Since upgrading to snow leopard from leopard, this was the biggest problem and most frustrating thing for me. My HP Laser-jet 1020 stopped working. I’ve downloaded all possible updates from apple and none works. My good old printer just became a piece of brick (lol, yeah really)

So how did I finally get it running? almost 10-20 hours of googling+downloading+trial and error+cursing and drinking a lot of coffee, open source stuffs saved my day 🙂 – here you go .

#1 – download foomatic-RIP from here http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/openprinting/macosx/foomatic (choose the snow leopard package)
#2 – download ghostscript from http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/openprinting/macosx/foomatic )choose snow leopard package)
#3 – download foo2zjs from here http://mac.softpedia.com/progDownload/foo2zjs-Download-33222.html

#4 Ok, now install GhostScript First, then Install Foomatic-RIP. Just perform a default install. no extra thingy – nothing 🙂

#5 Now install foo2zjs package. while installing, it will ask for admin access. Then it will open a shell window and display you a list of firmware to choose from. You will find HP-1020 listed on #7 – so type “7” and hit enter. Now if it asks you whether you want to delete the installation file, choose “yes”.

#6 Now open the “helper” folder inside this foo2zjs package and copy the load_LaserJet_firmware_v4 file to anywhere else. We need this file later.

#7 Connect HP-1020 in USb port and Add the printer from your printer preference panel.

#8 Now double click on load_LaserJet_firmware_v4 file that you have copied earlier and run it 🙂

Ok, now you have a working HP-1020 in your snow leopard. Until HP or Apple releases a patch, this is the only way to get it working. Well, dont forget to send me a cup of coffee for saving you from buying a new printer – lol!