Resetting the parallel port

I've been having problems with my parallel-port scanner under Linux (nominally an HP3200C, actually a Umax in disguise). If the machine state isn't exactly right, the scanner either isn't recognized at all or is partly recognized but gives a stream of error messages. The only cure I've found so far is to power down both the scanner and the computer, then start up the scanner, then start up the computer. Starting the computer before the scanner causes the problem to reappear -- as does interrupting a scan. So I'd like to be able to do the same kind of reset ot the parallel port that happens when the computer starts up. Is there a way to do that under SuSE Linux 8.0? Paul