Ubuntu
simple-scan package

Scanner Epson 2480 Photo doesn't work

Asked by Roberto

Binary package hint: simple-scan

Ubuntu 10.10. I tried all the suggestion that I found on the forum but without success.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: simple-scan 2.32.0-0ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-24.42-generic 2.6.35.8
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-24-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Jan 9 14:24:34 2011
DriverPackageVersions:
 libsane 1.0.21-2ubuntu2
 libsane-extras N/A
 hplip 3.10.6-1ubuntu10.1
 hpoj N/A
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-24-generic root=UUID=458c05c4-a548-4425-89bc-4302e7f15e30 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=it_IT.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SimpleScanLog:

SourcePackage: simple-scan
dmi.bios.date: 08/17/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: Intel Corp.
dmi.bios.version: NT94510J.86A.3992.2006.0817.1100
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: D945GNT
dmi.board.vendor: Intel Corporation
dmi.board.version: AAC96324-402
dmi.chassis.type: 2
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnIntelCorp.:bvrNT94510J.86A.3992.2006.0817.1100:bd08/17/2006:svn:pn:pvr:rvnIntelCorporation:rnD945GNT:rvrAAC96324-402:cvn:ct2:cvr:

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu simple-scan Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Marcel Stimberg
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:

This question was originally filed as bug #700660.

Revision history for this message
Roberto (puttarob64) said : 		#1
Revision history for this message
Marcel Stimberg (marcelstimberg) said : 		#2

Thank you for your bug report. I`m not sure whether it really is a bug or a support question, though. Did you follow the instructions mentioned in the Ubuntu Wiki (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsScannersEpson)?
It says: "Place driver esfw41.bin (from Windows installation) into /etc/sane.d/. Edit /etc/sane.d/snapscan.conf - line: 'firmware /etc/sane.d/esfw41.bin'."

If you did this (or something similar) already, what does entering
 scanimage -n
in a terminal window (Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal) say?

Revision history for this message
Roberto (puttarob64) said : 		#3

Hi Marcel,
Thank you very much for the reply. I did several things during these
days but nothing helped me to solve the "problem". I send you what
scanimage say:
roberto@roberto-desktop:~$ scanimage -n
[snapscan] download_firmware: No firmware entry found in config file
snapscan.conf.
scanimage: open of device snapscan:libusb:002:002 failed: Invalid
argument
I followed aall the instruction but I don't know where I'm wrong.
Thank you for the help.

Regards

Il giorno mar, 11/01/2011 alle 19.40 +0000, Marcel Stimberg ha scritto:
> Thank you for your bug report. I`m not sure whether it really is a bug or a support question, though. Did you follow the instructions mentioned in the Ubuntu Wiki (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsScannersEpson)?
> It says: "Place driver esfw41.bin (from Windows installation) into /etc/sane.d/. Edit /etc/sane.d/snapscan.conf - line: 'firmware /etc/sane.d/esfw41.bin'."
>
> If you did this (or something similar) already, what does entering
> scanimage -n
> in a terminal window (Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal) say?
>
>
> ** Changed in: simple-scan (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>

Revision history for this message
Roberto (puttarob64) said : 		#4

Hi Marcel,

Excuse me if I bore you with my "problem", but trying to solve the issue
I restart the pc and I use the hard drive with windows for an half an
hour. In this hard drive the scanner works well. After that I restart
the pc with Ubuntu and the scanner started to work perfectly.
What do you think about this?

Thanks

Regards

Il giorno mar, 11/01/2011 alle 19.40 +0000, Marcel Stimberg ha scritto:
> Thank you for your bug report. I`m not sure whether it really is a bug or a support question, though. Did you follow the instructions mentioned in the Ubuntu Wiki (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsScannersEpson)?
> It says: "Place driver esfw41.bin (from Windows installation) into /etc/sane.d/. Edit /etc/sane.d/snapscan.conf - line: 'firmware /etc/sane.d/esfw41.bin'."
>
> If you did this (or something similar) already, what does entering
> scanimage -n
> in a terminal window (Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal) say?
>
>
> ** Changed in: simple-scan (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>

Revision history for this message
Marcel Stimberg (marcelstimberg) said : 		#5

This does not seem to be a bug in simple-scan, but an issue with the installation of the firmware for the scanner.

Revision history for this message
Best Marcel Stimberg (marcelstimberg) said : 		#6

The problem with scanners like the one you are using is that when they start, they need a little program called the firmware (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firmware#Computer_peripherals) to function properly. The Windows driver provides the firmware to the scanner and from then on it works until you switch the scanner of. That's why you can use the scanner after you boot Windows.
For legal reasons, Ubuntu is not allowed to ship the firmware and automatically install it, you therefore have to do it by hand.
As the Ubuntu wiki says (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportComponentsScannersEpson), for your scanner you need the file esfw41.bin . You already have this file on your Windows harddisk and you could also find it on your driver CD. Although I’m not sure about the legal status of hosting the file, the German ubuntuusers wiki has a download link for the file:http://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/_attachment?target=Epson+Perfection+2480%2FEsfw41.bin

I’ll assume you downloaded the file to your Downloads folder. Then, open a terminal (Applications > Acessories > Terminal) and enter:
  sudo mv ~/Downloads/esfw41.bin /etc/sane.d/
This will ask for your password and move the file from your downloads folder in a system configuration folder
Then enter:
  gksu gedit /etc/sane.d/snapscan.conf
This will open a text editor with the scanning configuration file. In the 4th line, you should see:
  firmware /usr/share/sane/snapscan/your-firmwarefile.bin
You have to change this line to point to your firmware file, i.e. change it to:
  firmware /etc/sane.d/esfw41.bin
You can now close the text editor and the terminal.

Everything should work now even without booting Windows first. If it does not, try the
scanimage -n
command.

Revision history for this message
Roberto (puttarob64) said : 		#7

Thank you very much for your interest in this issue. After your help I be able to make the scanner working but only running on terminal and type scanimage -n. This is not what I expected but it is better than start with another OS and restart the pc . Thank you a lot.
Regards

Revision history for this message
Marcel Stimberg (marcelstimberg) said : 		#8

I`m not sure, but I think it helps if you connect the scanner USB cable only after the scanner is switched on and your computer is booted. Or, just disconnect the cable and reconnect it again.

Revision history for this message
Roberto (puttarob64) said : 		#9

Hi Marcel,
I tried your suggestion but it doesn't work.I continue to use the
scanimage -n command that works perfectly.

Thank you

Regards

Il giorno gio, 13/01/2011 alle 22.03 +0000, Marcel Stimberg ha scritto:
> Your question #141341 on simple-scan in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/simple-scan/+question/141341
>
> Marcel Stimberg posted a new comment:
> I`m not sure, but I think it helps if you connect the scanner USB cable
> only after the scanner is switched on and your computer is booted. Or,
> just disconnect the cable and reconnect it again.
>