PCI 512 Working and printing problems

PCI 512 Working and printing problems

[OHPC]

I think I should share my experience with everybody.
I am really a newbie to Linux, but have used computers everyday for 6 
years, but my first computers were Apple II, Spectrum and MSX, so I am 
pretty much accustomed to them.
Linux is great, although a little difficult to use for newbies. But no 
pain, no gain, right?
I managed to use my SundBlaster PCI512 with my Linux (a Portuguese version 
that has support for the RivaTNT2 - which version could it be really? A 
port of the RH 6.1?) by compiling the SB Live! drivers.
It was really difficult to compile, because I don't really know how to 
compile anything (and of course I can't compile the kernel too), but I 
managed after all and included some lines in the conf.modules.
If anybody wants to use this soundboard, it will sure work with the SB Live 
drivers.
My printer, however, won't print anything. I have a HP820, tried to use the 
HP 5XX and 6XX drivers, and use the lp port. But it will not print. Can 
anybody help me?

Greetings to all!

OHPC

Re: PCI 512 Working and printing problems

[Ray Olszewski]

First lesson for a self-proclaimed "really a newbie" -- to get help with
problems, you have to describe them in some detail. "But it will not print"
isn't very informative; it doesn't even tell us which of the many possible
ways of printing you tried. So ... I suspect the last entry on my list below
is your answer, but I'm leaving the others in because they give you some
step-by-step guidence in how to analyze printer problems under Linux.

1. What is "lp"? It is usually the default entry in /etc/printcap, but what
printer does it select and what actual /dev/lp* device does it point to? Is
it the right device?

2. If you try to print by directing a text file directly to the device, what
happens? You do this with a command something like

        cat somefile > /dev/lp1

3. If you try to print using lpr, what happens? What error message is
returned? I mean a command something like

        lpr somefile

4. As to drivers, the most authoritative source I know for this information
is http://www.picante.com/~gtaylor/pht/printer_list.cgi . I can't find an
"HP820" on the list, but there is an HP "Deskjet 820C" listed as working
"partially" with Linux, requiring the "pbm2ppa" driver. Since this printer
is a PPA printer and the 500 and 600 sries are PCL printers, the drivers
you've tried so far are unlikely to be helpful. Consult the above URL for
more information. 

PS - If you can't report your distribution and version of Linux exactly, you
should at least mention the kernel version - "uname -a" will give you this
and other descriptive information. At the most comprehensive distribution
site I know (http://kernelnotes.org/dist-index.html - does anyone have other
candidates?), there were no Portugese distributions listed, but there was
one Brazilian one called "Conectiva" that is based on Red Hat. Is that what
you are using, perhaps?

At 10:10 AM 12/8/99 -0200, OHPC wrote [in part]:

>My printer, however, won't print anything. I have a HP820, tried to use the 
>HP 5XX and 6XX drivers, and use the lp port. But it will not print. Can 
>anybody help me?

------------------------------------"Never tell me the odds!"---
Ray Olszewski                                        -- Han Solo
Palo Alto, CA           	 	         ray@comarre.com        
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