7 enough to compare operating systems. I know that most doctor's offices (around here, anyway) use Macs and the related OS with the printers all from Samsung. I guess it's a newer model, though. This particular problem does happen now and then, just enough, for me to wonder what's going on. But, I always forget what the solution was. So far, I'll check out the on/off routine and see how often it works.

[oshunluvr]

OK Typical: I did a server update yesterday and my printers stop working!

Turned out the driver for the HP changed so I just had to uninstall and then re-install it, but the ML-2510 wouldn't work at all and when I deleted and tried to reinstall it - it didn't show up at all!

I thought for a bit, then pulled it out of it's cabinet and lo-and-behold the USB cable had slipped out! Nothing like bringing something up in conversation to make it break! It's back to working again.

Kdeputer, how old is your printer? One problem these Samsungs do have is the paper feed wheel has a rubber piece around it that seems to last about two years, then they crack or harden and the paper won't feed. The printer will try for a bit, then the status light goes red.

[bweinel]

One problem these Samsungs do have is the paper feed wheel has a rubber piece around it that seems to last about two years, then they crack or harden and the paper won't feed. The printer will try for a bit, then the status light goes red.

HP Laserjet 6 printers have the same issue. I picked up one with that problem and found that if you take it apart and clean the feed roller with some rubbing alcohol, it'll be good to go for another few years. I think the feed rollers get slick and don't want to hold the paper... which in turn causes feed errors.

cheers,
Bill