Problem with the parallel port/cable?

[GP]

While waiting to get a new printer, I decided it was time to test a Panasonic
KX-P1180i I had in the basement for years.

The damned thing mustn't have been used for 10 years and, to my surprise, it
started working right away. Even the ribbon is OK!

I printed one page and, today, wanted to print something else. Dead. Not even
an error message! The document is queued for printing and nothing happens. (I
use Slackware Linux.)

Is it possible there is a problem with the parallel port/cable? Is it possible
to check a parallel cable at home? The number of pins at each end don't match.
I suppose the parallel port may be checked with a loopback device?

Is it possible that if I have a problem with this, the ink/paper LED on my
Canon BJ-300 would keep blinking, even after I shut down the printer and
restart it unconnected to the computer, meaning there should be some nvram
registering the problem and being only reset by a valid connection?

This seems kind of farfetched to me but I'm without a clue.

Thanks!

GP

 

[GP]

While waiting to get a new printer, I decided it was time to test a
Panasonic KX-P1180i I had in the basement for years.

The damned thing mustn't have been used for 10 years and, to my
surprise, it started working right away. Even the ribbon is OK!

I printed one page and, today, wanted to print something else. Dead. Not
even an error message! The document is queued for printing and nothing
happens. (I use Slackware Linux.)

Forget about this one! The Panasonic printer was given to me by my brother
about ten years ago. I've never used it.

Contrary to my Canon, the Panasonic doesn't go online automatically when the
paper is loaded. I must have put it online yesterday without thinking much
about it.

So my cable and ports are OK. The problem is only with the Canon.

GP