Steps for setting up my HP DeskJet 400 attached via the parallel port to my IBM Thinkpad X31 running Debian GNU/Linux and CUPS:
# aptitude install cupsys foomatic-db-hpijs(Note: hplip does not appear to be necessary, and currently in unstable has circular dependency problems with hplip-data. cupsys-bsd and foomatic-etc. also not necessary.)- Need the following modules: parport, lp.
- Open up http://localhost:631/admin in a web browser and put in "root" and
root password.
- Give whatever name, location, description.
- Device: Parallel Port #1.
- Make: HP.
- Model: HP DeskJet 400 Foomatic/hpijs (recommended) - HPLIP 0.9.10 (en)
- At printer page, click on "Configure Printer" button.
- Have a black cartridge, so change "Printout Mode" to "Draft Grayscale (Black cartridge)". (Or use Normal Grayscale, doesn't seem to make a difference.) Color printout mode without a color cartridge results in garbled output.
That's it. Don't know if the printer's just old, but if I put more than one sheet in the paper tray it eats them all at once. So, one page at a time. Also, I keep putting the scratch paper in the wrong way, so it prints on the used side.