Printer repairing permissions?

[Jospehus]

This is more about clarifying things.

Tried installing printer driver software. There was some message, that might have been about "software for the printer was installed incorrectly", then asked if I want to repair the thing, I agreed and it started repairing permissions. In the end it still didn't properly work.

The question I have is - what does repairing permissions mean in this context? I read articles and definitions and don't get it in this context. Did it mean the installer simply moved the driver under Mac's command or something?
Normal Mac thing, nothing to worry about?

 

[honestone]

Need to know the following:

1. What exact Mac OS are you running?

2. What exact Mac model do you have?

3. What exact printer make and model do you have?

 

[Jospehus]

Need to know the following:

1. What exact Mac OS are you running?

2. What exact Mac model do you have?

3. What exact printer make and model do you have?

Hello!

1) El Capitan 10.11.6

2) Mac mini (Late 2014)

3) Canon MP 160

Is it just software incompatibility or something more serious?

 

[honestone]

Hmm, I have a Canon MX890 printer, have been using it on my late 2012 Mac Mini, and gone through Yosemite, El Capitan, and now Sierra, and have not had issues. I will say that the Mac OS has the necessary printer drivers already "built in", so there should be no need to download drivers anymore from Canon's site.

What you might want to do is download the excellent freeware program Onyx, and use its Repair Permissions feature. You can get it form here:

http://www.titanium.free.fr/onyx.html

Notice that there are separate versions for each Mac OS, so in your case, you need to obtain version 3.1.8. After you download and install it (when you launch it, don't just double click on the app's icon. Instated, press the right button on your mouse., hold it down, and a list of options will appear. Select Open, and you'll be good to go (just need to do that one time only)).

When you run Repair Permissions, you should run it a couple of times, so that the list of items repaired gets smaller.

 

[Jospehus]

Hmm, I have a Canon MX890 printer, have been using it on my late 2012 Mac Mini, and gone through Yosemite, El Capitan, and now Sierra, and have not had issues. I will say that the Mac OS has the necessary printer drivers already "built in", so there should be no need to download drivers anymore from Canon's site.

What you might want to do is download the excellent freeware program Onyx, and use its Repair Permissions feature. You can get it form here:

http://www.titanium.free.fr/onyx.html

Notice that there are separate versions for each Mac OS, so in your case, you need to obtain version 3.1.8. After you download and install it (when you launch it, don't just double click on the app's icon. Instated, press the right button on your mouse., hold it down, and a list of options will appear. Select Open, and you'll be good to go (just need to do that one time only)).

When you run Repair Permissions, you should run it a couple of times, so that the list of items repaired gets smaller.

Weird, when I hooked my printer to Mac, it gave me list of drivers, but nothing fitting. I tried Gutenprint and that didn't give a damn either. I actually haven't tried Canon's own site as for some reason when I went to look, I didn't find what was needed. Hm...

This is interesting app - may I ask what it exactly does in this situation? By fixing permissions, will it make printer function with this Mac?
Or do you think there are some deeper issues with Mac that need to be fixed? The free driver software from Gutenprint ruining something in Mac?

 

[honestone]

First things first: is the printer working at all? Also, is it a PIXMA MP160? For myself, it has always been "plug and play" for my printer and whatever Mac OS I am/was using.

Secondly, when I went to Canon's site and put in your model, just MP 160, nothing showed up! But for a PIXMA MP 160, here is what came back when I selected drivers:

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/...160?tab=drivers#Z7_MQH8HIC0L88RB0AMD0F1Q42K25

(In doing some more google searches for "MP160" versus "PIXMA MP160", it got more confusing!)

Also, here is a link that came up after doing a google search for "Printer Drivers in El Capitan for Canon MP160":

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7362742?start=0&tstart=0

Don't know if the same is true for the last version of El Capitan, V10.11.6, as that link mentions OS 10.11.1. But, the information in that link seems most promising.

Here is some more "baffling info":

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201465

If you click on "Software available" under Canon, you will see a list of various Canon printers. But, there is none for PIXMA MP160, nor MP160!

As for Onyx, not sure if Repairing the Permissions for your printer will make the printer work. But, as you can see, there are a number of cleaning-related tasks you can do with Onyx, including the Repairing of Permissions.

