[RESOLVED] HP error 5012 device communications error

[Qqmike]

Edit: See a 'summary post' at Post # 47 below.

All day today! Thought it would take 5 minutes.

Bottom-line: hplip tells me "Device Communications Error 5012"

Connection: USB connecting my NEW printer to my desktop PC (i.e., nothing is using Wifi)

Situation:

I use (an old) Deskjet 2132, no problems; but it is getting old and not scanning correctly (as I discussed in another thread here somewhere).

While the 2132 was still installed, I set up a new HP Deskjet 2752e ($39 all-in-one).
Connected to my desktop PC by USB cable.
I added it using hplip to set it up.
But then, hplip tells me: Device Communications Error 5012.
My hplip is 3.21.12. The HP website, Developers, tells me that the printer is supported, using hplip versions 3.20.5 or greater; that link is:

https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-i..._devices/index

I briefly tried a couple obvious things:
unplug/plug in the printer power and try again;
unplug/plug in the USB and try again;
re-start the PC;
turn off the old 2132 (and I think I "removed" it, too in hplip)
...

I tried Googling (confusing b/c every situation seems different), HP Chat (who told me to call HP Voice support), and HP telephone (live voice support). No luck so far. The live HP rep (who actually works for some other company IDea?) did suggest I call HP again during the normal business week starting Monday (today is Sunday).

I feel this must be solvable! It is not some advanced printer, and my hplip version does 'line up.'

Any ideas?

[Qqmike]

output from lsusb:

lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 010: ID 03f0:1853 HP, Inc DeskJet 2700 series
Bus 001 Device 009: ID 03f0:e111 HP, Inc DeskJet 2130 series
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 046d:0826 Logitech, Inc. HD Webcam C525
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 0b05:19af ASUSTek Computer, Inc. AURA LED Controller
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 046d:c31c Logitech, Inc. Keyboard K120
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:c077 Logitech, Inc. M105 Optical Mouse
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

[claydoh]

Are you attempting to use the full HPLIP GUI suite?

run the command hp-check to hopefully see more useful info.

First, does the printer show up in System Settings? HPLIP-GUI is not at all necessary for actual printing, most of the time.

If it does, and it mentions "driverless" in the summary similar to this:


Try uninstalling the package ipp-usb.
This may be a long shot, as this used to be a problem in 20.04, and maybe earlier.
This package allows USB connected printers to use the 'driverless' mode used by wifi printing, which is a sort of standard thing a LOT of printers support. No drivers to download or install or find.
Removing this package, then removing and re-plugging the printer may allow HPLIP to be able to communicate with the printer in the old fashioned way.

Or just go wireless

[jlittle]

Connection: USB connecting my NEW printer to my desktop PC

USB is the old way of connecting printers. IME there's less trouble connecting using a network connection, wifi or not.

[Qqmike]

First, hp-check

hp-check
Saving output in log file: /home/mike/hp-check.log

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.21.12)
Dependency/Version Check Utility ver. 15.1

Copyright (c) 2001-18 HP Development Company, LP
This software comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to distribute it
under certain conditions. See COPYING file for more details.

Note: hp-check can be run in three modes:
1. Compile-time check mode (-c or --compile): Use this mode before compiling the HPLIP supplied
tarball (.tar.gz or .run) to determine if the proper dependencies are installed to successfully
compile HPLIP.
2. Run-time check mode (-r or --run): Use this mode to determine if a distro supplied package (.deb,
.rpm, etc) or an already built HPLIP supplied tarball has the proper dependencies installed to
successfully run.
3. Both compile- and run-time check mode (-b or --both) (Default): This mode will check both of the
above cases (both compile- and run-time dependencies).

