Getting my old Brother mfc-j450dw to scan with Mint

[dsctr]

Hello phd21,
Are you able to scan with your brother MFC J491DW?

I just installed Mint 19.2 and my old Brother mfc-j450dw will not work with mint, it's discontinued and couldn't find drivers.

[phd21]

Hi dsctr,

Yes, I am able to scan and print with the Brother MFC J491DW multi-function printer in both Linux Mint Cinnamon 19.1 and KDE Neon both based on Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic. I did have to download and install their drivers (".deb" files), just save and double-click to install (Their one option is just a "run" script file that downloads and installs the deb files). Always restart your computer after installing drivers.

Interestingly, I have it connected using the USB cable and I setup its WiFi which Linux automatically added another printer option for, so there are two printer options and the USB printer option has more printer configuration options (features) available than the WiFi option?

FYI: I really like and use the "gscan2pdf" software for my scanning needs. I also like the fact that these printers have both the flatbed and sheet feed scanner options which "gscan2pdf" allows me to choose which one. There is a PPA for "gscan2pdf" to install it or update it to the current version and keep it updated.

Downloads | MFC-J450DW | United States | Brother
https://support.brother.com/g/b/downloa ... cj450dw_us

The only minor issue I have is that I cannot fax from my computer through it although I can fax from the printer itself stand-alone without a computer or use a free online fax sending website. My ancient HP Officejet 4110 could easily fax using the HP driver software. I am sure faxing from my computer through the Brother MFC J491DW can be done, I just have not figured it out yet and it's not a primary function that I use frequently. "Brother" certainly could provide newer updated and easier to use Linux fax software for their printers. I just noticed that on their Brother driver downloads page it shows fax drivers for your printer model, but not for mine?


Hope this helps ...

[dsctr]

I have never used linux before and just tried installing drivers for my brother mfc-j450dw printer.
I typed in the terminal what was suggested for installing, from the brother site and couldn't get it to install in mint 19.2, always get a not found in terminal.
I have even got to password and typed it in and then it wouldn't work, then got to a point where it said install something rocket did that and wouldn't work.
I hope I didn't add things I shouldn't have installed, I don't know how to get rid of them if I did.

Basically I have the download in a printer folder linux-brprinter-installer-.2.2.1-1.gz and now I'm stumped.

I would appreciate any help,

I don't want to go back to windoews because I can't print from or scan to linux mint 19.2

[phd21]

Hi dsctr,

Connect the printer using the USB port.

Downloads | MFC-J450DW | United States | Brother
https://support.brother.com/g/b/downloa ... _us&os=128

The first option, is an archive file that contains an installation script file.

I would just download the Linux deb files from the link to your Downloads folder or a create a new "Brother-MFC-j450dw" folder and save them in there, and double-click them to install them. Start with the Printer driver deb files (mfcj450dwlpr-3.0.0-1.i386.deb, mfcj450dwcupswrapper-3.0.0-1.i386.deb), then the scanner deb files, then the fax deb files, see screenshots below. Then, restart your computer, go into printers, make sure your printer is listed, if not select it, then print a test page.

Hope this helps ...
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Brother-MFC-j450dw drivers

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Brother-MFC-j450dw drivers

[dsctr]

I have tried that numerous times. I will try it again. And post what happens.
Right now if I click menu and type terminal, I have 8 brother installs listed. That is how many times I've tried and failed to install.
I just ordered some books on linux to try and learn linux, the line commands etc
I appreciate you taking the time to help
dale

[dsctr]

Hello phd21,

I downloaded the drivers as you suggested and double clicked on them in the folder and it worked, I now am able to print. but not scan. Should I will try re downloading scanner drivers and try to scan.

That is a much easier way than the terminal command line method.

Should I open menu type ter and delete the listed 5 linux brothers installers to get them off my computer?

Thanks for your help, it is greatly appreciated.

[dsctr]

I have figured out how to scan documents, in Mint 19.2
Open menu, type scan, open simple scan, have document on scanner and click scan.

Learning to forget all the ways I used to do things in widows 7.

[phd21]

Hi dsctr,

You are welcome...

FYI: From what I could tell, the Brother printer's first download option is a script program that basically just downloads and installs their printer drivers and scanner drivers.

You mentioned you had many printers showing in your printers menu, I would remove all of them except the one that is currently active as the default and is working.

Assuming that you installed the scanner driver deb files correctly, and restarted your computer, you should be able to access the multi-function printer's scanner using "gscan2pdf" and or other applications that can access scanners.