 

[Jospehus]

First things first: is the printer working at all? Also, is it a PIXMA MP160? For myself, it has always been "plug and play" for my printer and whatever Mac OS I am/was using.

Secondly, when I went to Canon's site and put in your model, just MP 160, nothing showed up! But for a PIXMA MP 160, here is what came back when I selected drivers:

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/...160?tab=drivers#Z7_MQH8HIC0L88RB0AMD0F1Q42K25

(In doing some more google searches for "MP160" versus "PIXMA MP160", it got more confusing!)

Also, here is a link that came up after doing a google search for "Printer Drivers in El Capitan for Canon MP160":

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7362742?start=0&tstart=0

Don't know if the same is true for the last version of El Capitan, V10.11.6, as that link mentions OS 10.11.1. But, the information in that link seems most promising.

Here is some more "baffling info":

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201465

If you click on "Software available" under Canon, you will see a list of various Canon printers. But, there is none for PIXMA MP160, nor MP160!

As for Onyx, not sure if Repairing the Permissions for your printer will make the printer work. But, as you can see, there are a number of cleaning-related tasks you can do with Onyx, including the Repairing of Permissions.

Printer works well for Windows. Plus the built-in scanner works for Mac, I got installation CD working. But drivers on it did nothing.

Huh... so that's why I didn't find anything...

Hm... and that thread from apple advises for Gutenprint, that I did try. Installing it got me that repairing permissions notice.
I managed to print one page, then printer froze and had to pull power cable off - the power button itself refused to shut it down.

Seems like time has simply outdated this printer.
Thank you very much for all the work you have done!

1) Need to study Onyx a bit. Functions I haven't even heard.

2) In your opinion this repairing permissions message when I tried using Gutenprint was because Mac just couldn't get the driver to work? Nothing dangerous or malicious?

 

[honestone]

Did you follow the directions in the answer to that question in the link:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7362742?start=0&tstart=0

That is: "First, delete your printer from system preferences > printers & scanners. Download and install Gutenprint. Add your printer, and in the "use" dropdown box, select the driver that says Canon MP160 Gutenprint. I did all this and it's printing again without even restarting!"

Also, again I ask, is it a Canon MP160, or a Canon PIXMA 160? Maybe they are one in the same, but it sure was not clear from the research I did.

I would suggest following those directions (that link even gave a direct link for the Gutenprint software, but it seems you have it already (the latest version?)). After that, run Onyx and Repair Permissions.

Regarding getting that message via Gutenprint for Repairing Permissions, I don't think it hurt anything.

 

[Jospehus]

Did you follow the directions in the answer to that question in the link:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7362742?start=0&tstart=0

That is: "First, delete your printer from system preferences > printers & scanners. Download and install Gutenprint. Add your printer, and in the "use" dropdown box, select the driver that says Canon MP160 Gutenprint. I did all this and it's printing again without even restarting!"

Also, again I ask, is it a Canon MP160, or a Canon PIXMA 160? Maybe they are one in the same, but it sure was not clear from the research I did.

I would suggest following those directions (that link even gave a direct link for the Gutenprint software, but it seems you have it already (the latest version?)). After that, run Onyx and Repair Permissions.

Regarding getting that message via Gutenprint for Repairing Permissions, I don't think it hurt anything.

Yes, I did all that and it did not function.

To be honest, I've always seen it "Canon MP160", but it has PIXMA written on the machine itself, though not with the name, in different place. So I never connected it is one name.

Yup, latest there was.

Ok, thank you for assistance! You have been a great help!

 

[honestone]

Sorry we could not come to a successful conclusion. As I mentioned earlier, that printer was not on the list of the drivers contained in the Mac OS. I did see an MP190 entry (close to MP160, in terms of model number), and I saw my Canon printer there.

 

[Jospehus]

Sorry we could not come to a successful conclusion. As I mentioned earlier, that printer was not on the list of the drivers contained in the Mac OS. I did see an MP190 entry (close to MP160, in terms of model number), and I saw my Canon printer there.

No need to apologize! You did more than enough!
I now know that notification about repairing permissions meant nothing harmful or malicious for Mac.

