kernel-2.6.8 Scanner Support?

["Thomas H. George" <xyz@spininternet.com>]

Make menuconfig for the 2.4.26 kernel includes an option to select usb 
scanner support and xsane finds and operates my Epson Perfection 2000 
PHOTO scanner when the bzImage is built with this scanner option.

Make menuconfig for the 2.6.8 kernel includes only an option to select 
usb microteck scanner support and xsane cannot cannot find my scanner 
when using a 2.6.8 kernel image.

less /proc/bus/usb/devices lists the scanner.  lsmod shows no scanner 
module and modprobe scanner reports FATAL: module scanner not found.

There also seems to be a hotplug problem with the 2.6.8 image as there 
are repeated ep0 timeout messages on bootup and the systems hangs on 
shutdown or the removal of a usb storage device.

Is there something missing in my .config file?  Or is there another 
solution?

Tom George