Linux Printer problem - please help (also in alt.os.linux)

On 2005-11-30, Neil Hindry <n_nospam_hindry@_nospam_hotmail.com> wrote:

> I wonder if you can help me.
>
> I have Mandriva 10.2 installed on my Desktop PC and for some reason in the
> last couple of days I have started to experience something strange.
>
> I printed out a document from Open Office and thought nothing more about it.
> Only when I had shutdown my PC and got the papers from my printer did I
> notice that it hadn't printed.
> The next day when I started my PC I opted to boot into Linux. Then, just
> before I got to the login section of Mandriva my printer - a HP LaserJet
> 1160 - came to life and started printing something. When I looked at the
> pages printed I realised it was the document I had sent to the printer the
> day before.
> This has happened every time I have printed something from Mandriva Linux
> for approximately the last three days, so it obviously is not a one off.
>
> Why are things not printing when I send them but instead are printed the
> next time I booted into Linux?
>
> How can I fix the problem so that my printer will print the document as soon
> as I send it rather than at the next boot-up?
>
> Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

I assume you left the computer up long enough that it should
have had opportunity to print the document before you shut
it down. Obviously, if you put a print job in the print
queue and immediately shut down the computer, it can't print
while shut down. When the computer boots again, the job
will be printed from the queue.

My guess is your printer has become inactive as far as the
OS is concerned, preventing printing. Then, after booting
again, the printer is active, so the queued document finally
gets a chance to print.

I have seen somewhat similar issues with a printer goes
inactive. (Except when a power supply fan seized yesterday,
my machine that feeds the printers is up 24/7, so I don't
see the print-after-boot symptom.) Handling of USB has some
quirks, and I have seen a printer go inactive every once in
a while. (I also have to unplug my USB scanner while
booting.)

In my case, the solution has been to bring up a web browser
on on the CUPS web-based interface, "http://localhost:631",
and if it shows the printer as stopped, restart it. If that
doesn't work, check /var/log/messages, perhaps doing a "tail
-f" on it while unplugging and replugging the USB connector
to the printer.

Robert Riches
spamtrap42@verizon.net
(Yes, that is one of my email addresses.)