Can't print from Classic –_Appletalk message

[Brian H]

Hi.... I can't print from Classic either but I get an error message that I haven't seen mentioned here before. I'm using my old Epson 740 inkjet which works fine with OS X, and the drivers seemed to install into Classic without any problem, and I've downloaded and installed the latest updates from Epson.

While running Classic, the printer does show up in the Chooser, but when I try to select it I get the following message:

"The printer/modem port you want to use for the SC740 is not available because Appletalk is selected or another application is using the port. Use the chooser to disable Appletalk or close the other application"

Appletalk is already switched off in OS X, my Ethernet cable is disconnected, and the Chooser itself shows that Appletalk is switched off in Classic. The only other apps running at this point are whatever Classic app I've lauched to get to the Chooser (usually Quark 4), plus the OSX Finder and two OS X background apps (Extensis Suitcase and Default Folder X).

Trying to activate Appletalk from the Chooser so I can switch it off again just results in a message telling me to turn it on in the main System Preferences.

Until my Panther CD arrives I'm running System 10.2.7 (G5) on a new 2 x 2GHz G5. This is my first OS X model, having finally taken a giant and expensive leap up from a beige G3.

Anyone encountered this or found a fix for it?

[DeltaMac]

You cannot change the Appletalk status from within Classic, only from the System Preferences Network pane (OS X takes over that function)
The Chooser is trying to display priner/modem ports, which it cannot (none actually exist), so How to turn Appletalk off?
There's both the driver and 2 separate updaters, all of which should be installed. Is there only one 740 icon in the Chooser, or is there 2?
Assuming the epson printer is attached to the system, and the printer power is turned on (you have no chance of Chooser working OK if the printer is not powered on)

Try this: Restart your system, do not start any apps, go to System Preferences Classic pane, and start Classic from there. Wait until completely launched, and then open Chooser (you may need to go to your System Folder/Apple Menu Items folder if the Classic menus do not appear at first) Select your printer (If there is two SC740 icons, do NOT select the one with AT as part of the name) You should see a USB entry in the right pane of the chooser. Click on that to assure that is selected. That should do it.

[Brian H]

Thanks for the suggestion. Tried it exactly as you said but it didn't make any difference.

There's only one incidence of the printer in the left-hand Chooser pane, and it says SC740 without the letters AT.

Oddly, despite the "Appletalk" error message from the Chooser, the Epson printer IS being selected in some way because when I try to print from a Classic app the normal Epson preference pane launches.

All the options operate as usual except those that interract with the printer: nozzle cleaning, alignment checking etc. Clicking on those buttons has no effect.

On clickiing Print, the file spools as normal and the Epson Monitor window briefly launches. But at the stage when the job should be passed to the printer, this window disappears and nothing else happens.

Oddly enough, Epson Monitor reacted in exactly the same way on my beige G3 whenever I tried to print from Virtual PC. The only element in common is the Epson software... I wonder if there's a bug that stops it working properly with a print job from a "virtual" environment?

Yes, the printer is switched on and connected. In OS X it prints at about five times its previous speed on the G3.

Thanks again