John43,

Maybe reinstalling Linux Mint is the best option.

Once you have done that, install simple scan:

I use Linux Mint MATE and simple scan with my Canon Lide 210 scanner.

When I open my Home folder > View > Show hidden files > I then locate my .sane folder.

Inside that folder is an xsane folder which is empty and a canon-lide-210.cal document.

Better luck next time.

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Since the new upgraded version of Mint will come out in the next couple of months, if you can wait it will save the bother of an upgrade.

Alternatively,
Mint produce two versions:-
LMDE4 based on Debian which was released a couple of weeks ago, and
Mint 20.0 based on Ubuntu which will be released within a couple of months.

I would suggest that you might like to try LMDE; it should be virtually identical to the forthcoming Mint.
If you don't like it, you can wipe it and put Mint 19.3 or Mint 20.0 in its place.

Hi again everyone,

After following all advise offered, unfortunately without any success, I finally bit the bullet and totally reinstalled Linux Mint. Everything is now up and running again as it should, including Simple Scan, although of course I have the huge job of setting the program up again to my requirements.

I do thank everyone for their input and help to me to try and resolve my problem, your help and time has been very much appreciated. Thanks also to JeremyBowden for his advise on an upcoming update of Mint to Mint 20.0. I'll look forward to it.

Kindest regards,
John43.

I've had this issue with several versions of Mint in the past; Simple Scan comes with the install and seems to sometimes choke on printers (esp. HP). Solved it by purging the printer and simple-scan and and re-installing the printer first, then simple scan.
(Sorry I was too late for you....)

Thanks for that advise binkyd, I'll remember it if I ever have the same problem again.

Finally found the answer to my problem. The problem occurred again soon after I reinstalled Mint 19.3. I had just installed Brave browser again, as I had used it previously and found it very good. It appears that there is a conflict between Brave browser and Simple Scan, or any other scanner for that matter and probably in "sane". Once I had uninstalled Brave browser, the problem was eliminated. I have returned to using Firefox as my browser, with no further problems. I will mark the problem as solved.

That is a strange find. It would be interesting to know the underlying cause.

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