USB printing == kernel lockup?

Hello,

I'm still looking into this, but has anybody else seen this problem? When I do anything (print to it, query its ink levels with escputil, etc.) with my Epson 870 while it's hooked to my computer via USB, the whole machine locks hard. If I change the connection over to a printer cable on a parallel port connection, eveything works fine. USB printing used to work fine until recently. (I don't print much, so how recently, I don't know yet.)

I'm in the process of trying other kernels (tested 2.4.5 and 2.4.6-pre[68]) and USB controllers (JE's UHCI vs the standard UHCI) but I'm not done yet.

Has anyone else has seen this problem? I posted to the gimp-print and linux-usb lists, but there was nary a response.

The printer is connected to the USB hub in my Nokia monitor, which also has a mouse connected to it and that's running fine. I'm using a Tyan Tiger 133 mother board (VIA Apollo Pro 133A chipset) and SMP-enabled kernel.

Thanks,
pete