Mint 12 - Problem no USB Printer Detection or Connection

[chrisknew]

I made an earlier post about a Mint 12 problem with detecting my USB printer. It seems that I am not alone with problem. Also, like me others who have the problem have tracked the source of the problem through various means to an apparent bug in version 3 of the Linux Kernel. My post has been viewed by quite a number of people, but no answer has been put forward - and that appears common with other posts

In short the problem is that Linux 12 with the kernel version of 3.0.0-12 is not auto detecting some USB printers, and gives no option for even finding and selecting the printer. The fix has been suggested as upgrading to version 3.0.0-13 of the kernel. It is important to note that in all cases printer detection worked in Mint 11 and other earlier versions, so this is a problem introduced with Mint 12.

I searched the forum with "usb printer", read through 3 pages of the results and found the following.

The opinion/diagnosis that the problem is a bug in the kernel
http://www.cups.org/str.php?L3884+Qversion:1.5
https://lkml.org/lkml/2011/9/25/57

Problems with USB Printers not detected
viewtopic.php?f=191&t=81916&p=488145
viewtopic.php?f=49&t=88523
viewtopic.php?f=110&t=89206&p=515912
viewtopic.php?f=175&t=88466&p=510385
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=89682&p=516310
viewtopic.php?f=198&t=84582&p=489712


Some that could be related:
viewtopic.php?f=191&t=86208&p=498153
viewtopic.php?f=47&t=83551&p=484170

My question was, and remains, is there in fact a bug in the kernel - version 3.0.0-12 - and if there is, will Mint 12 be upgraded to version 3.0.0-13?

If there isn't bug with version 3.0.0-12 then is there a solution?

Finally, given the resounding silence to my previous post, should I just give Mint 12 a miss an try again with the next version - i.e. remain with Mint 11 for now?

Cheers to all,
Chris

[RussellS]

Yep, same problem here. I've posted some test results here

I have done some further testing by installing Mint 12 in virtualbox and updating the kernel to version 3.0.0-13. Before the update my printer was not detected as expected. After updating the kernel the printer is detected and works normally.

This is the procedure I used to update the kernel:

To update you kernel first determine what kernel version you have by running at a terminal

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uname -r

Now search the apt-cache to see what is available:

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apt-cache search linux-image-

The results will look like the following and shows that “linux-image-3.0.0-13-generic” is available. There is also a later one as well but I havn't tried that one.

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russell@russell-Mint12 ~ $ apt-cache search linux-image-
linux-image-3.0.0-12-generic-pae - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86
linux-image-3.0.0-12-generic - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86/x86_64
linux-image-3.0.0-12-server - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86_64
linux-image-3.0.0-12-virtual - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86/x86_64
linux-image-extra-3.0.0-12-virtual - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86/x86_64
linux-image-3.0.0-13-generic-pae - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86
linux-image-3.0.0-14-generic-pae - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86
linux-image-generic-pae - Generic Linux kernel image
linux-image-3.0.0-13-generic - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86/x86_64
linux-image-3.0.0-13-server - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86_64
linux-image-3.0.0-13-virtual - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86/x86_64
linux-image-3.0.0-14-generic - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86/x86_64
linux-image-3.0.0-14-server - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86_64
linux-image-3.0.0-14-virtual - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86/x86_64
linux-image-extra-3.0.0-13-virtual - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86/x86_64
linux-image-extra-3.0.0-14-virtual - Linux kernel image for version 3.0.0 on x86/x86_64
linux-image-extra-virtual - Linux kernel extra modules for virtual machines
linux-image-generic - Generic Linux kernel image
linux-image-server - Linux kernel image on Server Equipment.
linux-image-virtual - Linux kernel image for virtual machines
russell@russell-Mint12 ~ $


To install the latest version run the following command:

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sudo apt-get install linux-image-3.0.0-13-generic

Wait for this to finish then reboot the system
Once up and running, check the installed kernel version by running this command again

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uname -r

As I said before this did solve the printer detection issue but it also seems to have caused problems with my desktop. The normal Mint 12 desktop, Gnome 3 with Mint Shell extensions, seems to have got corrupted. I've now got a single panel at the top with an Applications & a Places menu. Also if I go to 'Advanced Settings' and select 'Shell Extenions' it is empty. So I don't quite know what's going on there but I'll do some further investigation.

Basically, I wanted to know the same as you, is there going to be an official Mint update to resolve this issue.


Russell

[RussellS]

Ok, so this is definately a bug in the 3.0.0-12 kernel as stated here bug number 872711 and states that kernel 3.0.0-13 fixes the bug.

What I have also found out, which I wasn't previously aware of, is that there is an official Mint 12 kernel update available in the update manager. However, the update manager doesn't display it by default as all updates are graded by a safety rating between 1 & 5. Only grades 1 to 3 are displayed by default so you need to change the preferances to make it display all grades of updates.

Open up the update manager and goto 'edit/preferences'. This will bring up the following window:


Tick the 'Visible' boxes for levels 4 & 5. You will then see the following packages available in the update manager:


This shows that there is a kernel update to version 3.0.0-14 available.

I am going to test this in Virtualbox first to check it is all ok. I will report back here later with the results.


