Getting HP-1020 Laserjet Printer working on Snow Leopard

59 thoughts on “Getting HP-1020 Laserjet Printer working on Snow Leopard”

  1. AWESOME!

    Iยดve tried a lot of other suggestions for making this work, but this was by far the easiest and the only succesful way of doing it!

    Only one question to ask, where can I send the coffee?

  2. I had my printer working using a different method, but it stopped once the printer was turned off and on.

    Does this method work after the printer has been shut off?

    Thanks much for your hard work,

    Jason

  3. @Viktor – Thanks

    @Jason, I am afraid there is no work around for that. You have to manually load the firmware after this turning off/on by running the “load_LaserJet_firmware_v4” as described in step #6

  4. thank you so much! it works perfectly. just gotta remember to keep the firmware open! now all i gotta do is get rid of all the dust on the printer!

  5. Hi, when installing oo2zjs package. it does not ask me to type #7 or yes. When I loaded the _LaserJet_firmware_v4 it says can not locate firmware file. Help please!

  6. Oh sorry never mind! I figured it out and I got it to work. Thanks soo much!!! I have been waiting a long for this since I can not buy any printers any time soon!!!

  7. Sorry, me again. I’ve had some success with your method — thanks! — but do have one issue.

    The printer does work sometimes, but other times just puts up a yellow symbol and says “Printer Offline”. I’m not sure what I’m doing to get the different results. Do you happen to have any idea?

  8. Hi Jason

    Well, as you mentioned in your previous post, The firmware has to be manually reloaded after each off/on or plug-in/plug-off

    Beside this, the printer works fine here at my end. It’s on 24/7 – always green, and responses promptly after a print command.

    Not sure whats the prob at your end. You can remove the existing driver and give it a fress install. It may work that time for you.

  9. It’s not working anymore. Now when I try to print it says its offline and then when its online the printer just sends data and never prints. Is there anything to do for this problem?

    1. Farhara,

      When you turn the printer ON or plug it in, please load the firmware by clicking on load_LaserJet_firmware_v4 . Otherwise it will not work.

  10. Hasin:
    i’ve followed each step without any problem (it’s really quick and easy, i’ve seen before others post in blogs that were really complicated!), BUT
    after loading the firmware, it opens automatically a shell window with this log:
    Printer AdobePDF8:
    Not a qualifying HP LaserJet printer.

    Printer EPSON_Perfection_V200:
    Not a qualifying HP LaserJet printer.

    Printer HP_LaserJet_1020:
    Not a qualifying HP LaserJet printer.
    logout

    [Process completed]

    so, even if i intend to print, the HP window completes the job, but no printing comes out of the printer…
    any idea? can you figure why the shell window pops “not qualifying HP printer”

    1. I had the same problem. I had previously had a profile for the printer on my computer. I deleted the profile and re-added the printer and then it started working. Hope this helps.

  11. Spent around 15 hours on google and trying to print with HP 1010 after upgrade to SL. Computer found printer but always displayed the message “waiting for the printer to get ready”, no matter which driver used.

    Finally solved by re-setting the printer PRAM. Power up holding the “go” button for 20s. Back to normal now.

  12. I followed each step, and the printer worked perfectly for three weeks. But yesterday it stopped working suddenly while I was printing a document. I have repeated all the steps from the very beginning, but it does not work any longer. Any idea why this is happening?
    Thank you

  13. Thank you very much, you saved me a lot of time and nerves. The instructions you give are easy to follow and my printer worked at once.
    Jรผrg

  14. Not working for me.

    I do not get any request in step five for firmware and once I find the printer my beautiful ball keeps spinning forever.

    Any thoughts?

  15. Hello,
    Thanks for your step by step instructions- I am very hopeful that my MacbookPro and my HP 1020 will eventually work together…

    I had trouble at step 5– the shell popped up but nothing happened (it did not ask for firmware). I eventually quit out of it, and now I can’t seem to get back to that shell. Do you know how I can go back and select the firmware?

    Thank you!

  16. This works for HP Laserjet 1000, but you have to run one more program from the foo2zjs Helper folder: the Install Printer Extras command. Otherwise the firmware for that particular printer does not get installed. Storyteller, thanks for taking the time to write up these instructions and saving the rest of us 10-20 hours! Our little Laserjets are very handy machines when they’re not bricks!

  17. I am trying to use a hp laserjet 1000 with snow leopard. When I double click load_LaserJet_firmware_v4, I get “Terminal_ login_80x24”. It will not let me input a password. I know not what I am doing! Everything else seemed to work fine until that point.

  18. I follow each steps, it recognizes the printer. But it only displays “the print ready” and nothing come out. Help me!

