chazman said:
I recently moved my SB100 scanner from a Windows ME computer to an
early XP. After installing software, all 3 parts of the program
tell me I don't have a connection so it won't scan or print The
Device Manager and My Computer both indicate presence of a scanner
and I can scan & print by going through My Computer. WHAT GIVES?
Did you check the manufacturers web page for updated drivers and
software for Windows XP?
Updates not available since no internet availability on computer
in question.
I assumed XP was already an update of ME and would be able to
handle earlier tasks. And since it already exists on the
computer, why isn't it recognized?
Why would it be? You are talking about a device that Microsoft
has nothing to do with. Sutre - the company that made the device
might (*might*) provide drivers so that the device will work in
multiple operating systems (Microsoft Windows 9x, ME, 2000, 2003;
Linux; MacOS 9, X; etc..) - but Microsoft undoubtedly has nothing
to do with this device outside their scope of control.
Windows XP *is* an updated version of the Windows operating system
in reference to Windows ME (of course - a lot of things - even
older OSes, might be considered an upgrade from that OS. heh) -
but that does not mean it can recognize every device ever made to
connect to every computer in the world since and before the
previous OS it can replace (upgrade.) Also - you stated
originally you moved the external device from one system (with
Windows ME) to another system (with Windows XP) - so you did not
perform an in-place upgrade - allowing the Windows XP upgrade
process to tell you what was likely to work and not work before
you upgraded.
Is there internet available on any computer you have? Can you get
the driver/software on another system and burn it to CD, write it
to some external device and transfer it to the new computer?
The support for that product comes from the manufacturer of that
product - not Microsoft. Much like buying any third-party devices
to attach to anything.. If you buy new headlights for your vehicle
and they don't fit - it's not the automobile makers place to make
it work for you - but the manufacturer of the product you bought
(if the product was made to fit the make/model of the vehicle you
are attempting to use it on.)
I guess I really don't understand. I thought that the
software/drivers came with the product and adapted it to its
destination. I wouldn't think that manufacturers would continue to
update(drivers) since they then would not sell any new products
except the updates?
When you purchase a computer peripheral device - it tells you (usually) on
the box what OS (operating System) that device is made for and what drivers
are included (for Windows 95, 98, ME and XP) in the box. That box is
telling you that device will work with those operating systems - and the
manufacturer of said product has the choice - if a new OS comes out after
they release their product - or even if it existed before - whether it will
work with other operating systems or not.
Scanners are the prime example of a device that gets left in the cold all
the time when new operating systems come out.
Thousands of people have had to buy new scanners every time a new operating
system comes out and they choose to upgrade. It happened from Windows 95 to
Windows 98.. Again when people went to Windows ME.. And again when people
went to Windows XP. The manufacturers of the product decided they were not
going to write drivers to allow the older products to communicate with the
newer OS. It's a product life cycle - and thinking about it from that
standpoint makes perfect business sense.
Thinking of it from a consumer standpoint - it sucks. People buy a
product - that product still "functions" - just not if they want to upgrade
to the latest operating system. Then they begin to blame the operating
system for not supporting their product - when really - it was the product
manufacturer refusing to support the now defunct product. You can happily
buy a new device that will work from them however.
So - what you need to do is visit the web page of this device to see if it
is supported under Windows XP. If it is - download the drivers that allow
this. If not - well - time to buy a new product. =)
