Regarding your /etc/apt/sources.list, rem (#) lines referring to cdrom as a source.

The cups website indicates that the printer works perfectly with the cups driver hl1250. Is this the one you are using during the setup process (has recommended behind it)?

Question 1: without reading the details sorry I don't know.

Question 2: when you do the setup it should identify /dev/lp0 clearly so this may be your problem. Check /var/log/messages and see if it is bringing up the parallel port during boot.

Try generically printing to the port by bringing up a console and doing date > /dev/lp0 . It should print the date and the time.

I managed to turn on the cups debug mode but thats the only good news.

I am using the rec driver. I went hunting for it & found it in the ...ppd dir named 'brotherlaser.ppd' but I'm assuming cups did that (thats what I named my printer). Just for good measure I made a copy of it & renamed it with the rec/official name so now I have 2 identical hl-5040 drivers in there with differnet names.

below are some (highly edited) logs:

dmesg:
parport: PnPBIOS parport detected.
parport0: PC-style at 0x378 (0x778), irq 7, dma 3 [PCSPP,TRISTATE,COMPAT,ECP,DMA]
lp0: using parport0 (interrupt-driven).

lsmod:
Module Size Used by

isofs 37272 0
ntfs 101940 2
lp 11176 0
ipv6 264740 8
floppy 61200 0
parport_pc 36900 1
parport 41800 2 lp,parport_pc

cups errorlog (has tons of stuff, this is what caught my eye):
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:33 -0800] LoadAllPrinters: Loading printer BrotherLaser...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:33 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "ipp"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:33 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "http"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "lpd"...

D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "parallel:/dev/unknown-parallel0"...

D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "socket"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp0"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp1"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp2"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp3"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp4"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp5"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp6"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp7"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp8"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp9"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp10"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp11"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp12"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp13"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp14"...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadDevices: Added device "usb:/dev/usb/lp15"...
I [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadPPDs: Read "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 2748 PPDs...
I [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadPPDs: No new or changed PPDs...
D [18/Jul/2005:21:00:35 -0800] LoadAllJobs: Scanning /var/spool/cups...


and this (after trying print job):
Parameter Summary
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] -----------------
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17]
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] Spooler: cups
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] Printer: BrotherLaser
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] PPD file: /etc/cups/ppd/BrotherLaser.ppd
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] Printer model: Brother HL-5040 Foomatic/hl1250 (recommended)
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] Job title: fstab
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] File(s) to be printed:
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] <STDIN>
(I deleted lines here)
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] Starting renderer
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] JCL: %-12345X@PJL
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] @PJL SET MEDIATYPE=REGULAR
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] <job data>
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] %-12345X@PJL RESET
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17]
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] renderer PID kid4=5338
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] renderer command: gs -q -dBATCH -dPARANOIDSAFER -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=hl1250

-dEconoMode=0 -dSourceTray=0 -sOutputFile=- -
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:37 -0800] [Job 17] foomatic-gswrapper: gs '-dBATCH' '-dPARANOIDSAFER' '-dNOPAUSE' '-sDEVICE=hl1250'

'-dEconoMode=0' '-dSourceTray=0' '-sOutputFile=/dev/fd/3' '/dev/fd/0' 3>&1 1>&2
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] GPL Ghostscript 8.01 (2004-01-30)
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] Copyright (C) 2004 artofcode LLC, Benicia, CA. All rights reserved.
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] This software comes with NO WARRANTY: see the file PUBLIC for details.

D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] Unknown device: hl1250

D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] renderer return value: 1
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] renderer received signal: 1

D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] Process dying with "Possible error on renderer command line or PostScript error.

Check options.", exit stat: 3

D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] error: Illegal seek (29)
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] Possible error on renderer command line or PostScript error. Check options.

D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] tail process done writing data to STDOUT
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] KID4 finished
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17]
D [18/Jul/2005:21:01:38 -0800] [Job 17] Closing renderer

In order to produce the log output I rebooted & tried 3 print jobs in sucession & got strange results.
1st I tried: date > /dev/lp0. This produced nothing.

2nd I tried: lpr /etc/fstab. This spit out a page with the date & time on it!

3rd I tried test page from cups web interface which produced nothing.

I did quite a bit of googling on these error msgs. There are a lot of hits on that unknown-parallel0 thing but I couldn;t find much useful info.

I did find a reference to the 'unknown device: hl1250', in reference to another device, saying that it meant the device wasn't compiled into ghostscript, but I find that hard to believe as I installed the whole print server pkg off the install cd's. Tho it might lend credence to my idea of removing & reinstalling the print server pkg with aptitude, this time off the web ( I've commented out the cd reference in my sources list). Unless anybody comes up with some brainstorms I think thats what I'll do. This is geting a little rediculous, 4 days trying to get a printer going.

