Printing from ACER Aspire on AA11-Ab with Linux

Acer Aspire on AB110 netbook Model Model ZG5

I am new to both this netbook as well as totally new to LINUX, having been in Windows for more years than I can remember.

Several other things I need to know but the simplest, obstacle today is, I want to PRINT from it. The printer I have got is a Canon Pixma MP210, which I purchased here in Turkey, which came with a CD disk. I don't have one on the netbook.

Unsure what to do I went to Canon site & downloaded for my printer a file which goes into “downloads” folder as MP210_debian.tar

As I don't know WHERE to put it (I don't understand file extensions in Acer/Linux, (which I DO with Windows), I try to open it in anything (I am not sure what I am supposed to “open it with”)

I get messages like “can't do ... NAUTILUS not open). I don't even know about Nautilus, let alone GNOME. Basically, I (still) don't know what I am doing and wish I had paid the extra for Windows!
Just looking at your “beginner's” section, I see ANO item “SAMBA” (Oh, not another thing I don't know about)

I just want SOMEONE to say- SIMPLEST possible terms, “Click this”, “Open/Save this”, “Move to” - you DUMMY”, which I am now prepared to admit. And there's me thinking I was [told that] I was really “good” on computers!!!

I would just ADORE to find and communicate with ONE person, and I don't care WHAT you CALL me, “Silly old, geriatric, dribbly 64-year old pensioner, cow (female)”. I'll allow ANYTHING to understand my new toy

I appreciate you 'guys' (and girls, obviously), are SUPER DUPER GEEKS and can supply REAMS of tekky stuff. But please could you try “SIMPLE” stuff first, until I get used to things, then I'll catch up!! xxx

 

Hi Jane

Well I am pretty simple so most of what I say hopefully is as well. All this Linux stuff is new to me but hopefully I can give you some pointers.
You may have discovered by now that Linux has many different packages and Debian is one. The One uses Linpus and that in turn is based on Fedora and that uses rpm packages. Now having looked on the Canon site there is mention of an rpm driver for your printer. You could download this but my knowledge on how to install it is weak.
However I see on another forum that the driver for the MP150 has been successfully used to drive the print function of the MP210.
Now on my One I have a driver for that showing up when I try adding a printer.
This functionality is located under Settings then Printing. If you have not tried this click New Printer then Forward and you should see a list of printer manufacturers including Cannon. Select and see if the MP150 is listed there. If it is not, all is not lost but requires another process.
If you try this and the MP 150 is not listed come back and I can proceed.
It will help if you can say if you have set up what is called the advanced desktop i.e. click right button on desktop to open Xfce menu as you need to be able to add/remove software.
If you would rather wait for info on how to install the rpm driver then no problem.

Best wishes

 

Sorry I haven't come back earlier. I am new to FORUMS as well! I think I should has said something like "Notify me when a reply is posted." For the moment, thanks and I will carry out the exercise/task you have set for me!

You say: "It will help if you can say if you have set up what is called the advanced desktop i.e. click right button on desktop to open Xfce menu as you need to be able to add/remove software."

Well, NO - I haven't done that yet ... DEO. I'll have a look!!!

Thanks and speak later xxxx

 

Hi
Do the following to activate the right click menu,

Open Terminal, Press Alt and F2 keys together.
Click run
Type in xfce-setting-show then enter
Select Desktop then the Behaviour tab
Under Menu tick Show Desktop Menu on Right Click
Then close the window.
When you right mouse click on the desktop the Xfce menu will be displayed.

 

OH! IT works WOW WOW WOW. The sun is shining. Why couldn't it be set UP already ... as a default? No matter, now I have to get the printer going.

SO, you have now made available the RIGHT click menu and its various options.

I just tried going into the "printer" option and I haven't the choice at the moment of an MP510 you suggest.

When I attempted (2 weeks ago, before it all ended in tears) - to add a printer, the only option available to me under "Canon" was Canon MultiPASS C2500 Foomatic, then this somehow get to "view" my current printer, I am told "usb://Canon/MP210%20series", which presumably it doesn't like because of the "%" character it has inserted.

I'm getting excited now, where do I go next?!

DO NOT go away - please

 

Hi

As I said before Linpus is based on Fedora and Acer does not keep the Fedora repositories (Store for Software) up to date. So to update yours you need to open the Terminal again as before and type/copy in the following,

sudo yum install fedora-release then enter.

Let it run until you get the input prompt again and close.

Now if you use the right click menu and select System then Add/Remove Software. You will be asked to input a password, this is the one you created when you set up your One initially.
Once the software is retrieved select Search, then All packages and input gutenprint
Click Search.
This should give you a list of gutenprint packages.
Select (there must be a green tick in the box) gutenprint - 5.0.2-1.fc8.i386 and also gutenprint-cups - 5.0.2-fc8.i386 and then apply and let the system install the drivers.

Now proceed as you have previously (Printing then New Printer) and you should find the MP150.

Now I just pray that what I read about this driver working on an MP210 was correct. I believe it was related to the printing function only.

Best wishes.

 

FANTASTIC, after a couple of attempts, I go there & WOW even a TEST page printed.

But how was I, as a complete Linux dope, supposed to actually KNOW how to locate/carry out this – without YOUR help - “sudo yum install fedora-release”? I mean what would be the Windows equivalent. No need to answer that!

I mean, if it wasn't for YOU, I wouldn't have even known about the “ALT plus “F2” command? I mean, should I be trying to actually LEARN Linux from somewhere? Maybe, “Linux for Dummies”, is worth purchasing, but as explained I am in Turkey?

Now can I ask you other questions and/or is it against Forum “Rules” - to communicate with you “Privately”, so as not to clutter up the posts in the Forum, or have to start new/different threads?

The reason I ask is that I have joined so many forums, I am not sure I need to clutter (or attempt to) them up any more & anyway, I got so confused!

Big thanks -

 

Hi

I am pleased it all worked out.
I do not class myself as having any great knowledge of Linux, in fact when i bought my One back in October 2008 I thought Linux was just one system, silly I know.
I bought it caused I liked the size of the Netbook, it was cheap and I thought I would like to explore another OS.
Anything I do know has been through this forum, trial and error (and there were many) and an inquisative nature.
I suggest you explore the forum a bit more and that you get a good backup/restore programme on a USB stick. The one I use and it has been completly reliable is available on macles blog. Without this ability I doubt I would have tried half of what I have.

http://macles.blogspot.com/search?updat ... -results=7

His blog also contains a considerable amount of info on the Aspire One.

Best wishes and keep posting as I am sure you will allways get an answer.

Best wishes.

 

Just read all the posts on this. Brilliant, gold star etc. Been trying for nearly a year to get MP 190 to work and played lots of silly games with tar files. At last, simple instructions. Any ideas on getting Acer usb dvd rewriter to work? Been through all software, but most means nothing to me.