HPLaserjet 5p printer on cups prints off

[MCP]

Over the last couple of months I've noticed that when I print on my Laserjet 5p, the print is pushed up near the top of the paper.  I tried switching to HPLIP driver and it solved that problem, but now all print is not as black as it is under cups.  When I reinstalled PCLOS, it loaded the cups driver by default and the print looks nice and dark.  It's just that the print is now pushed back towards the top.

Has anyone else noticed this.  Any solution?  It may have been caused by an update but I's been so long ago I don't know what it could be.

Help, I'm stumped 
MCP

[pags]

Over the last couple of months I've noticed that when I print on my Laserjet 5p, the print is pushed up near the top of the paper.  I tried switching to HPLIP driver and it solved that problem, but now all print is not as black as it is under cups.  When I reinstalled PCLOS, it loaded the cups driver by default and the print looks nice and dark.  It's just that the print is now pushed back towards the top.

Has anyone else noticed this.  Any solution?  It may have been caused by an update but I's been so long ago I don't know what it could be.

Help, I'm stumped 
MCP

What size paper are you printing on, and what is the default?

I've noticed that although I use US-Letter (8.5x11), the drivers often default to A4 (8.27x11.69).

[MCP]

Over the last couple of months I've noticed that when I print on my Laserjet 5p, the print is pushed up near the top of the paper.  I tried switching to HPLIP driver and it solved that problem, but now all print is not as black as it is under cups.  When I reinstalled PCLOS, it loaded the cups driver by default and the print looks nice and dark.  It's just that the print is now pushed back towards the top.

Has anyone else noticed this.  Any solution?  It may have been caused by an update but I's been so long ago I don't know what it could be.

Help, I'm stumped 
MCP

What size paper are you printing on, and what is the default?

I've noticed that although I use US-Letter (8.5x11), the drivers often default to A4 (8.27x11.69).

I'm printing on 8.5x11 and the default says it's the same

[pags]

OK.

What application are you printing from, and what are the margin settings?

Sorry for all the questions...I do not have a 5P to test on...

[MCP]

OK.

What application are you printing from, and what are the margin settings?

Sorry for all the questions...I do not have a 5P to test on...

Doesn't seem to matter.  Whether it is a PDF, from LibraOffice, or from Firefox, all prints are shifted towards the top. Usually the first sheet has everything printed but the next sometimes gets the first line cut off.  Usually the margin is set to 1".

MCP

[pags]

Have you tried using a generic Postscript driver (not the HP specific one)?  I believe the 5P understands Postscript Level 2 (it's and older version of the language...you should be able to select that).

[MCP]

Have you tried using a generic Postscript driver (not the HP specific one)?  I believe the 5P understands Postscript Level 2 (it's and older version of the language...you should be able to select that).

I wasn't able to get the Postscript driver to work, so I tried the foomatic driver for HP and that seems to have solved the problem.  Only time will tell.

Thanks,
MCP

[Cressida]

There is a solution so if that doesn't do the trick report back or do a search for the HP 6mp since we had some discussion on that a month or two ago.

[wedgetail]

MCP
Your solution bothers me?  Are you totally happy with how it works?   

[MCP]

MCP
Your solution bothers me?  Are you totally happy with how it works?   

Why would that bother you?  Is there a reason not to use the foomatic drivers?  It seems to be working just fine now.  The position on the paper is correct and the darkness of print seems to be what it should.

Please let me know your thoughts,
MCP

[wedgetail]

MCP
First "bothers" is not quite the right expression, it should not bother me that you seem happy with your solution. It was accidental I noticed the thread but the mention of any Hewlett Packard printer always gets my attention if I see it.

The mention that you could not get the PostScript driver to work, was a red light to me. I am not 100% sure that the 5P is dedicated PostScript printer but I thought so, my memory fails me. Postscript should have been the simplest and that stuck in my head.

If you are perfectly happy with what your printer is now doing for you leave it at that.  There is a general postscript testpage at  /usr/share/printer-testpages/testpage.ps you could open that in Okular and print it out if that looks fine, foomatic driver doing ok. 

[MCP]

MCP
First "bothers" is not quite the right expression, it should not bother me that you seem happy with your solution. It was accidental I noticed the thread but the mention of any Hewlett Packard printer always gets my attention if I see it.

The mention that you could not get the PostScript driver to work, was a red light to me. I am not 100% sure that the 5P is dedicated PostScript printer but I thought so, my memory fails me. Postscript should have been the simplest and that stuck in my head.

If you are perfectly happy with what your printer is now doing for you leave it at that.  There is a general postscript testpage at  /usr/share/printer-testpages/testpage.ps you could open that in Okular and print it out if that looks fine, foomatic driver doing ok. 

Thanks for your concern.  I don't believe that the 5p is postscript.  Of course I've never tested it out either.  But the foomatic driver seems to be doing what I need.

Thanks,
MCP