Hello everyone,

I have 2 questions regarding my HP Photosmart 2610v and Linux MEPIS 3.43

I have been looking at linuxprinting.org and am still a bit confused (n00b here).

At a website (http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_pr...P-DeskJet_960C) I found HP Photosmart 2600 listed as "supported" with recommended HPIJS. However, I have an HP Photosmart 2610v, not an HP Photosmart 2600.

My 1st question: Would HPIJS still work? If yes, then how well?

On a related note, I looked into HPLIP (apparently more advanced than HPIJS) and if I read the chart correctly (http://hplip.sourceforge.net/support...kjet_aio.html), it does seem to support HP Photosmart 2610v.

Unfortunately, it appears to only be available via a "tar.gz" download. I have never run across "tar.gz" before (n00b, in case you can't tell).

My 2nd question is: How do I make use of the file labled: hplip-1.6.7.tar.gz that I have downloaded and saved? I have never used a "tar.gz" file before. If this HPLIP in "tar.gz" form is the better of the two options, then that is the option I want.

Thanks!

Yes the driver should work fine. Juat about every single HP printer made works in Linux. They are one of the most well designed printers with great support to all OSes.

Now the HPIJS is just the driver itself for use with cups.
The HPLIP contains the driver from HPIJS plus includes software to view ink level and if it is an all in one you can make use of the scan and fax features as well very easily. I currently have the photosmart 3310 and never had an issue. Also had other HP models as well and all have worked right out of the box. The vierio inks are great as far as usage goes. I am still on my orginal cartiages. Usually on older models the ink cartiages will fail to work in about 3 months. So far about 9 months and still working great.

For the file extract it to a directory and read the readme file and or install file. Also the help text at linuxprinting has great help on the install.

Brian1

Use the latest HPLIP taz.gz from the HP Linux site if you can. Extract (unzip) the tar.gz into any particular directory, look for all the readme and install files, open them up with a text reader and follow the instructions. My daughter has the HP Photosmart 2610v connected to her Mandriva 2006 machine, works great !

When I extract the tar.gz -- does it matter which directory I put it in? For example....I have 2 accounts...my "main" account and my "guest" account. I want both accounts to have full access to the printer and its capabilities.

Does that mean I need to extract twice...once to a directory in each account, or do I only need to extract once? Should I extract to root or make a new directory all together?

On a different note, on a different computer I have HPIJS. If I want to put HPLIP on it, will I need to "uninstall" HPIJS, or could I proceed as a would with the other computer that currently has no printer support?

/ never "extracted" before
// a little bit afraid I will mess up
/// thanks again!

By default the .tar.gz should "unzip" to /usr/share, if not, changethe unzip path to /user/share this should give every user access to the application.
It's always best to remove the old application, then install the new HPLIP. Don't know MEPIS but use the graphical software removal tool if it sees the HPIJS, then install the HPLIP from the command line.

You said: /usr/share

But then later said: /user/share

Which is it? Or does it not matter?

I looked around and found a "usr" folder, though not a "user" folder, so I extracted to: /usr/share instead of /user/share

However, I had to do so as root because I kept getting the message that I did not have permission to write to that (usr) folder.

Is it ok that I did it via root? Is that the only way to do it?

Anyways, now that I have extracted it to the usr directory (which is owned by root, too) I'll be reading the instructions. If anyone has some helpful do's and don'ts....I'd appreciate them right about now....LOL.

Thanks again!

The correct path is /usr/share, sorry, I make this mistake even when typing myself. You've unzipped the .tar.gz to a folder under /usr/share/. Look for 1 or more readme files or install files and open them up with a text reader (editor) such as Kwrite and follow the instructions. Usually it's simply, ./config make make , for alot of files but each application has it's own nuances. Do this as "su" user same as root ?, in the terminal window. Let us know what the printed feedback from the terminal is after you get the final make.

Not sure I understand. Let me try:

1) Open the readme files or install files via a text reader. Ok...but what does >>> ./config <<< mean

2) You talk about "su". Do you mean go into terminal, su to become root, and proceed from there?

On a related note...do you know if there are any tutorials or online documentation that I could study? When I opened up the hplip....wow...so many folders and files.....scared the bejesus out of me. LOL.

"./config" then "make" then "make" is a way an application can create an installer packer for its self.

su stands for super user, you're correct, type it at the console (terminal) window then put in your password for root, su for all it means is just another ? word for root.

Ever looked to see how many files Windows Media Player loads on your Windows system when you download a new version ?

Ask and take advice and record the instructions from the UNIX and Linux pros, i'm just a newbie myself.