This printer makes copies when not connected to the Thinkpad, which is on O.S. Linux Mint 11. TIA, dusT60

The OS is not relevant to the printer, the stream of data it has to print is...so...let's go one step at a time, is CUPS installed and have you looked into the config pages yet?

By the way: warm welcome here!!! Thanks for this question, printers are a mayor config hogger, sometimes...

Thor

Have you configured the printer on the Thinkpad? If not, click the Mint Menu tab and scroll up and look for a 'printer' option. Might see it in System Settings.

Hello Thor

No, CUPS hasn't been installed, at least not by me, it hasn't. Have no idea what the "config" pages are. I was using an HP 3200 series all in one printer a year ago, and it worked just fine until it fell apart. I attached the cheapie 2512, and it was recognized at the abiword page at Office, so I highlighted it. But no printing came through. Nor a "test page" when I resorted to trying that. Does any of this make sense? Thanks for the "welcome!" dusT60

I looked at the Open Printing database and there was not an entry for an HP Deskjet 2512. Since it's a volunteer site, all that means is that there's no entry.

Your user agent icon says "Ubuntu." I suggest you try installing HPLIP. It's in the Ubuntu repos.

Note that the HPLIP GUI is often a separate package from the mail HPLIP package. If HP offers Linux support for the printer, HPLIP would be the first place to start. Then use the HPLIP GUI (hp-toolbox from the command line) to discover and set up the printer.

Thank you both yancek & frankbell for responding. Afraid your recommendations are waaaay over my newbee head. A local Linux computer-man here in Portland who does know all this(I hope) is my only source of advice and help, so I'll try and contact him this week.

On that Open Printing database link you included, frankbell, Way up at the top part of the list appears 2500cm, which is how it's listed on the print page via my Linux/Mint/11's Office workplace. The enclosed set-up directions that came with the printer are for the 2510 deskjet. Perhaps this Thinkpad is as confused as I am:-( Thanks for your replies.

Connect the printer to the computer and switch it on.

Open the terminal window, which you will find in the menu. Type the command
dpkg-query -l hplip
If that says you haven't got it, which is unlikely, then type
sudo apt-get hplip

Once you have the program, type
sudo hp-setup
and that will install your device. It it whines that it doesn't have a gui, use
sudo hp-setup -i

There are a host of useful command for sorting out printer problems once it's running:
http://hplipopensource.com/hplip-web...ges/index.html

The first time I installed a printer (on Epson 300CX if I remember correctly) to Linux (Slackware 10.x), I think it took me a week and lots of web searching.

Three things have happened since: Printer manufacturer support for Linux has improved significantly, more from some manufacturers than others (HP is one of the best); that has led to improved Linux support for printers; and I've learned a few things.

We were all newbies once. If we give you an answer you don't understand, we're happy to work with you. Tell us what you tried and what happened (contents of error messages are very helpful), and we'll work with you.

Here's some Ubuntu information on installing printers in Ubuntu.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Printers

If you are still using Mint 11, you might consider updating/reinstalling Mint 13 as Mint 11 has not been supported since October, 2012.
If you click the Menu tab in the lower left of your Desktop, you will see a pop-up with numerous options. One will be System Settings. Click on it and it will open a new window with a number of additional options, one of which will be 'printers'. Click that icon and follow the prompts. If you continue using Mint 11, you will not be able to get any updates.

Ok Yancek, Frankbell & David McCann; Here's what I've tried so far:
Clicked on Home--Applications--System Tools--Printing
Which produced this list: HPDeskjet 2500CM (which has a large arrow on top of its icon)
HPDeskjet 2510 Series (I double clicked on this icon which turned dark green)
Photosmart 3200 Series
Print_to_PDF
Next a pop-up saying: Printer Properties: lists settings inc. Print Test Page, which I clicked on and after a little wait, a piece of paper went through the printer and emerged devoid of any printing. (Must mean I need to enter a test page? But how??)

Also tried clicking around that lower left hand area of the desktop. A right click finally produced a squarish pop-up which listed: Applications
Desktop
Desktop Settings
Window Management Settings
Reload Config Files
Exit= (which is the listing I click when I'm about to turn off the Thinkpad.)

The menu on Mint 13 and later versions is in the lower left of the Desktop, but apparently Mint 11 still had the tabs in the upper left so ignore my suggestions in the previous post, except for updating to Mint 13. When you clicked on Printing and got the new window, did you see a Lock/Unlock tab in the upper right or an On/Off tab just below it? I'm not sure what Mint 11 looks like but these options are available on newer versions. If you have a small window on the left of the Printer window with the name of your printer, click it to highlight it and then try Print Test Page.

The problem you will have is that even if you get this working, you will not be able to get any updates, Mint 11 is not supported.

Hi again, Yancek and other responders~just tried to post a "quick reply" which seems to have disappeared. I agree with you that it's time for me to install Mint 13. Since I asked "Dave, my local linux man," about this printer problem, and he responded by sending me some online posts from the Linux forum plus some other suggestions akin to yours here, I think I'm going to e-mail or phone him (now works full-time at another job) and ask him to send me a disc with Mint 13 on it. He gave me an "extra" Mint 11 disc when he installed it for me here in my apartment. Meanwhile, thanks so much for your encouraging responses. I'll be "Bach! :-)dusT60