Anyway, appreciate any insights you might have.

I would suggest doing apt-get --purge remove cupsys. Then do a re-install of the software. If after doing another setup again, it fails then I suggest getting some help from the cups forums on your problem. My experience with cups has been very good but then I have only used HP printers which are very common.

I got it going!

Used aptitude to purge.reinstall the print server pkg. Immediately did a lpinfo -v & saw /dev/lp0 & not 'unknown' & thought I had it.

then I rebooted. when I did lpinfo -v again 'unknown' was back. Tried a test page & no print. Did notice one difference tho, instead of the job aborting it just sat there 'processing' forever.

I decided to edit /etc/cups/printers.conf to change unknown to lp0 & I'll be damned if it didn't work this time!

Anyway, thanks to TigerOC for the assistance. Appreciate it.

Thank you for the info. After all these packages , I had to install AND the pkg "pnm2ppa" for my old HP710C.

Thank you very much.

Let me add one more error.log, so you can have a look at it and point me to the correct behavior regardin my printing problem:

I [24/Jul/2005:17:06:43 +0200] Listening to 0:631
I [24/Jul/2005:17:06:43 +0200] Loaded configuration file "/etc/cups/cupsd.conf"
I [24/Jul/2005:17:06:43 +0200] Configured for up to 100 clients.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:06:43 +0200] Allowing up to 100 client connections per host.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:06:43 +0200] Full reload is required.
E [24/Jul/2005:17:06:43 +0200] LoadAllPrinters: Unable to open /etc/cups/printers.conf - No existe el fichero o el directorio
E [24/Jul/2005:17:06:43 +0200] LoadAllClasses: Unable to open /etc/cups/classes.conf - No existe el fichero o el directorio
I [24/Jul/2005:17:06:44 +0200] LoadPPDs: Wrote "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 13 PPDs...
I [24/Jul/2005:17:06:44 +0200] Full reload complete.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:07:35 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4266)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:07:57 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4267)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:08:42 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4268)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:08:56 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4269)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:09:02 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4271)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:09:10 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4272)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:09:10 +0200] Setting HPLaserjet4L device-uri to "parallel:/dev/lp0" (was "file:/dev/null".)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:09:10 +0200] Setting HPLaserjet4L printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 0.)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:09:10 +0200] Setting HPLaserjet4L printer-state to 3 (was 5.)
E [24/Jul/2005:17:09:10 +0200] Unable to backup printers.conf - No existe el fichero o el directorio
I [24/Jul/2005:17:09:10 +0200] Saving printers.conf...
I [24/Jul/2005:17:09:10 +0200] New printer 'HPLaserjet4L' added by 'root'.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:09:14 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4273)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:09:32 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4274)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:02 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4275)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:08 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4276)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:12 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4277)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:25 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4278)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:25 +0200] Setting HPPSC1200 device-uri to "usb://Hewlett-Packard/psc%201200%20series?serial=HU3BFFP2BN5H" (was "file:/dev/null".)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:25 +0200] Setting HPPSC1200 printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 0.)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:25 +0200] Setting HPPSC1200 printer-state to 3 (was 5.)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:25 +0200] Saving printers.conf...
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:25 +0200] New printer 'HPPSC1200' added by 'root'.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:28 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4279)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:10:58 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4280)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:11:06 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4282)
I [24/Jul/2005:17:11:42 +0200] Scheduler shutting down normally.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:13:08 +0200] Listening to 0:631
I [24/Jul/2005:17:13:08 +0200] Loaded configuration file "/etc/cups/cupsd.conf"
I [24/Jul/2005:17:13:08 +0200] Configured for up to 100 clients.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:13:08 +0200] Allowing up to 100 client connections per host.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:13:08 +0200] Full reload is required.
E [24/Jul/2005:17:13:08 +0200] LoadAllClasses: Unable to open /etc/cups/classes.conf - No such file or directory
I [24/Jul/2005:17:13:09 +0200] LoadPPDs: Read "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 13 PPDs...
I [24/Jul/2005:17:13:09 +0200] LoadPPDs: No new or changed PPDs...
I [24/Jul/2005:17:13:09 +0200] Full reload complete.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:16:52 +0200] Adding start banner page "none" to job 1.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:16:52 +0200] Adding end banner page "none" to job 1.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:16:52 +0200] Job 1 queued on 'HPLaserjet4L' by 'xgm'.
E [24/Jul/2005:17:16:52 +0200] Unable to convert file 0 to printable format for job 1!
I [24/Jul/2005:17:16:52 +0200] Hint: Do you have ESP Ghostscript installed?
I [24/Jul/2005:17:16:52 +0200] Hint: Try setting the LogLevel to "debug".
I [24/Jul/2005:17:18:53 +0200] Adding start banner page "none" to job 2.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:18:53 +0200] Adding end banner page "none" to job 2.
I [24/Jul/2005:17:18:53 +0200] Job 2 queued on 'HPPSC1200' by 'xgm'.
E [24/Jul/2005:17:18:53 +0200] Unable to convert file 0 to printable format for job 2!
I [24/Jul/2005:17:18:53 +0200] Hint: Do you have ESP Ghostscript installed?