If you wanted, you can also install the most current Linux scanner (sane) drivers using a PPA described in the one link I gave you before, restart your computer afterward.

Hope this helps ...

[dsctr]

I am just learning Linux mint 19.2

As long as things work I will be using things as they are for now. First step was get printer working.

Next step to figure out how to get all my ms office 2007 documents and excel folders to work in mint, I have installed wine, but haven't got that figured out.

There are bookmarks and folders in Thunderbird email on win 7 I need to transfer to thunderbird on mint etc. Then I will have to figure out how to save all I've done in mint,

I have copies of all docs and folders on flash drives, it will just take some time to figure it all out. Win 7 is supported until Jan, so I have a few months to figure it all out before getting rid of the dual boot system on my computer and then have mint only.

I appreciate all your help so far.

Dale

[phd21]

Hi dsctr, GriffelArt, etc...

We have never heard back from the original poster "GriffelArt" and their scanner issues and whether that has been resolved?

To Dale "dsctr", so now that you have your printer working, you still have not said if your scanner is now recognized and working?

Next step to figure out how to get all my ms office 2007 documents and excel folders to work in mint, I have installed wine, but haven't got that figured out.

You probably do not need to install Linux Wine to use your MS Office 2007 documents and or spreadsheets. Have you tried opening them using the current LibreOffice applications? You can also install and use WPS Office suite, MS office 365 online, Google Docs online, etc...

There are bookmarks and folders in Thunderbird email on win 7 I need to transfer to thunderbird on mint etc. Then I will have to figure out how to save all I've done in mint

You might be able to just copy your Thunderbird (TB) profile(s) folder(s) from your Win7 system to a folder on your Linux Mint system (not the whole TB folder), then after setting up your email(s) in your Linux TB, change the TB server settings to point to that folder (has to be done for each email address), and restart TB. You can also export your TB Win7 data and import it. There are some posts in this forum on this topic and articles on the Internet. FYI: I created or renamed TB profile folders underneath my Home Documents folder for my Thunderbird profile files, one for each email address using the email address or a portion of it as the folder name rather than keeping the cryptic profile folder names that TB uses which makes it easy to identify them and for backing up since I always backup my Documents folder.

FYI: As for bookmarks, IMHO the easiest way to have them in your Linux system or elsewhere is to use a browser's or other application's "sync" option, just sync your bookmarks on your Win 7 system, then sign in to your Linux system's sync option and within a minute or two, all your bookmarks and whatever else you chose to sync just shows up; might have to restart browser or TB. Obviously, you can export bookmarks into CSV or HTML files and import them as well. There are a couple really great extension add-ons for getting all your email addresses for GMail users there is "gcontactsync" for TB. You can also export contacts (email addresses) into CSV or HTML files and import them too.

Moving from Windows to Linux - MozillaZine Knowledge Base
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Moving_from_Windows_to_Linux

Moving Thunderbird Data to a New Computer
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/mo ... w-computer

I have copies of all docs and folders on flash drives, it will just take some time to figure it all out. Win 7 is supported until Jan, so I have a few months to figure it all out before getting rid of the dual boot system on my computer and then have mint only. I appreciate all your help so far. Dale

You should be able to just copy all the files and or folders from your Win7 system or from wherever to your Linux system. If your Win7 system is on the same computer and or same drive different partition, or another connected drive and or partition, your Linux system should be able to read and write to that drive and or partition.


Hope this helps ...

[dsctr]

phd21,

I have figured out how to scan documents, in Mint 19.2
Open menu, type scan, open simple scan, have document on scanner and click scan.

I have pocket listed and bookmarked the links you sent.

I guess I shouldn't post to this thread any longer, since we are off subject from scanners recommendations.

Hopefully I will see you in other searches for working in Linux mint 19.2

Thanks for your help

[Moem]

I guess I shouldn't post to this thread any longer, since we are off subject from scanners recommendations.

Moderation note:
No worries, I've split the topic off from the original thread. This is now your topic. Please don't piggyback on other people's existing topics like that; just post a new one instead. Thanks!

[phd21]

Hi dsctr,

You are welcome...

Now that you have your own post, you can continue your questions here.

Simple scan works fine, but I think gscan2pdf is better.

[dsctr]

I will try gscan after I get my computer changed over to mint.
For now I must keep things simple. If something works, it's good for now.
Main thing now is get all my info saved and in mint and then reinstall mint to over ride win 7.