Problem with HP Scanjet 5200C

  • Thread starter Thread starter Carol
  • Start date Start date
C

Carol

I recently had to reinstall Windows 98 SE on my computer. When the
system came up almost everything worked, except for the scanner. When
I started the scanner software the message was "Failure to Communicate
with Scanner".

I uninstalled the software and reinstalled it. Same problem. I have
the scanner set up to use the parellel port because in the past I was
never able to get the USB connection to work. It had been working via
the parellel port for years. My printer is attached to the pass
through port on the scanner and works fine.

I checked all the cables and connections and they are secure. I
downloaded the latest software from the HP site and tried again. Same
problem.

I don't know much about SCSI controllers but when I look at Control
Panel/System/Device Manager, under SCSI there are two listed as "HP
EPST Parallel SCSI Adapter". One says the "device is working
properly" and the other says it's "not available". I don't know why
there are two listed but since I don't know what I'm doing I don't
want to remove anything. My printer is also an HP. Is that why there
are two listed?

My system has only one parellel port.

I need HELP!
 
Carol:

One problem that you have is that you have an HP scanner! (I am very
miffed at HP because I bought a $400 HP 5490 scanner almost two years
ago. And now the high resolution sensor has died. My last HP scanner
before that, a Scanjet 4P, lasted for six years, until I gave it to my
sister, which doesn't use it, so it still may work. That was the old
HP, and this is the new HP.). But, I am assuming that you wish to
keep your scanner.

First, I am assuming that you have a parallel port passthru on your
scanner (i.e. a cable goes from the PC to the scanner, then the
printer cable comes out of the scanner to the printer.

Can you print okay with this arrangement? If not, can you print okay
with just the printer connected directly to the PC? (not thru the
scanner)

If you can't print directly, I assume that your parallel port may be
turned off in bios, or the HW physically damaged. If you are
comfortable doing this, go into your computer's bios, and check to see
if the parallel port is enabled.

If you can print directly, but not thru the scanner, you still may
want to try to play with the bios mode for your parallel port, set it
to ECP, EPP, or any other choices. Otherwise, I would say the scanner
passthru circuitry is shot. (It is an HP, you know. Sorry. Very
miffed, as I mentioned).

If you can print to your printer using the passthru on the scanner, it
could be a driver problem.

To see if the driver is a problem, uninstall the scannner software.
Uninstall your printer software. Then go to START/SETTINGS/CONTROL
PANEL/SYSTEM/DEVICE MANAGER. Delete all SCSI devices (Unless you have
an actual SCSI controller and peripherals, such as hard drives, etc.,
then just delete the scanner), if they are still there (they shouldn't
be because you uninstalled the scanner software) Note: I believe the
reason that there are SCSI entries because your scanner has probably
got a parallel port to SCSI adapter. Or it may be that they are using
SCSI software simulation (they do this sometimes in Linux).

It would be best to freshly reinstall 98SE, download all patches, and
then reinstall the drivers for your printer and scanner first thing.
This is because you may have loaded some software that could be
intefereing with the drivers. But, if you don't, no big deal, just go
ahead and resintall the printer and scanner drivers.

After that, I am out of ideas.

I doubt that HP will provide you with any free support, and if they
do, you will be talking to someone in India that has taken "a job that
no American wants" from some American who is out of work and needs the
job. I won't do business with a company who does that, when I have a
choice. And there are other scanner manufacturers.

Post back here with what you find, please, to let me know what
happened. If you have any further questions, please post back here so
others can learn.

If you don't feel comfortable doing the work above, try and find a
competent local computer shop to do the work. But that will cost
money.

Otherwise, do like I am doing and go get you an Epson or Microtek
scanner, and forget HP.

Good luck.

The Nth Traveler
 
The_nth_Traveler said:
Carol:
Click to expand...

Go to HP's driver site and check for a recent update. That happened to
me and once installed I'm scanning a hundred or so a day again!

Hope that helps.

S
 
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