If printer is old, it is old and I'll use it with my old Windows, plus scanner itself works with Mac.

I also learned more about Mac helper tools you mentioned.

 

[honestone]

Thanks for that. Printers, unfortunately, continue to be a "challenge" to set up with the Mac OS, although (supposedly) it has been getting "easier".

Also, it's perplexing why that "procedure" in the link I provided for that individual having the exact same printer, and using El Capitan (although an earlier version), led to success, but "failure" in your case. At least, though, you can still use the printer, albeit with a Windows OS.

 

[Jospehus]

Thanks for that. Printers, unfortunately, continue to be a "challenge" to set up with the Mac OS, although (supposedly) it has been getting "easier".

Also, it's perplexing why that "procedure" in the link I provided for that individual having the exact same printer, and using El Capitan (although an earlier version), led to success, but "failure" in your case. At least, though, you can still use the printer, albeit with a Windows OS.

Printers not wanting to function properly with Mac's complicated systems?

It printed one page out so it worked partially. Just getting any more pages out caused my printer to lock down and power button not working, forcing me to use pull out power cable.
Well, it doesn't sound like anything suspicious going on, just tech being incompatible?

 

[honestone]

Printers not wanting to function properly with Mac's complicated systems?

It printed one page out so it worked partially. Just getting any more pages out caused my printer to lock down and power button not working, forcing me to use pull out power cable.
Well, it doesn't sound like anything suspicious going on, just tech being incompatible?

I guess. But, why would one page print fine, then all of a sudden the printer no longer able to print? Unless there is something else on your "system" that would cause that, it is still baffling! Fortunately, I (and it seems like a number of other folks) do not have such issues.

 

[Jospehus]

I guess. But, why would one page print fine, then all of a sudden the printer no longer able to print? Unless there is something else on your "system" that would cause that, it is still baffling! Fortunately, I (and it seems like a number of other folks) do not have such issues.

Hm yeah, wonder... something else would be some sort of incompatible issue? I downloaded Gutenprint from it's official website (gimp-print.sourceforge.net) , so it shouldn't have carried anything bad in itself?

 

[honestone]

Hm yeah, wonder... something else would be some sort of incompatible issue? I downloaded Gutenprint from it's official website (gimp-print.sourceforge.net) , so it shouldn't have carried anything bad in itself?

One would not think so.

 

[Jospehus]

One would not think so.

Well, seeing nothing malicious/dangerous did not happen to my Mac and it was just tech-progress making old thing obsolete, I'll see to a new printer then.

Thank you for your assistance!

 

[Jospehus]

One would not think so.

Sorry, I have one more question: the scanner software I got working from decade old installation CD - do you think I should even use it in Mac if it is so old? Could it's old nature cause security holes (some not patched up security holes etc)?

 

[honestone]

Sorry, I have one more question: the scanner software I got working from decade old installation CD - do you think I should even use it in Mac if it is so old? Could it's old nature cause security holes (some not patched up security holes etc)?

I had trouble in attempting to use the scanner software that came with my Canon printer. So, I purchased the excellent program called VueScan:

https://www.hamrick.com/

I have been using it for well over a year, and it is a jewel! Plus, the company keeps issuing updates, mainly for compatibility for various printers. I get those updates for free!

If you are going to purchase a new printer for your Mac, and it has scanning capabilities, you should be able to either use the scanning software that comes with that printer, or go with VueScan.

 

[Jospehus]

I had trouble in attempting to use the scanner software that came with my Canon printer. So, I purchased the excellent program called VueScan:

https://www.hamrick.com/

I have been using it for well over a year, and it is a jewel! Plus, the company keeps issuing updates, mainly for compatibility for various printers. I get those updates for free!

If you are going to purchase a new printer for your Mac, and it has scanning capabilities, you should be able to either use the scanning software that comes with that printer, or go with VueScan.

Wow, you really are a master of technology! I've already learned so much about software I had no idea about.

May I ask out of curiosity - in canon website (the link you posted), it allows to check if there are drivers that match OS. Would it be dangerous for example, for El Capitan OS to try and install drivers meant for Lion? Or would the issue just be if it works or not?
I'm just wondering if there is more to dividing drivers by OS than incompatibility.