Is canon website safe to download printer software?

[Meduras]

I'd like some drivers for printer. Is canon site safe to download them as self-installed trojans are Mac's worst nightmare and I have no real time scanner to detect if something comes in.

Google gives me both sites, but is there any difference?

https://www.usa.canon.com
http://www.canon-europe.com

I just find it weird one is canon.com while other canon-europe.com - if it is same company, shouldn't it be europe.canon.com...

Not sure what to trust or to trust either at all.

 

[Nermal]

The software is probably the same on both sites (although maybe with some language differences). As far as I can tell, both are legitimate.

With that said, you can usually just plug in the printer and turn it on. It'll typically offer to install the necessary drivers automatically.

 

[Meduras]

The software is probably the same on both sites (although maybe with some language differences). As far as I can tell, both are legitimate.

With that said, you can usually just plug in the printer and turn it on. It'll typically offer to install the necessary drivers automatically.

It's not offering me this chance unfortunately.
So both sites look fine? If you have used one yourself, which then?

 

[Weaselboy]

It's not offering me this chance unfortunately.
So both sites look fine? If you have used one yourself, which then?

I've downloaded drivers and software from the US site repeatedly with no issues.

 

[Meduras]

I've downloaded drivers and software from the US site repeatedly with no issues.

This is good to hear!

 

[mollyc]

I've also downloaded drivers and software from the USA site with no issues.

 

[Enryn]

What if they're old drivers, meant for Lion, would it cause harm to stuff them into El Capitan?

 

[Weaselboy]

What if they're old drivers, meant for Lion, would it cause harm to stuff them into El Capitan?

Nah... they may just refuse to install or install and just not work.

 

[tech4all]

What if they're old drivers, meant for Lion, would it cause harm to stuff them into El Capitan?

It probably just wouldn't work on a more current OS, at least not properly. Best to download the latest software/driver from the manufacture's website.

 

[Enryn]

Nah... they may just refuse to install or install and just not work.

So I could just try and if it works, it is fine, if it doesn't work, it won't leave behind some half-installed mess?
I just want to be sure before trying, but saw something that older software might not know how to install properly/ half-install and make it all worse. Sorry for bombing questions.
[doublepost=1482611207][/doublepost]

It probably just wouldn't work on a more current OS, at least not properly. Best to download the latest software/driver from the manufacture's website.

Problem is, it is latest this old model has.
By properly, you mean it just doesn't function well enough, not that it can harm Mac or weaken system somehow?

 

[Weaselboy]

So I could just try and if it works, it is fine, if it doesn't work, it won't leave behind some half-installed mess?

Correct.

I just want to be sure before trying, but saw something that older software might not know how to install properly/ half-install and make it all worse. Sorry for bombing questions.

This is just a printer driver and it won't hurt anything. Now if you were trying to force feed some old iStat menus utility and things like that that install kext files to work, then yes, that might cause a system crash.

 

[tech4all]

Problem is, it is latest this old model has.
By properly, you mean it just doesn't function well enough, not that it can harm Mac or weaken system somehow?

I've never heard of an old driver causing harm to a computer. It may not tell you upon launch that the driver is not compatible with the OS. It might not even let you even install it.

 

[Enryn]

This is just a printer driver and it won't hurt anything. Now if you were trying to force feed some old iStat menus utility and things like that that install kext files to work, then yes, that might cause a system crash.

Sorry, I'm not certain what those mean so I'll use examples: one printer driver and one scanner driver, meant for OSX Lion. Would those be safe to try to install into El Capitan?
https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/...support-inkjet-printer/mp-series/pixma-mp160/

I've never heard of an old driver causing harm to a computer. It may not tell you upon launch that the driver is not compatible with the OS. It might not even let you even install it.

So trying wouldn't hurt and if it works, it will be fine?
Thank you!

 

[Weaselboy]

Sorry, I'm not certain what those mean so I'll use examples: one printer driver and one scanner driver, meant for OSX Lion. Would those be safe to try to install into El Capitan?

There is a folder /System/Library/Extensions/ where some utilities like iStat menus and others install what are called kext files to extend system functionality. Often times older versions of those kext files can cause instability and crashing. But a normal printer driver installation does not install such files, so would not be a problem. I was just trying to explain what you may have read elsewhere about how old software can cause problems.

 

[DeltaMac]

I've been helping on another poster with the Pixma MP160. Those drivers stopped working on OS X several versions back.
I think that Lion was the last officially supported system.
You should be able to use the scanner part, but it's unlikely that you will get the printer to work properly.
Time to move on to something newer.

 

[Enryn]

There is a folder /System/Library/Extensions/ where some utilities like iStat menus and others install what are called kext files to extend system functionality. Often times older versions of those kext files can cause instability and crashing. But a normal printer driver installation does not install such files, so would not be a problem. I was just trying to explain what you may have read elsewhere about how old software can cause problems.

Ah, I see. So the printer driver and scanner driver both are safe from kext files?

I've been helping on another poster with the Pixma MP160. Those drivers stopped working on OS X several versions back.
I think that Lion was the last officially supported system.
You should be able to use the scanner part, but it's unlikely that you will get the printer to work properly.
Time to move on to something newer.

I got it from my uncle ("hey look, free printer, here's CD use it or download or whatever"), who was cleaning up his house.
I even got my hopes up for a day. Trying to be cheap these days...

Well, if it doesn't muck up my system, I'll squeeze out as much as I can from scanner at least.

 

[Weaselboy]

Ah, I see. So the printer driver and scanner driver both are safe from kext files?

Correct. Sometimes there are scanner utilities that do install those, but you are just installing the printer/scanner drivers so should be okay.

 

[Enryn]

Correct. Sometimes there are scanner utilities that do install those, but you are just installing the printer/scanner drivers so should be okay.

Thank you for clarifying!