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Is canon website safe to download printer software?

M

Meduras

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 23, 2016
4
1
I'd like some drivers for printer. Is canon site safe to download them as self-installed trojans are Mac's worst nightmare and I have no real time scanner to detect if something comes in.

Google gives me both sites, but is there any difference?

https://www.usa.canon.com
http://www.canon-europe.com

I just find it weird one is canon.com while other canon-europe.com - if it is same company, shouldn't it be europe.canon.com...

Not sure what to trust or to trust either at all.
 
The software is probably the same on both sites (although maybe with some language differences). As far as I can tell, both are legitimate.

With that said, you can usually just plug in the printer and turn it on. It'll typically offer to install the necessary drivers automatically.
 
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Nermal said:
The software is probably the same on both sites (although maybe with some language differences). As far as I can tell, both are legitimate.

With that said, you can usually just plug in the printer and turn it on. It'll typically offer to install the necessary drivers automatically.
Click to expand...

It's not offering me this chance unfortunately.
So both sites look fine? If you have used one yourself, which then?
 
I've also downloaded drivers and software from the USA site with no issues.
 
What if they're old drivers, meant for Lion, would it cause harm to stuff them into El Capitan?
 
Enryn said:
What if they're old drivers, meant for Lion, would it cause harm to stuff them into El Capitan?
Click to expand...
It probably just wouldn't work on a more current OS, at least not properly. Best to download the latest software/driver from the manufacture's website.
 
Weaselboy said:
Nah... they may just refuse to install or install and just not work.
Click to expand...

So I could just try and if it works, it is fine, if it doesn't work, it won't leave behind some half-installed mess?
I just want to be sure before trying, but saw something that older software might not know how to install properly/ half-install and make it all worse. Sorry for bombing questions. :D
[doublepost=1482611207][/doublepost]
tech4all said:
It probably just wouldn't work on a more current OS, at least not properly. Best to download the latest software/driver from the manufacture's website.
Click to expand...

Problem is, it is latest this old model has. :)
By properly, you mean it just doesn't function well enough, not that it can harm Mac or weaken system somehow?
 
Enryn said:
So I could just try and if it works, it is fine, if it doesn't work, it won't leave behind some half-installed mess?
Click to expand...

Correct.

Enryn said:
I just want to be sure before trying, but saw something that older software might not know how to install properly/ half-install and make it all worse. Sorry for bombing questions.
Click to expand...

This is just a printer driver and it won't hurt anything. Now if you were trying to force feed some old iStat menus utility and things like that that install kext files to work, then yes, that might cause a system crash.
 
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Enryn said:
Problem is, it is latest this old model has. :)
By properly, you mean it just doesn't function well enough, not that it can harm Mac or weaken system somehow?
Click to expand...
I've never heard of an old driver causing harm to a computer. It may not tell you upon launch that the driver is not compatible with the OS. It might not even let you even install it.
 
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Weaselboy said:
This is just a printer driver and it won't hurt anything. Now if you were trying to force feed some old iStat menus utility and things like that that install kext files to work, then yes, that might cause a system crash.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I'm not certain what those mean so I'll use examples: one printer driver and one scanner driver, meant for OSX Lion. Would those be safe to try to install into El Capitan?
https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/...support-inkjet-printer/mp-series/pixma-mp160/

tech4all said:
I've never heard of an old driver causing harm to a computer. It may not tell you upon launch that the driver is not compatible with the OS. It might not even let you even install it.
Click to expand...

So trying wouldn't hurt and if it works, it will be fine?
Thank you!
 
Enryn said:
Sorry, I'm not certain what those mean so I'll use examples: one printer driver and one scanner driver, meant for OSX Lion. Would those be safe to try to install into El Capitan?
Click to expand...

There is a folder /System/Library/Extensions/ where some utilities like iStat menus and others install what are called kext files to extend system functionality. Often times older versions of those kext files can cause instability and crashing. But a normal printer driver installation does not install such files, so would not be a problem. I was just trying to explain what you may have read elsewhere about how old software can cause problems.
 
I've been helping on another poster with the Pixma MP160. Those drivers stopped working on OS X several versions back.
I think that Lion was the last officially supported system.
You should be able to use the scanner part, but it's unlikely that you will get the printer to work properly.
Time to move on to something newer.
 
Weaselboy said:
There is a folder /System/Library/Extensions/ where some utilities like iStat menus and others install what are called kext files to extend system functionality. Often times older versions of those kext files can cause instability and crashing. But a normal printer driver installation does not install such files, so would not be a problem. I was just trying to explain what you may have read elsewhere about how old software can cause problems.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. So the printer driver and scanner driver both are safe from kext files?


DeltaMac said:
I've been helping on another poster with the Pixma MP160. Those drivers stopped working on OS X several versions back.
I think that Lion was the last officially supported system.
You should be able to use the scanner part, but it's unlikely that you will get the printer to work properly.
Time to move on to something newer.
Click to expand...

I got it from my uncle ("hey look, free printer, here's CD use it or download or whatever"), who was cleaning up his house.
I even got my hopes up for a day. :( Trying to be cheap these days...

Well, if it doesn't muck up my system, I'll squeeze out as much as I can from scanner at least.
 
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