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HP Officejet K60

mwp98223

mwp98223

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 24, 2007
256
1
Conway Washington
I have a HP Officejet K60 multifunction printer. Running with windows machines but I'm preparing to make the switch to an iMac.

I'm reading conflicting information on the net whether this is compatible. Generally HP shows Mac OS X is not supported on this machine. However, I think I found an archived post here from 2003 saying the machine worked with Panther?

I've seen lots of Linux discussion about getting drivers to make this and/or similar models work. I'm not a Linux person and don't know how complicated these solutions are.

I would prefer to not have to work too terribly hard to make this older printer work, but it is a good printer and I would rather spend my money on the new computer and add ons and save the $300 a new printer is going to cost me.

I'm trying to figure this out BEFORE I buy the iMac b/c if I absolutely need a new printer I will probably take advantage of the current rebate.

So...long post..but to the point..does anyone have this printer working today with iMac running current version of Tiger? What did you have to do to get there?

Thank you.
 
Since I don't have that printer - does it have a USB connection or only parallel? If parallel, you need to get a USB-parallel adapter cable. And, you'll find your printer more reliable if you install the alternate USB driver called "usbtb."
http://buymelunch.org/printing/usbtb/

After that, use the Add printer dialog and it is easy to use.
 
gsahli said:
Since I don't have that printer - does it have a USB connection or only parallel? If parallel, you need to get a USB-parallel adapter cable. And, you'll find your printer more reliable if you install the alternate USB driver called "usbtb."
http://buymelunch.org/printing/usbtb/

After that, use the Add printer dialog and it is easy to use.
Click to expand...

The printer is a USB connection. Does that mean I don't need to ADD anything to what is already installed with Tiger, just "add printer" or do I need to download and install Gutenprint on my own?
 
You need to download and install Gutenprint.
Then, if you have trouble like the printer prints half a page and quits, get usbtb.
 
gsahli said:
You need to download and install Gutenprint.
Then, if you have trouble like the printer prints half a page and quits, get usbtb.
Click to expand...

Ok...now a question that might only be answered after I connect this all up (after I buy the iMac)

I have a wired network in my home with Windows machines (one on XP and one Vista) They currently share the printer, which is connected via USB to the computer I'm about to replace.

If the printer is connected via USB to the iMac + Gutenprint on iMac
Will I be able to share the printer with the Windows machines? Is this just getting way to complicated mixing and matching?
 
Sharing works fine, but there are little complications.
For example, postscript is the basis of all printing on OS X - but not on Windows. In the simplest print sharing method, you must use a postscript driver on the Windows computer, to make sure you're sending postscript to the Mac's print queue (and in this case the Mac translates postscript for the particular printer).

Read these guides:
http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/3012.html
http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/3015.html
 
I have a k80 and it works fine with my mac. Not exactly the same printer but they're pretty close.
 
OS 10.3.9 and HP OfficeJetK60

gsahli said:
You need to download and install Gutenprint.
Then, if you have trouble like the printer prints half a page and quits, get usbtb.
Click to expand...

Hi, I've installed Gutenprint and usbtb. I have located the driver named HP OfficeJetK60 as installed through Gutenprint. However, I am still unable to print via USB. The printer is connected with a USB cable, I have restarted the computer multiple times. I'm running OS 10.3.9 on a PowerBook G4. When I try to print, the printer dialog waits for the printer for about 50 s and then states "The printer is not responding!". The OfficeJet is in working conndition with new ink cartridges and is copies well. I have checked all cable and power connections and these are fine.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!
 
After you've installed usbtb, does the printer show up twice in the default browser window after clicking Add?

I don't have that printer, so I think I'm not going to be much help beyond "procedural" things.
 
gsahli said:
After you've installed usbtb, does the printer show up twice in the default browser window after clicking Add?

Yes, it does show up twice, one with the usbtb designation and one without. Neither of them works when I add it.
Click to expand...
 
That's sounding like an OS X file corruption/missing problem.
Try Reset Printing System, a menu choice in Printer Setup Utility, then restart and Add again.

If no go, try the free trial of Printer Setup Repair from www.fixamac.net.

If still no go, try Downloading the 10.4.10 Combo updater from Apple and re-update with that.

If this sounds like a shotgun approach - it is ....
 
It worked!!!

Here is what I did...

I downloaded
guntenprint-5.0.2.ub
install usbtb
Guntenprint 5.2.0-4

I installed usbtb. However, it did not finish installing and I had to force quit everything and restart my computer. This was scary because when I installed, after a very short time, the computer started making a bumping sound. I thought, OH crap!, this is screwing up something!. When I got the computer back up, I installed Guntenprint 5.2.0-beta4.

I then tried to print and I could not get it to print, I would cancel the job and try again and use the system print installer and try to print again and again. I finally decided to restart the computer and I had left a job in the que and when the computer restarted it printed the job! However, the color on the print was like what I had installed a new 58 cartridge for. No better. So, I decided to reinstall the 57 cartridge as well. Tah Dah!!! Beautiful prints. I have had to restart the computer a couple of times today to get the printer to print.

I don't know what is going, but I am delighted to have my photo printer back up. Hope this helps folks. Good Luck. SueLynn
 
Thanks for that info.

When you added the printer in Print & Fax prefs, did usbtb show up and is that what you selected? I'm asking because I would like to know for certain if usbtb is working at all.
 
usbtb

Yes, it did show up and I chose it, as well as usb. It seems to work when it wants to. And, it works great, but I keep getting a disconnect or printer not found and I don't understand. So, I go back and add the printer again and sometime as the usb and some as the usbtb. I am still trying to figure out what the problem is.



gsahli said:
Thanks for that info.

When you added the printer in Print & Fax prefs, did usbtb show up and is that what you selected? I'm asking because I would like to know for certain if usbtb is working at all.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks very much for coming back with that.

To me, it seems like usbtb isn't living up to its high-reliability USB intent.
 
usbtb

Yes, this right. I am having to restart my computer each time I need to start a print job. This is just ridiculous.

gsahli said:
Thanks very much for coming back with that.

To me, it seems like usbtb isn't living up to its high-reliability USB intent.
Click to expand...
 
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