Unable to install HPLIP Binary Plug-In

Question

My printer is HP LaserJet Pro MFP m126nw. After setting up my printer in Ubuntu 20.04 (using HPLIP 3.20.3), when I tried to scan, it was mentioned that driver plug-in installation is required. When I try to install the driver plug-in, it simply doesn't install.

Then I used the terminal and typed this command: hp-plugin

The output was:

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.20.3)
Plugin Download and Install Utility ver. 2.1
Copyright (c) 2001-18 HP Development Company, LP
This software comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to distribute it
under certain conditions. See COPYING file for more details.
HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.20.3)
Plugin Download and Install Utility ver. 2.1
Copyright (c) 2001-18 HP Development Company, LP
This software comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to distribute it
under certain conditions. See COPYING file for more details.
Checking for network connection...
Downloading plug-in from: 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindialog.py", line 248, in NextButton_clicked
    status, download_plugin_file, error_str = self.pluginObj.download(self.plugin_path,self.plugin_download_callback)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/pluginhandler.py", line 254, in download
    core = core_install.CoreInstall()
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/core_install.py", line 239, in init
    self.passwordObj = password.Password(ui_mode)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 88, in init
    self.readAuthType()  # self.__authType
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 110, in __readAuthType
    distro_name = get_distro_name().lower()
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 78, in get_distro_name
    return distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name=False)[0]
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 125, in linux_distribution
    return _distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name)
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 681, in linux_distribution
    self.version(),
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 741, in version
    self.lsb_release_attr('release'),
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 903, in lsb_release_attr
    return self._lsb_release_info.get(attribute, '')
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 556, in __get
    ret = obj.dict[self._fname] = self._f(obj)
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 1014, in _lsb_release_info
    stdout = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=devnull)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 411, in check_output
    return run(*popenargs, stdout=PIPE, timeout=timeout, check=True,
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 512, in run
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, process.args,
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command '('lsb_release', '-a')' returned non-zero exit status 1.
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 153, in apport_excepthook
    with os.fdopen(os.open(pr_filename,
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/crash/_usr_share_hplip_plugin.py.1000.crash'
Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindialog.py", line 248, in NextButton_clicked
    status, download_plugin_file, error_str = self.pluginObj.download(self.plugin_path,self.plugin_download_callback)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/pluginhandler.py", line 254, in download
    core = core_install.CoreInstall()
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/core_install.py", line 239, in init
    self.passwordObj = password.Password(ui_mode)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 88, in init
    self.readAuthType()  # self.__authType
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 110, in __readAuthType
    distro_name = get_distro_name().lower()
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 78, in get_distro_name
    return distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name=False)[0]
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 125, in linux_distribution
    return _distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name)
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 681, in linux_distribution
    self.version(),
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 741, in version
    self.lsb_release_attr('release'),
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 903, in lsb_release_attr
    return self._lsb_release_info.get(attribute, '')
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 556, in __get
    ret = obj.dict[self._fname] = self._f(obj)
  File "/home/rls/.local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/distro.py", line 1014, in _lsb_release_info
    stdout = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=devnull)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 411, in check_output
    return run(*popenargs, stdout=PIPE, timeout=timeout, check=True,
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 512, in run
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, process.args,
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command '('lsb_release', '-a')' returned non-zero exit status 1.

Output of lsb_release -a is:

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description:    Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
Release:    20.04
Codename:   focal

I messed up the pre-installed Python in my device.

An excerpt from one of my questions (in which I explained about the Python issue):

I guess Python 3.8.2 was pre-installed with my Ubuntu installation. I wanted to upgrade to Python 3.8.3. So I followed the instructions mentioned in this website Install Python 3.8.3 in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS - TechPiezo.
At the end of the article, two suggestions were given. First is to replace (or overwrite) already installed version 3.8.2 of Python; second is to install Python v3.8.3 alongside the Python v3.8.2. I followed the first option.