I [24/Jul/2005:17:18:53 +0200] Hint: Try setting the LogLevel to "debug".
I [24/Jul/2005:17:20:03 +0200] Scheduler shutting down normally.
I [25/Jul/2005:17:41:06 +0200] Listening to 0:631
I [25/Jul/2005:17:41:06 +0200] Loaded configuration file "/etc/cups/cupsd.conf"
I [25/Jul/2005:17:41:06 +0200] Configured for up to 100 clients.
I [25/Jul/2005:17:41:06 +0200] Allowing up to 100 client connections per host.
I [25/Jul/2005:17:41:06 +0200] Full reload is required.
E [25/Jul/2005:17:41:06 +0200] LoadAllClasses: Unable to open /etc/cups/classes.conf - No existe el fichero o el directorio
I [25/Jul/2005:17:41:07 +0200] LoadPPDs: Read "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 13 PPDs...
I [25/Jul/2005:17:41:07 +0200] LoadPPDs: No new or changed PPDs...
I [25/Jul/2005:17:41:07 +0200] Full reload complete.
I [25/Jul/2005:17:59:09 +0200] Listening to 0:631
I [25/Jul/2005:17:59:09 +0200] Loaded configuration file "/etc/cups/cupsd.conf"
I [25/Jul/2005:17:59:09 +0200] Configured for up to 100 clients.
I [25/Jul/2005:17:59:09 +0200] Allowing up to 100 client connections per host.
I [25/Jul/2005:17:59:09 +0200] Full reload is required.
E [25/Jul/2005:17:59:09 +0200] LoadAllClasses: Unable to open /etc/cups/classes.conf - No existe el fichero o el directorio
I [25/Jul/2005:17:59:10 +0200] LoadPPDs: Read "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 13 PPDs...
I [25/Jul/2005:17:59:10 +0200] LoadPPDs: Wrote "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 93 PPDs...
I [25/Jul/2005:17:59:10 +0200] Full reload complete.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:28:20 +0200] Listening to 0:631
I [25/Jul/2005:18:28:20 +0200] Loaded configuration file "/etc/cups/cupsd.conf"
I [25/Jul/2005:18:28:20 +0200] Configured for up to 100 clients.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:28:20 +0200] Allowing up to 100 client connections per host.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:28:20 +0200] Full reload is required.
E [25/Jul/2005:18:28:20 +0200] LoadAllClasses: Unable to open /etc/cups/classes.conf - No existe el fichero o el directorio
I [25/Jul/2005:18:28:20 +0200] LoadPPDs: Read "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 93 PPDs...
I [25/Jul/2005:18:28:20 +0200] LoadPPDs: Wrote "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 67 PPDs...
I [25/Jul/2005:18:28:20 +0200] Full reload complete.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:28:55 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4679)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:29:27 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4680)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:29:30 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4681)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:29:31 +0200] Printer 'HPLaserjet4L' deleted by 'root'.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:29:31 +0200] Saving printers.conf...
I [25/Jul/2005:18:29:34 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4682)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:29:38 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4683)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:29:39 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4684)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:29:41 +0200] Printer 'HPPSC1200' deleted by 'root'.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:29:41 +0200] Saving printers.conf...
I [25/Jul/2005:18:32:06 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4704)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:32:35 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4705)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:33:07 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4707)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:33:27 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4708)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:33:33 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4709)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:36:29 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4712)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:36:35 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4714)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:36:55 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4715)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:37:00 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4716)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:37:05 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4717)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:37:30 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4718)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:37:59 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4719)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:38:06 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4721)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:38:31 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4722)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:38:40 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4723)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:38:46 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4724)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:38:51 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4725)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:14 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4726)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:15 +0200] Setting HPpsc1100 device-uri to "hp:/usb/psc_1200_series?serial=HU3BFFP2BN5H" (was "file:/dev/null".)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:15 +0200] Setting HPpsc1100 printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 0.)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:15 +0200] Setting HPpsc1100 printer-state to 3 (was 5.)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:15 +0200] Saving printers.conf...
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:15 +0200] New printer 'HPpsc1100' added by 'root'.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:17 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4727)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:27 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4728)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:27 +0200] Adding start banner page "none" to job 3.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:27 +0200] Adding end banner page "none" to job 3.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:27 +0200] Job 3 queued on 'HPpsc1100' by 'root'.
E [25/Jul/2005:18:39:27 +0200] Unable to convert file 0 to printable format for job 3!
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:27 +0200] Hint: Do you have ESP Ghostscript installed?
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:27 +0200] Hint: Try setting the LogLevel to "debug".
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:54 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4729)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:39:59 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4730)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:07 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4732)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:12 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4733)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:44 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4734)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:45 +0200] Setting HPpsc1100 device-uri to "hp:/usb/psc_1200_series?serial=HU3BFFP2BN5H" (was "hp:/usb/psc_1200_series?serial=HU3BFFP2BN5H".)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:45 +0200] Setting HPpsc1100 printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 1.)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:45 +0200] Setting HPpsc1100 printer-state to 3 (was 3.)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:45 +0200] Saving printers.conf...
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:45 +0200] Printer 'HPpsc1100' modified by 'root'.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:47 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4735)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:50 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4736)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:50 +0200] Adding start banner page "none" to job 4.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:50 +0200] Adding end banner page "none" to job 4.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:50 +0200] Job 4 queued on 'HPpsc1100' by 'root'.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:51 +0200] Started filter /usr/lib/cups/filter/pstops (PID 4737) for job 4.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:40:51 +0200] Started backend /usr/lib/cups/backend/hp (PID 4738) for job 4.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:41:09 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4740)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:41:14 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4741)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:41:17 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4742)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:41:18 +0200] Printer 'HPpsc1100' deleted by 'root'.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:41:18 +0200] Saving printers.conf...
I [25/Jul/2005:18:41:22 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4743)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:41:24 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4744)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:41:38 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4745)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:12 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4747)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:15 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4748)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:31 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4749)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:32 +0200] Setting HPLaserjet4L device-uri to "parallel:/dev/lp0" (was "file:/dev/null".)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:32 +0200] Setting HPLaserjet4L printer-is-accepting-jobs to 1 (was 0.)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:32 +0200] Setting HPLaserjet4L printer-state to 3 (was 5.)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:32 +0200] Saving printers.conf...
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:32 +0200] New printer 'HPLaserjet4L' added by 'root'.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:35 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4750)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:42 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4751)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:42 +0200] Adding start banner page "none" to job 5.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:42 +0200] Adding end banner page "none" to job 5.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:42 +0200] Job 5 queued on 'HPLaserjet4L' by 'root'.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:42 +0200] Started filter /usr/lib/cups/filter/pstops (PID 4752) for job 5.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:42:42 +0200] Started backend /usr/lib/cups/backend/parallel (PID 4753) for job 5.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:44:04 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/printers.cgi" (pid=4755)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:44:31 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4758)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:44:34 +0200] Started "/usr/lib/cups/cgi-bin/admin.cgi" (pid=4759)
I [25/Jul/2005:18:44:35 +0200] Printer 'HPLaserjet4L' deleted by 'root'.
I [25/Jul/2005:18:44:35 +0200] Saving printers.conf...
I [25/Jul/2005:21:31:19 +0200] Scheduler shutting down normally.
I [25/Jul/2005:22:46:41 +0200] Listening to 0:631
I [25/Jul/2005:22:46:42 +0200] Loaded configuration file "/etc/cups/cupsd.conf"
I [25/Jul/2005:22:46:42 +0200] Configured for up to 100 clients.
I [25/Jul/2005:22:46:42 +0200] Allowing up to 100 client connections per host.
I [25/Jul/2005:22:46:42 +0200] Full reload is required.
E [25/Jul/2005:22:46:42 +0200] LoadAllClasses: Unable to open /etc/cups/classes.conf - No such file or directory
I [25/Jul/2005:22:46:43 +0200] LoadPPDs: Read "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 67 PPDs...
I [25/Jul/2005:22:46:43 +0200] LoadPPDs: Wrote "/etc/cups/ppds.dat", 67 PPDs...
I [25/Jul/2005:22:46:43 +0200] Full reload complete.

Thanks in advance !

Well I'm far from an expert but I'll state the obvious, you don't appear to have a /etc/cups/printers.conf or classes.conf file.

The 1st is the printer config file, pretty important, dont know what the 2nd is for.

You might try what worked for me. Purge cupsys & reinstall using whatever pkg mgr your comfortable with, then reinstall the printer. I lean towards apptitude but theres a learning curve.

Daveb3, you got it. I did it, preceded by a "dist-upgrade", (that upgraded Gnome to 2.10, BTW), and then

$ apt-get install foomatic-filters foomatic-filters-ppds

and configured both printers with Gnome print manager.

And voilá, it works !

Thanks !!