usb2serial cable is not detected anymore

[Thomas Steiner]

Binary package hint: cups

the cable (prolific technology pl2305 was attached to the computer and detected using lsusb. after printing a testpage the printer was detached due to space problems. since that moment the cable (and thus the printer) is not seen anymore.
hint: dmesg gives:
         new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 40
usb 6-2: device not accepting address 40, error -71

what can I do in order to use the cable again?

thankyou!

p.s.: the same problem occurs when the cable (+ printer) is attached to a notebook (also ubuntu 10.10): no entry at lsusb.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: cups 1.4.4-6ubuntu2.3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-24.42-generic 2.6.35.8
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-24-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon Jan 10 12:45:34 2011
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100429)
Lpstat:
 device for deskjet-5100: hp:/usb/deskjet_5100?serial=MY33C1J0CJ7A
 device for Xerox-DocuPrint-P8e: usb://Unknown/?serial=XXX
MachineType: Dell Inc. Dell DM061
Papersize: a4
PpdFiles:
 deskjet-5100: HP Deskjet 5100 hpijs, 3.10.6
 Xerox-DocuPrint-P8e: Xerox DocuPrint P8e Foomatic/hpijs-pcl5e (recommended)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-24-generic root=UUID=80aca5c2-8f54-4554-8257-b615db2a2d6b ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=de_CH.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: cups
dmi.bios.date: 11/30/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 2.0.5
dmi.board.name: 0WG864
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.type: 6
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr2.0.5:bd11/30/2006:svnDellInc.:pnDellDM061:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0WG864:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct6:cvr:
dmi.product.name: Dell DM061
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Till Kamppeter (till-kamppeter)]

Marking as duplicate of bug #564917. There and in the other duplicates the problem is caused by a USB-to-Parallel adapter but also Prolific Technology PL2305 in most cases. Please try the fix proposed there by booting from a live CD of Natty (and doing all updates after the boot). Does this solve the problem?

Also check whether the "usblp" Kernel module is loaded on your system, by running the command

lsmod | grep usblp

in a terminal window. Try blacklisting the module in

/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

unload the module via

rmmod usblp

then remove and recreate your print queue.

If the mdule is already blacklisted, try reactivating it by removing the blacklist entry, then removing and recreating your print queue.

Follow also the instructions under "USB printer" on https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingPrintingProblems.