# iMac can't get to printer.



## Cognomen (Oct 5, 2009)

iMac G5 with OS X 10.5.8 
Printer is a Deskjet 6840 Color Inkjet Printer.
Printer's status is Idle, Default - (seemingly spontaneously).
How do I change that to switch the printer ON?


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## Yankee Rose (Jul 14, 1999)

Hi Cognomen - welcome to TSG.

Did the printer EVER work on this Mac? Have you tried updating the Deskjet software?


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## Cognomen (Oct 5, 2009)

Thanks very much for the welcome.

Yup. WHEN the Deskjet works, it works just fine. It's actually a very good printer.
It just tends to go on strike every so often - like this. So, usually, I know what to do.
Such as keeping the Driver up to date - 3.3.3 has been the newest for a while now.
But switching to *"Idle - Default"* - that I can't find anywhere.


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## Yankee Rose (Jul 14, 1999)

Cognomen - do you by chance dual-boot this iMac with Windows?


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## Cognomen (Oct 5, 2009)

Know nothing about Windows. Don't know term: dual-boot.

Have two computers on Airport home network: iMac G5 and iBook G4.
All of network works except printer. All lights on printer that should be on - are on.

iMac can find printer. Printer window says: *(little green light) Idle, Default.*


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## Yankee Rose (Jul 14, 1999)

Cognomen - consider yourself lucky if you know nothing about Windows  (Kidding!) 

Dual-boot means your computer can run both Mac and Windows. The newer Macs are Intel-based (hardware compatible), so Windows can run on them as well as OS X.

Which Mac is your printer physically hooked to? Or are you using an Airport Extreme?


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## Cognomen (Oct 5, 2009)

Yankee Rose said:


> Which Mac is your printer physically hooked to? Or are you using an Airport Extreme?


*Please see my last post of 06-Oct-2009*


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## Yankee Rose (Jul 14, 1999)

Although the printer is not "offline", take a look at this article from HP's Support website. It may help.


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## Cognomen (Oct 5, 2009)

Yankee Rose said:


> Although the printer is not "offline", take a look at this article from HP's Support website. It may help.


Sorry for the delay in responding. Your advice kept me going to the point where I'd made progress - the network computers could now find the printer. But it wasn't on the network. Just that one thing to work out.
Phoned HP willing to pay $35 for advice. Long story short: becoz printer was Dec. '05, they wouldn't advise. So - getting new printer. Arrives today. Didn't seem right somehow.


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## Yankee Rose (Jul 14, 1999)

Well, those printer companies get you one way or another - usually with the ink cartridges. 

Take care!


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