Check types:
a. EXTERNALDEP - External Dependencies
b. GENERALDEP - General Dependencies (required both at compile and run time)
c. COMPILEDEP - Compile time Dependencies
d. [All are run-time checks]
PYEXT SCANCONF QUEUES PERMISSION

Status Types:
OK
MISSING - Missing Dependency or Permission or Plug-in
INCOMPAT - Incompatible dependency-version or Plugin-version

-Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/hp-check", line 861, in <module>
dep.core.init()
File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/core_install.py", line 523, in init
self.get_distro()
File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/core_install.py", line 661, in get_distro
if 'MX' in distro_release_name:
NameError: name 'distro_release_name' is not defined

And see the 2 screen shots -- the printer is seen.

[Qqmike]

There was no mention of "driverless" in my output, System Settings.

Try uninstalling the package ipp-usb.
This may be a long shot, as this used to be a problem in 20.04, and maybe earlier.
This package allows USB connected printers to use the 'driverless' mode used by wifi printing, which is a sort of standard thing a LOT of printers support. No drivers to download or install or find.
Removing this package, then removing and re-plugging the printer may allow HPLIP to be able to communicate with the printer in the old fashioned way.

Should I still try that?

Are you attempting to use the full HPLIP GUI suite?

Yes, I think so. I open HP Device Manager to see the printer, or to select "Scan" under Actions, and so on.

Here's how HP Device Manager sees it, note that there is nothing under "Actions"!
-- see screen shot --

[claydoh]

Should I still try that?

No, it's not using a driverless setup.

[Qqmike]

I'm going to try to make this work with USB printer-to-PC connection (as stated in the OP).
After all, it should be plug-and-play, I would think.

But just curious about something with the wireless option:
Can you go wireless with the printer if the PC itself is connected by Ethernet to the router-modem?
Assume there is a wireless router-modem (with WPS, if that matters).

(There are other Wifi devices in the house -- tablets, cell phones, a laptop.)

[claydoh]

But just curious about something with the wireless option:
Can you go wireless with the printer if the PC itself is connected by Ethernet to the router-modem?

Sure, the connection method from the printer to your home network doesn't really matter.
However, your printer has WiFi and USB only. You will need to connect to your home network

Assume there is a wireless router-modem (with WPS, if that matters).

(There are other Wifi devices in the house -- tablets, cell phones, a laptop.)

Yes, you have a wifi router, or a modem that has one built in. Most of these will have some sort of WPS button, or a menu in its setup. This heavily depends on the specific router/modem device, though.
HP also have a phone app that helps with this

But with WPS, essentially, you enable it on the router, and you have two minutes or so to hit or hold the wps button (a WiFi icon, probably) on the printer, and they find each other and set up the wifi connection, and Bob's yer uncle.
HP's website is stupid, the manuals for this model are missing, so I can't see the controls it has, but if you have one with your printer, it should have directions for this process.

The hardest part is probably finding the instructions for the router to do this, if you are unfamiliar with that part. If the modem/router doesn't have a WPS button on it somewhere, it very likely will have a username, password, and IP address marked on it somewhere on the back or bottom, which you use to log in from a web browser. otherwise, instructions depend on the device. if it is from your ISP, they may have help guides for this as well.

It is a LOT easier than it sounds. I set up my new 40 buck Canon in 5 minutes a few weeks ago, though I had done this once before, on a 20 dollar version some year ago. it took me less than 15, but I did the un-manly thing and actually read the manual . At least mine had one available to download!
But:

Connect to a wireless network with a router
TIP: To print the Wireless Quick Start Guide, press and hold the Information button (i ) for 3 seconds.

I found a manual: http://www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c07043348.pdf page 22


But, going back to your USB connection: since it shows up in System Settings, have you tried printing something, a test page or a document? You do NOT need the HP software at all in order to print.
You MAY need to install HP's proprietary plugin for scanning - run hp-plugin in a terminal to install this (there will be a gui for it, else some selections and confirmations in the terminal)
HPLIP-GUI should install this itself, if it weren't broken for some reason.

[Qqmike]

I did run your hp-plugin command successfully, and again tried a from-scratch installation, but no-go.

I do have a downloaded 124-page HP pdf manual for the printer, BUT ... it is written for Windows and requires various Windows software.

