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When I want to print something, I don't get the option to print on both sides of a paper although my printer supports this feature. How can I fix this? Do I have to download a proprietary driver?

My printer is a HP LaserJet p2015n.

5 Answers 5

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In addition to lamcro and wdypdx22's answer (check that the hplip package is installed) you need to make sure your printer is set to using the right driver. In System->Administration->Printers you can select the printer:

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Right click on your printer and select properties, then click on the Button next to Make and Model that is labeled "Change", then the system will go looking for a driver:

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Since you have it installed this won't take long (it can fetch updated ones from openprinting.org so there's never a need to manually install drivers). After the search it will give you an option to use the driver, select the one with (HPIJS). Now the printer options should be available in the "Printer Options" section of the last screenshot.

As a bonus, HP provides a native tool for Linux users that provides even more features than the bundled generic tool. It's called the hplip toolbox, you can install it by installing the hplip-gui package or just search for it in the Software Center.

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This is the tool I prefer to use to manager my hp printers. There is a wishlist request bug asking that when anyone with an hp printer plugs in it just installs all this automagically, which would be pretty great.

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  • Anything for SCX 3200 Series?
    – BigSack
    Aug 9, 2012 at 12:29
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In the output of lpoptions -l, you should see a line that says:

HPOption_Duplexer/Duplex Unit: True *False

You can change this to True via lpoptions -o HPOption_Duplexer=True, and then your print dialog should allow you to print double-sided.

If you don't even have the "HPOption_Duplexer" option (e.g., lpoptions -l | fgrep -c Duplexer prints 0), then:

  1. either you have the incorrect printer description file configured (the so-called PPD),
  2. or you didn't check the "Duplex printing" option in the printer capabilities section.

To solve 1., the quickest path is probably to re-install the printer and choose the correct make/model combination.

To address 2., just open System -> Administration -> Printers, right-click on your printer and choose "Properties", then click on "Installed options" in the left pane and finally check the "Duplex printing" box on the right.

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  • Thank you very much Mr.Riccardo Murri, it's really very help full for linux user, because main problem for new user of linux is that they don't under stand it's functionalities. I was facing this issue since last two months, once again very very thank you. Sunil kumar.
    – user12174
    Mar 11, 2011 at 7:11
  • This was a life saver! Thank you for the help! Aug 8, 2018 at 3:50
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I found a lot of help here: http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/openprinting

Here's a link to your model: http://www.openprinting.org/printer/HP/HP-LaserJet_P2015

The site helped a lot with printer issues I was having a while back.

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Try getting the latest version of HP's Linux Printing drivers (HPLIP).
Not all functionality comes pre-installed on Ubuntu. I myself had to install it and it accessed a lot of additional functionality.

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Use the printer control panel to print information pages with details about the product and its current settings, check to see that the Duplex unit is listed, and then disable the Manual Duplex option in Device Settings.

Right click on the HP laserjet Printer, select Properties, and then select the Device Settings tab.

  1. In the Installable options section, make sure that Duplex unit is Installed and that the Allow Manual Duplexing option is Disabled.
  2. Click Apply and then click OK.
  3. Try again to print the Configuration page.
  4. Make sure that the Manual Duplex option is Disabled in Properties on the Device Settings tab.

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