Solved - CUPS Problems in New 6.5-64 install

[neubuseternus]

I hope this the right forum for this.

Afew days ago I installed MEPIS 6.5-64. When i first tried to print nothing happened. When I tried to set up a new printer I got almost to the end of the add printer program and it froze and crashed. Nothing I did seemed to work. So I did a reboot. Following the reboot I now get the following dialogue when trying to do anything involving a printer.
"Error message received from manager:
Connection to CUPS server failed. Check that the CUPS server is correctly installed and running. Error: Connection to CUPS server failed. Check that the CUPS server is correctly installed and running.."
Never having encountered this before, I have no idea what to do. Do I need to uninstall CUPS and reinstall it? if so, what exactly should I uninstall and reinstall? Or...?

hmm, this might not be of use, then again it might be. just bought a del optiplex and installed 64 bit version, tried to print and it failed saying child process failed (kprintd not running), checked synaptic ... stuff was there. Then i found on the net some similar problem with different charasteristics. The solution is rather dirty but it worked for me. So here's what i did: apt-get install kde
so basically this will reinstall all of your kde. The other option regarding your's is the cups it is failing try apt-get install cups
kde option will take a while, cups might not (it doesn't have as many modules)
well, hope this helps a bit.

[mepnoob2005]

I have yet to try the 64 version but with the 32 version there are three options at the grub screen to boot from. Do they have the same problem? If not you may need to install the headers for the kernel that you are using. Look through synaptic by typing kernel into the search bar. Install everything that looks like it has the same kernel # as you are now ussing. Teehahcee's fix should work too. I have done the apt-get install kde to fix some things. It worked and you get a lot of games to try out too.

[neubuseternus]

Originally Posted by mepnoob2005

I have yet to try the 64 version but with the 32 version there are three options at the grub screen to boot from. Do they have the same problem? If not you may need to install the headers for the kernel that you are using. Look through synaptic by typing kernel into the search bar. Install everything that looks like it has the same kernel # as you are now ussing. Teehahcee's fix should work too. I have done the apt-get install kde to fix some things. It worked and you get a lot of games to try out too.

I do indeed have several boot options, 4 in total but I doubt that they are the same as those for the 32 bit version seeing as at least one of them has 64 bit in its name. in addition i'm offered boot to earlier kernal if any (I tried that and got a error message), boot to previous kernal (I believe) and memtest. I tried all but the memtest and got a similar result when trying to print or set up a printer. I say similar because since the most recent reboots, the print system simply crashes with no error message or statement that cups is not properly installed.

You didn't say what it would mean if I got the same results when trying the other boot options.

[lucky9]

As for CUPS, with only a few days invested I'd reinstall totally. Don't save home. Backup before doing so. Make sure that you have a good burn on the ISO file to disk.

The other option is to totally remove CUPS and all its configuration files and reinstall.
To remove: Highlight the package name and at the top click Package and choose the appropriate choice.
To reinstall: Use method of choice.

For Headers: Go to the Wiki and find the install kernel headers section. Follow the directions.
Also a good idea to use Konsole to find the kernel you're using exactly. Enter uname -r at the prompt. Use that to search in Synaptic and install all that it finds.



I'm running 64bit with no problems at all. Both a Parallel and a USB printer are connected and used.

[neubuseternus]

Sorry I'm so late in responding but have been busy with other projects.

I downloaded a new ISO from the MEPIS subscribers site and burned it to a CDR following ALL the directions from the wiki.
I figured before doing a new install I'd see if I could set up my printer from the live CD. I had exactly the same results. That is, in the print system> add printer, Igot as far as selecting my printer printing a test page and clicking next and the program crashed.
Does that mean that doing an install from this new ISO is going to have the same problem? Or should I expect the installed version to respond differently?
I'd rather not do a reinstall but if it is the only way to solve my problem then that's what I'll do. Or should I keep my current installed version and try to uninstall CUPS and reinstall from synaptic?

[neubuseternus]

I have now downloaded and burned a third copy of MEPIS 6.5-64. This time I used one of the mirrors.

The results are the same as with the previous two downloads.

I've also uninstalled and reinstalled CUPS. and it apparently changed nothing.

Just as a check, I put an Ubuntu live CD in and booted from it. It allowed me to setup my printer and print directly from the live CD. I am unable to do that with any of the three downloads I've done of MEPIS 6.5-64. That makes me really doubt that doing a reinstall of MEPIS from one of those CDs is going to solve my printer problems.
I'm out of ideas.

Any advice?

[neubuseternus]

OK, I tried everything suggested including a complete reinstall and I still cannot access or add my USB connected HP2600n color laser printer. That same printer, connected to the same computer, worked fine under 6.0.

Does this mean that I simply cannot run MEPIS 6.5-64?

I am truly at my wit's end.

[lucky9]

I'd bet that you're missing a module for your kernel.
Basically the Wiki covers this better than I can. Use the search function in Synaptic and install all the modules that are in the resulting screen.
You'll have to reboot to get them active.
Then try the CUPS installation program.
You may have to remove (with configs) CUPS, don't know.....and reinstall it to get things to work.

Can you post the contents of /var/log/cups?