[SOLVED]-Setup a printer is greyed out on antix 16.2

[mikeswifty]

I'm wanting to install antix on an old desktop but only if I can confirm the printer/scanner will work first. From the live CD for antix 16.2 386 (full), under the control center, the option to setup a printer is greyed out. I went ahead and installed antix onto a virtualbox on my laptop hoping it would then be usable, but it is still greyed out. The print settings window will pop open when I click the greyed-out icon, I can hit the "+" to add my printer, I click on my printer's name (which is connected to a usb port), I click "Forward", a box opens up telling me it's searching for a driver... and then all the windows close taking me back to the antix control center leaving me to do the whole thing over again (with the same results). A search for "antix" and "printing" takes me to a list of things I "will probably need to install" which looks like it's geared toward HP printers?

If I go to http://localhost:631/ my printer is listed but when I click "continue" I see "connecting" in the web browser bar for a few seconds and it just stays right on the same page.

Do I really need to install the HP printing metapackage in order to set up a non-HP printer in antix? I am confused...

[anticapitalista]

Your post doesn't mention your model of printer/scanner. Are we supposed to guess?

[mikeswifty]

I was concerned about the operating system (antiX), not the printer. I was wondering if it is normal behavior on the live CD (and once installed) for the control center NOT to give you the option to add a printer? It may be the case, and someone can quickly tell me it's normal and I have to add packages or do some other procedure to fix it. On Youtube videos of other people using anxiX, when they go to the control center it looks like all the icons are in color. Since mine looked different, I thought there was some problem (or setting?) that needed to be looked at.

I'm testing at home with my Brother MFC7860DW, but I want to install it for my brother who uses a Kodak esp 3.2 all-in-one printer. When I was at his house, I didn't notice the "disable_srv=LX" when I booted the CD on his computer, and so we couldn't try to configure his printer because cups wasn't running and I didn't know what was wrong until after coming home and doing some research.

I would appreciate your kind advice on what to try.

[mikeswifty]

Watched one of Dolphin Oracle's videos and he has the control center open for longer time, so I see the grey color is normal. Is it something to do with running in virtual box? This is the first time I've tried to use virtual box (followed another one of Dolphin Oracle's videos to set it up for antiX). Or is it because I already have the printer configured to connect to the laptop wirelessly?

[anticapitalista]

Even if you get it to work with your printer, doesn't mean it will necessarily work with another brand, and vice-versa.

I have an HP printer/scanner that works in Virtualbox running antiX live, once I have installed the HP printing debs in metapackage installer.

Lets hope someone with the same printer(s) can give you more specific advice about if/how they got it to work on antiX-16.2

[mikeswifty]

Okay. Thanks for sharing that information, anticapitalista.

[mikeswifty]

Had a chance to go back to my brother's house today and took a "leap of faith" and installed antiX. The Kodak printer was recognized right away & printed just fine. Couldn't scan, but it's not a deal-breaker for him. I'm going to close out this thread, since "greyed out" is the normal appearance for the control center, and the printer was recognized just fine once antiX was installed.

[anticapitalista]

Thanks for posting the feedback.
It may be useful for someone with the same or similar issue.