Howto Setup Lexmark Z55 printer in Ubuntu Hardy Heron

This tutorial describes how to install a Lexmark Z55 printer on Hardy Heron.

By default the wrong driver is installed for the Z55 which causes the printer to squeal and fail to print. A driver is available from the Lexmark website for Linux rpm distributions.


1. Download

Download the file CJLZ55LE-CUPS-1.0-1.TAR.GZ from the Drivers and Downloads section of the Lexmark website. Select a Linux distribution such as Mandrake.

2. Uninstall the existing driver

System->Administration->Printing

Expand "Local Printers"

Click on "Lexmark_Z55" to select it

Press the "Delete" button and confirm with OK

3. Create directory

Create a directory to work in and move the downloaded file into this new directory.

mkdir lexmark

mv CJLZ55LE-CUPS-1.0-1.TAR.GZ lexmark

4. Extract rpm files from the download

tail -n +143 lexmarkz55-CUPS-1.0-1.gz.sh > install.tgz

tar -xvzf install.tgz

5. Convert rpm files into deb packages

First install the alien package if you have not already done so.

sudo apt-get install alien

Now convert the files ignoring any warnings.

sudo alien lexmarkz55-CUPS-1.0-1.i386.rpm

sudo alien z55llpddk-2.0-2.i386.rpm

Save the deb files in a safe place. For subsequent installations you can use these files.

6. Install the packages

The deb files can now be installed using any method you prefer. To install from the command line type:

sudo dpkg -i z55llpddk_2.0-3_i386.deb

sudo dpkg -i lexmarkz55-cups_1.0-2_i386.deb

7. Unzip ppd file


cd /usr/share/cups/model

sudo gunzip Lexmark-Z55-lxz55cj-cups.ppd.gz

8. Install the new driver

System->Administration->Printing

Press the "New Printer" button

Select "Lexmark Z55 USB #1"

Press "Forward"

Select "Provide PPD file"

Click on the file icon on the right hand side of the box below

Using the file picker select /usr/share/cups/model/Lexmark-Z55-lxz55cj-cups.ppd

Press "Forward"


Press "Apply"