ScanJets

[Tim Kozusko]

Has anyone managed to get an HP scanjet (mine is a 6200C) to work? I've had
this thing for a couple years now (W-98) and it always did the "scanner not
found" and I tried all the fixes on the HP site - short of messing around in
the directory which no one should have to do to run a scanner anyway.
So I just got a new computer just to run GIS and recording software and I
thought I'll give the scanner one more try. I downloaded the W-XP driver
and got the same damned thing. I downloaded and installed to "fix" as the
website said to and nothing. Is this just junk hardware or what? I paid
pretty decent money for this and it's never worked consistently - and HP
doesn't seem to care.
Anyone have any "silver bullets" that have worked or should I just junk this
thing?

[njbok]

> Has anyone managed to get an HP scanjet (mine is a 6200C) to work?

I have a ScanJet 4400c and Win98. I remember having all kinds of problems
getting it to work initially, but then I tried it on a USB port, and
everything worked ok then. I have to say that I don't really remember any of
the details of the installation problems, though. I've just left it on USB
since then.

[Ben Myers]

Tim,

Several things...

First, ScanJets are respectable pieces of hardware. At least the SCSI ones are
in my expereince. HP's software for Scanjets generally stinks. Do not
misunderstand this statement. Once the software is installed and running, it
works fine. GETTING the software installed is the real problem. I think that
the ScanJet install software was written by 1000 monkeys at 1000 keyboards. The
install software regularly fails, does not tell you why, and leaves a bunch of
garbage behind in the Windows registry (also written by Microsoft 1000 monkeys
at 1000 keyboards) to inhibit any subsequent reinstallation. (HP's recent
attempts at doing the LaserJet install software are equally lame, poorly
designed and poorly tested.)

Next, to use any SCSI scanner on Windows XP, you must have a PCI SCSI adapter.
If you are trying to install with an ISA SCSI adapter, that would explain the
difficulty you are having. Frankly, the el cheapo HP ISA SCSI adapter never was
worth a damn, anyway. I've always installed HP SCSI scanners attached to
Adaptec 29xx narrow SCSI adapters.

Next, with either computer, you probably need to use REGEDIT to delete all the
ScanJet-related entries before trying to install again. I have no direct
experience with HP SCSI scanners and XP, so I can't suggest anything more
concrete.

Despite my anti-HP screed above, I still use an old ScanJet 2c, use it well, and
use it often. It is a tank... Ben Myers

On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 01:27:35 GMT, "Tim Kozusko" <timkozxx@cfl.rr.com> wrote:
Has anyone managed to get an HP scanjet (mine is a 6200C) to work? I've hadthis thing for a couple years now (W-98) and it always did the "scanner notfound" and I tried all the fixes on the HP site - short of messing around inthe directory which no one should have to do to run a scanner anyway.So I just got a new computer just to run GIS and recording software and Ithought I'll give the scanner one more try. I downloaded the W-XP driverand got the same damned thing. I downloaded and installed to "fix" as thewebsite said to and nothing. Is this just junk hardware or what? I paidpretty decent money for this and it's never worked consistently - and HPdoesn't seem to care.Anyone have any "silver bullets" that have worked or should I just junk thisthing?

[ZAussieblue]

My 3200C has always worked perfectly. I assume you have turned
the shipping switch off.

--
Regards
Blue

Remove Z from email address to reply directly.

[Tim Kozusko]

ZAussieblue <zaussieblue@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:3f001ebc$0$762$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au... My 3200C has always worked perfectly. I assume you have turned the shipping switch off.

Yep. I'm running it USB too. I'm wondering if it would be worth trying it
SCSI...

[Ben Myers]

Tim,

The somewhat standard procedure for installing USB devices is to install
software first, then power down, plug in the new device, and pray that the
system will detect it and install the drivers.

I'll be darned if I can remember the "right" way to install a SCSI scanner, if
there is such a thing.

When all else fails, follow the manufacturer's instructions. And pray a lot to
the Microsoft gods... Ben Myers

On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 13:03:40 GMT, "Tim Kozusko" <timkozxx@cfl.rr.com> wrote:
ZAussieblue <zaussieblue@optusnet.com.au> wrote in messagenews:3f001ebc$0$762$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au... My 3200C has always worked perfectly. I assume you have turned the shipping switch off.Yep. I'm running it USB too. I'm wondering if it would be worth trying itSCSI...