  19. Hi,

    If you got troubles with printing after power on/off try this (works for me).

    1. Prepere doc for printing.
    2. Save this and close application responsible for editing/preview this doc (iwork, openoffice, preview or others).
    3. Load new firmware.
    4. Close terminal.
    5. Open doc you need to print.
    6. Print ๐Ÿ˜‰

    In my situation printing is not possible if I don’t quit apps before printing.

    best regards !

    1. Hi,
      I do your instructions, but it doesn’t print. When I load new firmware, I display:

      Printer HP_LaserJet_1020:
      No printer queue found for HP LaserJet 1000.
      No printer queue found for HP LaserJet 1005.
      No printer queue found for HP LaserJet 1018.
      Cannot locate firmware file.
      logout

      [Process completed]

  20. I just used LaserJet 1022 drivers for Mac. This worked for me, perhaps my install of snow leopard is different since I upgraded instead of fresh installed. If the above method doesn’t work, I guess it’s worth a try.

  21. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! It’s simple, and it worked. I’ve been trying to get this to work for months. I appreciate your clear instructions.

  22. Thank you for the trick ! Nice and easy !
    But pay attention if you use a virtual machine on your Mac because the virtual machine can sometimes block the usb port.
    I discovered that when I left Windows XP opened on Vmware fusion, I can’t print anymore with the iMmac even if the printers are shared on both systems… So be sure that the virtual machine is closed when using your HP LJ 1020

  23. Thanks – that was so easy and beats all the frustration I’ve had with using this printer. Why drivers don’t get supplied is beyond me. Lesson learned!

    Dan

  24. I had this working like a dream… then had a jam and had to restart. I’ve read all the posts. Uninstalled and re-installed and I get the “when installing oo2zjs package it does not ask me to type #7 or yes. When I loaded the _LaserJet_firmware_v4 it says:

    Printer AdobePDF9:
    Not a qualifying HP LaserJet printer.

    Printer HP_LaserJet_1020:
    No printer queue found for HP LaserJet 1000.
    No printer queue found for HP LaserJet 1005.
    No printer queue found for HP LaserJet 1018.
    Cannot locate firmware file.
    logout

    [Process completed]

    Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

    Thanks in advance โ€” Julian

  25. same problem as TAP Graphics & Queyn..
    Please help. Did all the steps tried installing and re-installing everything seems fine & it gets the command and it displays printing on the Macbook but nothing really comes out.
    PLEASE HELP ๐Ÿ˜ฆ

    1. Nad, I fixed this by running the a ‘Install_Printers_Extras’ script in the Helpers folder of the foo2zjs dmg. That allow you to manually install the firmware for your printer. After that I thing I needed to unplug and replug the printer USB and now all works OK again.

      Hope this helpsโ€”Cheers Julian

  26. Do you know if this works also for the Laserjet 1018? I’m not sure but I thought 1018 & 1020 had the same drivers.

  27. Oh my god you are a complete saviour!
    All the hours I spent trying to figure this out, refraining from chucking my mac, my printer and myself out the window out of frustration…….if only I could’ve stumbled upon your page earlier!!
    Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank youuuu!!!!

  28. It was certainly interesting for me to read that article. Thank author for it. I like such topics and anything connected to this matter. I definitely want to read a bit more on this blog soon.

    Kate Smith

  29. So this worked for a while. I followed all the steps and the installation of the foo2zjs opened the admin and all of the steps worked. The printer responded and printed for a time.

    Then something happened… not sure what and it didn’t work any more. I tried to follow the installation instructions on another computer with snow leopard and HP 1020 didn’t work after the instructions were complete. But when I went back to the original computer I installed it on, the printer “magically” started working again.

    But now I’m back to an unrepesponsive HP 1020 and, when I follow the instructions above, the foo2zjs install doesn’t pull up the admin. When I run the load_Laser I get this in the terminal cue:


    Printer HP_LaserJet_1020:
    No printer queue found for LaserJet 1000
    No printer queue found for LaserJet 1005
    No printer queue found for LaserJet 1018
    “Can not locate firmware file”
    logout

    [Process completed]

    Any suggestions?

    thanks

  30. I was about to do these steps. Then I remembered HP has a pretty good support site. And “Printer is offline” was one of the top two FAQ questions on the Laserjet 1020 support site. I was able to get this printer back online by deleting it from my printer list, unplugging the power cord from the back of my printer and then from the wall outlet, wait at least 15 seconds, plug it back in, add it to my printer list, and it works again. Easy. There are more steps suggested if that does not work for you.

    HP Laserjet 1020 “Printer is offline” trouble-shooting page

    Good luck, all.
    STAN

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