With Kulfy's help (link to Kulfy's answer), I hopefully reverted back to the pre-installed Python 3.8.2.

Now, the output of hp-plugin is:

HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.20.3)
Plugin Download and Install Utility ver. 2.1
Copyright (c) 2001-18 HP Development Company, LP
This software comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to distribute it
under certain conditions. See COPYING file for more details.
HP Linux Imaging and Printing System (ver. 3.20.3)
Plugin Download and Install Utility ver. 2.1
Copyright (c) 2001-18 HP Development Company, LP
This software comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
This is free software, and you are welcome to distribute it
under certain conditions. See COPYING file for more details.
Checking for network connection...
Downloading plug-in from: 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindialog.py", line 248, in NextButton_clicked
    status, download_plugin_file, error_str = self.pluginObj.download(self.plugin_path,self.plugin_download_callback)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/pluginhandler.py", line 254, in download
    core = core_install.CoreInstall()
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/core_install.py", line 239, in init
    self.passwordObj = password.Password(ui_mode)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 88, in init
    self.readAuthType()  # self.__authType
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 110, in __readAuthType
    distro_name = get_distro_name().lower()
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 78, in get_distro_name
    return distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name=False)[0]
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 122, in linux_distribution
    return _distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 677, in linux_distribution
    self.version(),
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 737, in version
    self.lsb_release_attr('release'),
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 899, in lsb_release_attr
    return self._lsb_release_info.get(attribute, '')
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 552, in __get
    ret = obj.dict[self._fname] = self._f(obj)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 1012, in _lsb_release_info
    stdout = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=devnull)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 411, in check_output
    return run(*popenargs, stdout=PIPE, timeout=timeout, check=True,
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 512, in run
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, process.args,
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command '('lsb_release', '-a')' returned non-zero exit status 1.
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 153, in apport_excepthook
    with os.fdopen(os.open(pr_filename,
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/crash/_usr_share_hplip_plugin.py.1000.crash'
Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/share/hplip/ui5/plugindialog.py", line 248, in NextButton_clicked
    status, download_plugin_file, error_str = self.pluginObj.download(self.plugin_path,self.plugin_download_callback)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/pluginhandler.py", line 254, in download
    core = core_install.CoreInstall()
  File "/usr/share/hplip/installer/core_install.py", line 239, in init
    self.passwordObj = password.Password(ui_mode)
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 88, in init
    self.readAuthType()  # self.__authType
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 110, in __readAuthType
    distro_name = get_distro_name().lower()
  File "/usr/share/hplip/base/password.py", line 78, in get_distro_name
    return distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name=False)[0]
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 122, in linux_distribution
    return _distro.linux_distribution(full_distribution_name)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 677, in linux_distribution
    self.version(),
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 737, in version
    self.lsb_release_attr('release'),
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 899, in lsb_release_attr
    return self._lsb_release_info.get(attribute, '')
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 552, in __get
    ret = obj.dict[self._fname] = self._f(obj)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/distro.py", line 1012, in _lsb_release_info
    stdout = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=devnull)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 411, in check_output
    return run(*popenargs, stdout=PIPE, timeout=timeout, check=True,
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 512, in run
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, process.args,
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command '('lsb_release', '-a')' returned non-zero exit status 1.

What should I do to install the plug-in?

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 08 '20 at 15:27

0

At first reinstall possible missed lsb-release with

sudo apt-get install --reinstall lsb-release

Also you have a mess of local and global python modules.

Remove problematic with

pip3 uninstall distro

and retry.

answered Jul 08 '20 at 15:27

N0rbert

99,918

I did the steps as per your instructions. Then I re-tried hp-plugin. There was a small difference in output. Please refer this website to know the difference: [https://www.diffchecker.com/4y1DHSTu ] – Random Person Jul 09 '20 at 08:08

Unable to install HPLIP Binary Plug-In

1 Answers1