Russell

[chrisknew]

Brilliant. I'm glad you've found that. I'm just a simple user and would never have gotten this far. Should all prove good, which of the Number 5 upgrades do I select?

Cheers,
Chris

[RussellS]

Brilliant. I'm glad you've found that. I'm just a simple user and would never have gotten this far. Should all prove good, which of the Number 5 upgrades do I select?

Cheers,
Chris

Firstly, I must point out that I'm just a simple user as well. All that I've posted is not through my cleverness but by piecing together various bits & bobs from other peoples cleverness via Google searches.

Anyway, I've just applied the update to a fresh Mint 12 install in Virtualbox and everything seems fine. The desktop is still the same and the printer was immediately detected after the reboot, I didn't even need to manually add it in the printer settings. I think you need to select all 4 of the level 5 packages as they are all kernel related.

My only small concern is the description for level 5 in the preferances - "Dangerous packages. Known to affect the stability of the system depending on certain specs or hardware". So I'm not too sure whether to apply it to my main system or not.


Russell

[AlbertP]

Level 5 updates aren't that dangerous. They are core system parts, of which upgrading is always a bit risky. But 3.0.0-13 has never caused any problem as far as I know.

[scharkalvin]

Very interesting. However it seems that Mint isn't the only distro with this issue, the latest Ubuntu and Kubuntu have the 'bad' kernel too, at least in their latest live dvd/cd's.

I built a new computer and tried both Mint 12 AND LMDE/Xfce and both also had the problem.
So I installed Mint 9 LTS on the new machine. I will probably wait till the next Mint LTS edition to upgrade. Maybe by then either Mate or Clem's new fork of Gnome3 with Gnome2 shell will be ready for prime time. The current Gnome3 even with Mint's shell mods or Mate are still too 'broken' compared with what Gnome2 used to be for my tastes. Mint's mods to Xfce are nice but lack system sounds and many of the applets that Gnome2 has

[thespider]

Had exactly the same issue with Linux Mint 12 and the 3.0.0-12-generic kernel with my Epson printer, which worked just fine with LM6 through LM11.
Fixed the issue by running this command:

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sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

This took me safely to 3.0.0-14-generic, which found my printer with no problem at all.

[RussellS]

Right, I have taken the plunge and updated my kernel to 3.0.0.14 using the update manager as described earlier and my Epson R300 printer is now working fine with no other issues.

It's been a few days now since the update and everything is still good and there has been no issues at all.


It just surprises me that there has been no official word about this from the Mint developers, or Ubuntu for that matter, especially as it is has been logged as an official bug with a fix.

[stanley82]

I did the sudo apt-get dist-upgrade thing and I got a lot more output than the original poster, it took over 1 hour. I still have 3.0.0.12 and my epson stylus 660 on the parallel port of Mint12 well it still prints but not on my printer and that's my only printer. My guess is we all have the same or similar simtoms due to different glitches. We should have avoided Mint 12 and stayed with Mint 11 it was and is good. Regards Ian.

[AlbertP]

Parallel port is not affected by this USB printing bug - unless you use a USB to parallel converter cable.

[stanley82]

Parallel port is not affected by this USB printing bug - unless you use a USB to parallel converter cable.

I'd like to expand on this as my parallel port is not working. Add printer and lp0 is no longer an option with Mint12. The CUPS people tell us this is a distro problem. Kernel or printer driver not found or not executable thus the parallel port was not found by CUPS I guess.
Clarificatin of my earlier post after sudo apt-get dist-upgrad failing. I now have kernel 3.0.0.15 and stil lp0 is not a CUPS add printer option.
Clarification using grub2. When you have dual boot ubuntu 11.10 and Mint12 you have two grubs to play with and I'm not sure if the last one or first one installed is what you need to play with. Any way you need to sudo gedit /etc/defaults/grub and fix (if needed) then then to be sure sudo update-grub on both ubuntu and mint sides to be sure to get 3.0.0.15 up.
Stll after all this effort my Epson stylus 660 parallel port printer does not print. But lp0 was and I hope still is an option with ubuntu 11.10. I think the developers look at this stuff so maybe Mint13 will solve things for me. Ian.
PS this basic UNIX stuff fails
stan@stan ~/Desktop $ lp -d bar -o cpi=12 -o lpi=8 -o page-left=72 testlp.txt
lp: The printer or class does not exist.

[AlbertP]

Can't you use system-config-printer (from Alt-F2) to add a parallel port printer?

[stanley82]

Can't you use system-config-printer (from Alt-F2) to add a parallel port printer?

I've jsut triled, got a widow with a pdf printer icon. Also tried from a terminal same and got same window. Still no lp0 option in cups add printer.

[AlbertP]

There is an Add button at the top of the system-config-printer window to add your printer.

[stanley82]

There is an Add button at the top of the system-config-printer window to add your printer.

System tab is not there in Mint12. I need the system to find my old fashoned centronics type paralles port. If lp0 does not show up in add printers I'm not able to add it. I suppose I should try to enable a donkeys years old Unix driver. But it's okay in Ubuntu 11-10. Thanks Ian.

Okay I've found a fix on this article http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/w ... #wp1064410

I did a sudo gedit /etc/group and changed the line starting with lp to lp::7:daemon,lp,myname that's the last bit in the article the rest returned a blank.

Thaks all of you Ian.