ADDENDUM to #129: Ah! Success! I followed the advice of comment #28 (https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/sane- backends/+bug/1728012/comments/28), and it works !!!
Did the following: $ sudo ln -sfr /usr/lib/sane/libsane-epkowa* /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/sane Then: 1. Removed the "usb 0x04b8 0x0137" entry I had added to /etc/sane.d/epkowa.conf 2. Added a 55-epson-libsane.rules file to /etc/udev/rules.d/ with the following text: SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ENV{DEVTYPE}=="usb_device", MODE=="0666" SUBSYSTEM=="usb_device", MODE=="0666" ATTRS{manufacturer}=="EPSON", DRIVERS=="usb", SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="04b8", ATTRS{idProduct}=="*", MODE="0666" ATTRS{idVendor}=="04b8", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0137", MODE="0666", GROUP="scanner", ENV{libsane_matched}="yes" Finally I unplugged / plugged my scanner and tried: $ scanimage -L And got this encouraging answer: device `epkowa:interpreter:003:011' is a Epson GT-S50 flatbed scanner Then I started iscan (Image Scan!) and it immediately detected my scanner. I then could successfully scan a page. The workaround is thus effective! Thanks to all contributions :-) -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to sane-backends in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1728012 Title: Many 3rd party scanner drivers are broken by a sane change Status in sane-backends package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Bug description: Many scanners can no more be used since sane has changed something: The 3rd-party plug-in the vendor provides as .deb package will still install. But the scanner is no more recognized. Scanners that are affected are(besides others): - Epson Perfection V10 - Epson Perfection V1000 - Epson WorkForce GT-1500 - Brother MFC-8510DN - Epson Perfection V33 It is to note that the probability that the scanner manufacturers fix things others broke is below 100%. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04 Package: libsane1 1.0.27-1~experimental2ubuntu2 Uname: Linux 4.14.0-041400rc5-lowlatency x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu3.1 Architecture: amd64 Date: Fri Oct 27 12:35:52 2017 EcryptfsInUse: Yes SourcePackage: sane-backends UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/sane-backends/+bug/1728012/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp