HP 1020 printer not working

[BigAl-sa]

The HP 1020 is one of those beasts that requires firmware to be downloaded to it in order to communicate with the OS. Over the years, I've found this to be the only one that works. However, 12.04 downloads *something* to the printer quite early in the device driver chain, which stops the printer driver (or anything else) from communicating with it. As a result, the foo2zjs firmware can't be downloaded. I first found this with a brand new install, then with an upgrade install from 11.10 (64-bit in both cases). From the 11.10 install, the printer worked fine, but as soon as 12.04 was active (and the printer reset) no comms. On the same machine I have an 11.10 (32-bit) partition. If I first boot into that, reset the printer, the correct firmware is downloaded. If I then reboot into 12.04, without switching the printer off, 12.04's broken firmware is not downloaded and I can use the printer.

What I'm hoping is that someone can help me in finding this faulty firmware that is being downloaded so that I can delete it. Hopefully then, the foo2zjs firmware will be downloaded as it has been installed.

[BigAl-sa]

Just thought I'd update this topic as I have found a workaround which maybe of use to someone using Kubuntu 12.04 and the HP 1020.

Copy the file:
/usr/share/foo2zjs/firmware/sihp1020.dl
to somewhere safe (I use ~/bin). Then uninstall the foo2zjs drivers and hotplug (do this from the directory where you unpacked foo2zjs):
sudo make uninstall
Then reinstall the drivers:
make
sudo make install
Do not install the hotplug.

Now, when I want to use the printer, I manually download the firmware to the printer from ~/bin:
cat sihp1020.dl > /dev/usb/lp0
(I put this into a script so I don't have to remember it). You only have to do this once after you switch the printer on.

It looks as though Kubuntu 12.04 and the foo2zjs hotplug loader don't want to play together nicely anymore.