how to get scanner to work in JJ

[ejt]

I have been trying to get my hp scanjet 5200c to work without success. The message I get is "Error during read: error during device I/O". I have searched and installed and modified and read to no avail. The scanner is present in both lsusb and in the title bar of Xsane.
I uncommented dumb-read per http://www.sane-project.org/man/sane-hp.5.html. After every thing I try I get the same error message.
Does anyone have experience with this problem or should I get a different scanner?

[dibl]

Re: how to get scanner to work in JJ

If you installed the package libsane-extras and still no recognition by Xsane, you're probably hosed. HP scanners and printers are usually pretty reliable with Linux -- this page seems to suggest it worked at one time on 32-bit Ubuntu, although the details are sparse:

http://hardware4linux.info/component/10629/

Also, make sure you don't have any other video devices on the PCI or USB busses. For example, I have a Hauppauge PVR card that will "steal" the attention and prevent the scanner from being recognized and usable, so I had to pull when I was done with it, to use the scanner.

Here's a page that suggests you may have to compile a kernel with parallel port driver to use that parallel port scanner:

http://cyberelk.net/tim/parport/parport.html

[ejt]

Re: how to get scanner to work in JJ

thanks for your reply dibl. I do have libsane-extras installed. The pages you suggested were a bit over my head, i.e. what does "5.0 x 1" mean? and the other page refers to parallel ports but I'm using a usb connection. But I think I understand the jist of it all. It's an old scanner that can use both types of connections and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. In my case it appears that it won't work, maybe not enough usb power or not fast enough (1.1 vs 2.0).
Do you have any suggestions for a scanner that might work?
Thanks for your effort

[dibl]

Re: how to get scanner to work in JJ

Mine is this one:

http://epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/suppo...egory=Products

although it may be out production -- it's a few years old now.

Here's the list that you should use for reference:

http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html

[ejt]

Re: how to get scanner to work in JJ

I had been to the list and the 5200c is listed as complete. but digging around there I found a couple of interesting things.
"FAQ#17 After updating to Linux kernel 2.6.x, I can't scan any more with USB
With Linux kernel 2.6.x it seems that something regarding USB has changed. The hp-backend included in sane-backends V 1.14 tries to work around that. Try to update SANE."
that link took me here---
"Latest News

2009-05-03: SANE-Backends-1.0.20 has been released. Changes since 1.0.19: " etc

so I searched synaptic for sane to see what version I had and it doesn't look like I have it installed but other stuff that shows the old version.( see attached)
I'm really confused