Last summer I was unable to get the above scanner working with Fedora 29 or Debian. This is after using the scanner flawlessly with various distros for years previously. (used sane epson drivers xsane...) CLI recognised the scanner was plugged in, but software continually stated no scanner found.

So I loaded Windows to get the scanning jobs I had completed. But I am very close to jumping off a cliff using Windows. (don't worry no cliffs here just muskeg)

Does anyone have this scanner functioning on their Linux box?

Zuzanna in northern Canada

Have a look at this thread at Kubuntu forums. Also, LP#1707352, LP#1728012, debbugs#919103, and this question at Ask Ubuntu linked from there.

I don't link to the Fedora bug report on this because they just closed it without providing a solution.

The problem seems to be that newer Linux distros moved from libsane to libsane1 while the Epson iscan driver still requires libsane.

I desisted from replying earlier so as not to remove the thread from the "zero-reply auto bump".
I have such a beast, and have never used it on linux. I keep Win10 for other reasons, but this is a side benefit - the scanning (old slides in my case) works, and I need it to work. Philosophical hand-wringing I can do without.

Use the (best) tool for the job - simple as that.

@shruggy -
Thank-you so much for your detail filled reply. It is good to know, and the multiple links made for interesting reading.I appreciate the time you took to look them up. I will look at the solution presented in the Kubuntu forum when my current project is completed. May spring come early for you!

@syg00 -
After 14 years of one operating system, a change to a radically different one can cause one to question their sanity. I left Windows in 2007 because I didn't like the direction the OS was going. My reintroduction to it late summer confirmed it wasn't something I want for my primary operating system. Yes, use the best tool, for me that has been Linux, until the scanner problem occurred. May I respectfully remind you, my question asked if anyone had managed to get the scanner working with a Linux distribution.

I am not a purist. 'Just working' is good enough for me.
I have bunches of VirtualBoxes to do what I need - Win 7 for scanner & tax , Puppy for safe surf, KDE ...
Once I pained my old brain to install scanning on my Brother ... just to see it stop working after half a year (my main distro is
a rolling one).

@leclerc78 "Once I pained my old brain to install scanning on my Brother ... just to see it stop working after half a year."

Ouch, this old brain certainly feels your pain!

Thank-you for the idea of using Win7 in VirtualBox. There just happens to be an original CD in my husbands file drawer. I now have a couple of new options to pursue!

Wishing you sunshine and melting snow.

I am Canadian like you. Emprisoned by Covid, so sunshine is a no go. Sigh...