“Waiting For Printer to Become Available” issue on Mac OS 14.5, DJ 2514

[Schmecky]

Deskjet 2514 with Mac OS 14.5 Sonoma (any reason this OS is not listed above?) Scanner works fine, print function is useless. Just hangs on “waiting for printer to become available” in Print Center and never prints a thing. Printers and Scanners show a yellow dot, and say it’s in use. HP Print Utility says it’s idle, and indeed it is. I have tried resetting the printing system, removing the printer, and deleting and reinstalling the only available printer software numerous times. Still nothing. What gives? 

[Nal_NR]

Hi @Schmecky,

Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

I'd be happy to help you! 

It sounds like you're encountering persistent printing issues with your HP Deskjet 2514 on macOS 14.5 (Sonoma). When the printer is recognized but fails to print and shows as "in use" or "idle" inconsistently across different interfaces, here are some troubleshooting steps you can follow to resolve the issue:

Restart Devices:

• Start by restarting your Mac and the HP Deskjet 2514 printer. This simple step can sometimes clear temporary communication issues.

Verify Printer Connectivity:

• Ensure that your printer is properly connected to your Mac and that both devices are connected to the same network (if using a network printer).

Check Printer Queue:

• Open the Print Queue or Print Center on your Mac (Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners, then double-click on the printer). Clear any pending print jobs and check if there are any error messages.

Reset Printing System:

• Sometimes resetting the printing system can help resolve persistent issues.
  • Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
  • Right-click (or Control-click) in the left sidebar and choose "Reset printing system."
  • Confirm the action when prompted. Note that this will remove all printers from your Mac.

Reinstall Printer:

• After resetting the printing system, reinstall the HP Deskjet 2514 printer:
  • Go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners.
  • Click the "+" button to add the printer.
  • Select your printer from the list and follow the on-screen instructions to reinstall it. Make sure to download and install the latest drivers from the HP website if prompted.

Update Printer Firmware:

• Check if there's a firmware update available for your HP Deskjet 2514 printer. Firmware updates can sometimes resolve compatibility issues. Check the HP support website for instructions on updating the printer's firmware.

Kindly check the next set of steps in the next post. 

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

[Nal_NR]

Hi @Schmecky,

Please find the next set of steps below. 

Check System Preferences:

• Ensure that the correct printer driver is selected in System Preferences > Printers & Scanners > HP Deskjet 2514. Sometimes, macOS may default to AirPrint drivers, which may not be fully compatible.

Check for Software Conflicts:

• Disable any third-party firewall, security software, or VPN temporarily to rule out conflicts that might be blocking printer communication.

Use HP Smart App:

• Install the HP Smart app from the Mac App Store and try printing through this app. Sometimes, using HP's own app can provide better compatibility and troubleshooting options.

Check Printer Setup:

• Ensure that the printer is set as the default printer in System Preferences > Printers & Scanners. Also, check for any specific settings related to print jobs and make sure they are configured correctly.

If the issue persists after trying these steps, it may indicate a deeper compatibility or hardware problem. Contact HP Support for further assistance.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

[wdwdwd]

Boot your Mac into Safe Mode and then try printing from applications, if that works then a kernel extension is the cause of the issue. Go back to Normal Mode and do these following steps:-

1. Disconnect your printer and turn it off first then restart your Mac

2. Open Terminal and type kextstat

3. Locate AppleUSBMergeNub extension and unload it by typing sudo kextunload -b com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub and pressing enter then putting in your password (do this even if you don't see it in the extensions list as it loads up whenever you connect your printer)

4. Now connect your printer and try printing, if it works then good.

You are gonna need to turn off this everytime you start your Mac or you can create an automatic script by asking ChatGPT,