Scanner hp Scanjet 200 completely incompatible with linux?
 

HP Scanjet 200 is a simple flatbed scanner in common use but it seems it is not compatible with linux printing with hplip. The scanning software complain that scanner is not found and to turn the power of scanner on. However, this scanner does not have a power button and it derives its power from usb connection only.

Following is the output of 'dmesg' command soon after connecting the scanner:

The 'lsusb' command finds following:

Is there no way this scanner can work with linux? Thanks for your help.

As you mention HP Scanjets are not supported by HPLIP drivers. A quick search of Sane Supported Scanners shows that it is not listed as explicitly supported either. So, no Linux support sadly.

Their printers have drivers most of the time. Scanners are a completely different thing I guess.

http://support.hp.com/us-en/product/..._link2&lang=en

Sadly doesn't list anything linux as far as drivers/software go.

Product Number: L2734A
Product Model: HP Scanjet 200 Flatbed Scanner
Vender:Device: 03f0:1c05
Connection Type: USB
Maximum resolution is 2400 x 4800 dpi, 48 bit

Specifications only lists Windows and Mac (as does every product ever).

And not always plug and play for the printer. It's been a while since I used one. But the only HP deskjet I had needed the hplip driver. Although back then it was the hpoj for officejet and hpinkjet for mine. Not installed by default. It also needed pnm2ppa, not listed as a dependency and not installed by default. Without that the printer would appear to work OS wise, but never actually print anything. But yes the printers do mostly work. Also in my case the black ink was low/empty and failed to print. And nothing software wise in linux said it's empty and it didn't try to print faded output. It just failed to do anything. I replaced that ink (once windows told me it was empty) and it worked relatively flawlessly in linux. In select programs that didn't hose the margins and alignment.

Check dmesg for anything that assigns a driver for it.

$ dmesg

If you unplug and replug it should be the last entry (in theory).

@Shadow7 : I have already included the dmesg output soon after connecting the scanner in my question.

It is incomplete output. For example, when I put in my usb to ethernet adapter.

Notice the usbcore line.

I'm not saying that it does work. In fact all indications as you've seen already seem to suggest that it does not work.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Scannin...t/true#M116873

But normally dmesg output will at least tell you unknown driver or other such details. Depending on distro and logging level I suppose, but it's done it in debian for me in the past. usbcore: unknown driver or some such type thing.

If it does find a driver and it's similar to some other product and that product works at least partially. Then you can sometimes change a few IDs to make your product look like that other thing and it may partially work. Or pass a few flags to the module that is the driver and it might work. Wishful thinking probably.

Hi all...

What I'm seeing here and here is further evidence that Linux does not support this scanner. :(

@rng: If you're only wanting a flatbed scanner, there are many that are supported, just take a look around Google for specific brand and model numbers... ;)

Regards...

Another option is to install v-box, and XP, or what ever version of windblows you may have around. Install the windies driver, and scan away. This is what I did with my HP Scanjet G4010. Its a little inconvenient to have to maintain v-box just for a scanner. My scanner is partially supported, however I don't get good results with the linux driver. Just another thought, hope this helps.

@Shadow 7: The dmesg output will not show a scanner driver. (There will be low-level usb support, but that is only for interfacing, as with any other usb device attached). SANE drivers are user-space drivers, and there is no driver listed as explicitly supporting this scanner device chipset anyway.

There is evidence from this Polish thread that shows that it uses an HP GL848 chipset (not yet supported). Maybe one day the genesys backend will include this support, as it supports a number of other similar HP chipsets.

@camorri : Thanks for your suggestion. I initially had doubts but tried it and it worked well so I am regularly using this method now.

Hi...

If this resolves your issue, please mark this thread as "SOLVED" by clicking on "Thread Tools" directly above your initial post. Thanks! :)

Regards...

Exactly what I ended up doing years ago.
While my HP flatbed scanner does work with XSane, the performance is very slow and the results are seriously inferior to the HP windows drivers. So, I installed Xp into VirtualBox and the HP drivers into XP and it all works very well with excellent results. XP actually boots up faster in VirtualBox than it does as a standalone installation.

I recently had to switch linux distribution to Salix and I installed virtualbox in it. But the problem is that virtualbox here is not picking up any usb, neither this scanner nor any pendrives. Usb mouse and keyboard are picked up. How can I make virtualbox to pick up usb scanner?

Edit: The problem got resolved after user was made member of vboxusers group.

Launch V-box. Before you launch the guest OS, click settings. There should be a USB option, click it, and there is a check box to 'enable USB controller'. You have to create a USB filter for each device you may want to use inside your guest OS. Most of the information you need can be obtained with a 'lsusb' command in linux.

Launch your guest OS. Once you log into to your guest, at the top there is a device drop down. If you have the filters set up, and the devices are plugged in, the devices should show up. Click the device you want to use, a check mark will show up. Note, you can only use the USB device in one OS at a time. When you shut down the guest, the devices will all be available to the host system.