[Tim Kozusko]

OK, now I'm really confused. After I just sent that I thought I'll try it
the backwards way on the W-XP computer, loading the hardware and letting the
computer find it and then installing the software. Well, the computer found
it and it works without installing the driver. Apparently there's already a
driver for a scanner (it's an HP computer).
I guess this is a case of "if it works don't ask questions"?

[Ben Myers]

"if it works don't ask questions". Yes! That's often the way it is with HP's
software... Ben Myers

On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 16:16:41 GMT, "Tim Kozusko" <timkozxx@cfl.rr.com> wrote:
OK, now I'm really confused. After I just sent that I thought I'll try itthe backwards way on the W-XP computer, loading the hardware and letting thecomputer find it and then installing the software. Well, the computer foundit and it works without installing the driver. Apparently there's already adriver for a scanner (it's an HP computer).I guess this is a case of "if it works don't ask questions"?

[njbok]

I guess this is a case of "if it works don't ask questions"?

Heh, heh,...........That's just the way I felt when mine started working.
Congratulations Tim!

[Quaoar]

Tim Kozusko wrote: OK, now I'm really confused. After I just sent that I thought I'll try it the backwards way on the W-XP computer, loading the hardware and letting the computer find it and then installing the software. Well, the computer found it and it works without installing the driver. Apparently there's already a driver for a scanner (it's an HP computer). I guess this is a case of "if it works don't ask questions"?

Connecting the hardware, and letting XP invoke the add hardware wizard
is frought with potential death traps. The wizard will poll the device
and determine its name, leading one to believe that XP has the driver.
The wizard will take the installation to completion in many cases.
That's when the problems start, because XP simply picks a driver that is
unrelated to the device. Even browsing for the drivers will usually
result in a failed installation.

The only time it is really safe to just plug in a device, or install a
hardware card, is if the user has taken responsibility and consulted the
XP hardware compatibility site and determined that XP actually has a
driver for the device. Notably, HP is about the worst equipment to
install with simple plug and play, because there is such a large
inventory of unsuitable drivers resident in XP for the add hardware
wizard to toy with.

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/search.mspx

Q

[Ben Myers]

Computer and scanner both HP is sheer serendipity unless HP manages to doctor up
the standard Windows XP by adding its scanner drivers to the stuff loaded onto
its new systems. I'd rather place my bets on the notion that HP convinced
Micro$oft to include scanner drivers on the standard XP CD. How did they
convince MicroBloat? By buying a larger quota of space on the CD, of course.
Same for the various LaserJet printer drivers and stunted brain-dead generic
DeskJet drivers on the XP CD... Ben Myers

On Wed, 02 Jul 2003 23:31:59 GMT, "Tim Kozusko" <timkozxx@cfl.rr.com> wrote:
Quaoar <jwglasspeAT@comcastDOT.net> wrote in messagenews:IJmdnXOl3dRacJ-iU-KYgw@comcast.com... Tim Kozusko wrote: OK, now I'm really confused. After I just sent that I thought I'll try it the backwards way on the W-XP computer, loading the hardware and letting the computer find it and then installing the software. Well, the computer found it and it works without installing the driver. Apparently there's already a driver for a scanner (it's an HP computer). I guess this is a case of "if it works don't ask questions"? Connecting the hardware, and letting XP invoke the add hardware wizard is frought with potential death traps. The wizard will poll the device and determine its name, leading one to believe that XP has the driver. The wizard will take the installation to completion in many cases. That's when the problems start, because XP simply picks a driver that is unrelated to the device. Even browsing for the drivers will usually result in a failed installation. The only time it is really safe to just plug in a device, or install a hardware card, is if the user has taken responsibility and consulted the XP hardware compatibility site and determined that XP actually has a driver for the device. Notably, HP is about the worst equipment to install with simple plug and play, because there is such a large inventory of unsuitable drivers resident in XP for the add hardware wizard to toy with. http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/search.mspx QNow he tells me:)Seems to work OK. Since the computer and scanner are both HP I guess it'sOK.

[GMAN]

In article <3f037d82.31263853@news.charter.net>, ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net wrote:Computer and scanner both HP is sheer serendipity unless HP manages to doctor upthe standard Windows XP by adding its scanner drivers to the stuff loaded ontoits new systems. I'd rather place my bets on the notion that HP convincedMicro$oft to include scanner drivers on the standard XP CD. How did theyconvince MicroBloat? By buying a larger quota of space on the CD, of course.Same for the various LaserJet printer drivers and stunted brain-dead genericDeskJet drivers on the XP CD... Ben Myers

Yup, my old 3C had built in drivers in XP Pro