Installing a device driver

[Eireann]

What the hell?

NOW, I can scan. At least, I think that's what it's doing. I have the material in the scanner, the lid is closed, and the machine is making little grunting noises.

Only problem is, I have to go to the store! I hate to leave the place with the computer on, but I guess I'll have to, this time. Does scanning film really take so long?

[Eireann]

Scanning doesn't work. The preview works, but it won't scan. I hope HP can give me an answer.

[Eireann]

HP gave me an answer:

"It seems your device has exceeded its warranty period..."

Right.

[lordlundar]

so, it sounds like the PSC unit doesn't have fully compatible drivers. Can't say I'm surprised, as HP has a notoriously slow response on stuff that is fairly recent, and almost nonexistent with older stuff.

At this point, all I can recommend is replacing the current one with a Win7 compatible model.

[Eireann]

No, the drivers are okay. I downloaded the necessary software and installed it, and it finally works. It's just that it won't scan, and I hope I don't have to shell out even more money to buy ink that I don't need right now, because I don't want to print anything, just to use the scan function.

[lordlundar]

No, the drivers are supposed to give you full functionality of the device you are using, not just partial. If the drivers are not doing that, then they are not working right, and if HP hasn't fixed them by now, then they won't.

That said, if you're not doing a lot of printing, then the ink that comes with the new printer will last a while, so you won't need to worry about replacement cartridges for a while. If you're doing a lot of printing, then you might as well, instead of getting new cartridges the next time, just get a new PSC unit.

[Eireann]

I bought the machine used, which is why it's telling me off all the time about the ink being expired. I'll look into device drivers - I thought I'd downloaded all of them, but apparently, I haven't.

Stay tuned for further developments.

[Eireann]

Okay, update.

According to the installer, I have installed the software correctly.

HOWEVER.

I opened the software file, and clicked on EVERY FILE that was named "Windows Installer".

Just to make sure.

I got this message:

"The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing the package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is 2732."

This came up when I clicked on the following files:

HPSSupply
GPBase Service 2
AIO_CDB_Software Installer
SolutionCenter INstaller
Status Installer

I can't get the machine to do a damned thing - I turned it on, but it's just singing the same old song of Expired Ink.

What now? Is anyone out there willing to hook up to my computer and troubleshoot it?

[Eireann]

I just scanned a photo.

And I found this online: http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printer...2732/m-p/31321

I'm trying to scan some negs now. Nothing is showing up on the scanner window, though.

[Eireann]

The negs weren't scanning, and I couldn't cancel the scan, so eventually, I just turned off the scanner. Turned it back on not long ago to scan some photos...

And they won't scan. What in hell?

[Eireann]

OKAY.

I turned on the computer this morning, and received the cheery news that "your HP software has finished installing!"

This thing definitely has a mind of its own.

I discovered, also, that the scanner doesn't like high-resolution scanning. Nope, it doesn't like that at all. It likes low-res. It'll crank out a low-res seconds.

So I put it on the next-highest resolution and clicked "Preview".

It previewed.

I clicked "Scan".

It's scanning. It's taking its own damn time, but it's scanning.

How long do high-res scans usually take, anyway?

[Eireann]

Cutenoob, I hope you're still reading The Thread That Wouldn't Die!

I followed your instructions, and all went well until I tried to extend the C: drive. It won't extend. I've taken a screenshot to show you, but I don't think I can post it here (when I clicked on "Insert Image" a window popped up asking for the URL).

What now?

[Der Cute]

Got a photobucket acct?

Save that photo to photobucket, create post here, add image, paste url into the line that pops up...
and Voila we will have a piccy.

[Eireann]

No, no online photo accounts at all.

[Chromatix]

It's scanning. It's taking its own damn time, but it's scanning.

How long do high-res scans usually take, anyway?

It sounds like you're running on an old, slow USB port. There are now four speeds of USB:

v1.1 Low Speed, for keyboards, mice and the like.

v1.1 Full Speed, 12 Mbps, found on older computers and cheap hubs.

v2.0 High Speed, 480 Mbps, used by virtually all new equipment that can use the bandwidth.

v3.0 "It's gone to plaid!" Speed, dunno what it actually is but it's still rare and needs special cables and looks different.

In the days when USB v2.0 was not commonly available, I got myself a SCSI-based scanner. That was respectably fast - the head did not need to pause during the scan. The same goes for the USB v2.0 scanner I set up for my mother.

But if you're running on an old, slow USB port, there won't be enough bandwidth, so the scanner has to pause and wait for the data to get through.