I set up my old HP printer (2132) quickly using hplip.
With USB, it 'should' be plug-and-play, basically.
But, as I say, after setting it up with hplip, it given me the message "Device communications error (5012)"
It won't print a page, no. Not even the test page (when I click that box during hplip "add printer" set up).
In hplip, the icon for that printer appears with the red "x" marking it => 5012 error => no communications

[Qqmike]

I could install the latest version of hplip from the HP website. See if that fixes it. I suppose the GUI will work with it, as Id be starting hplip from Konsole.

[Qqmike]

I want to be clear about something. Assume I install the latest version of hplip using HP's automatic installer:
https://developers.hp.com/hp-linux-i.../install/index

As I read that, it will remove my existing hplip installed through Muon,

Two questions, after hplip is installed by HP's auto installer:

1. Will hplip-gui work with it? How do I install hplip-gui, using the Muon?

2. Now, if I want to uninstall the hplip (installed using HP's auto installer), what are the best commands to do so?

If I install the latest hplip from HP, I want to be able to back out of that decision if necessary (and to reinstall the 'older' hplip from Muon in the repos), and also be able to use the GUI (when scanning, controlling the printer, etc.).

[Qqmike]

A quick post for now, it's late and I'm pooped:

-- I got the printer attached by wireless using WPS. See manual page below.
-- It prints.
-- I can see and manage it in CUPS, localhost:631, and print test page etc.
-- I can see and use Kubuntu with it: K > Settings > System Settings > Printers --> see attached screen shot
-- hplip will not include it in its list of printers: "hplip can not detect the device"
-- xsane will not scan with it: "no documents in the document feeder" (I have no document feeder!) BUT, xsane gives me the preview perfectly!

So I have to work on the scanning, where I place the document to be scanned face-down on the printer window and use xsane to get a scan of it.

So far, there is no USB-connected capability.

I did get the "driverless" description, btw.

I did NOT install a newer hplip. It's the same version that came with 22.04, see OP.

[Qqmike]

If anyone has any tips for scanning with the inexpensive HP printers, please chime in.

Is xsane what I should be using to scan?
Remember, I am unable to use hplip toolbox (GUI) as I have always done, where there was an "Action" column showing print, scan, etc.
hplip will not see my device as wireless. It will see it as USB (when attached), but then I get that device communication error 5012, as I've posted about.

Edit: Last night, I posted this issue with xsane: -- xsane will not scan with it: "no documents in the document feeder" (I have no document feeder!) BUT, xsane gives me the preview perfectly!

Here's where I'm at (after posting the above last night):

At Maranjo, I saw this:

simple-scan --debug
Maybe it resetted some config file, dunno.

I tried it and SO FAR it seems to have helped. I can open xsane from the K menu and scan a document, and then another document, etc.
However, xsane sees two possible scanners on my system:


They both worked to scan OK. However ...

-- What is eSCL? Just saying this: eSCL is a driverless scanning protocol ? It worked better than the 2nd option listed.

-- The second option also worked but it could not show a preview, although it was trying to do so (and showed some printed "noise" upon moving the mouse around its window).

[claydoh]

-- What is eSCL? Just saying this: eSCL is a driverless scanning protocol ? It worked better than the 2nd option listed.

Correct. The scanner supports Airscan, and this is what it is advertising for this option

-- The second option also worked but it could not show a preview, although it was trying to do so (and showed some printed "noise" upon moving the mouse around its window).

The second one looks to be using HP's hpaio protocol.I don't know why it doesn't show a preview.

SANE, the Linux scanner support system sees and present both, or Xsane sees both. Not unusual at all.
I usually use KDE's Skanlite (may already be installed on your system by default) and Skanpage (this one is only available in 22.04 via snap/flatpak). Both of these only show 1 device for me, while Xsane reports 2 - an airscan and an escl device, which is redundant. Probably just a feature or quirk in the software.
I have always seen two devices with Xsane since I started scanning over wifi. The other applications have not.

In your case, using both Airscan and hpaio, it might be advertising itself as two devices, as far as SANE is concerned.