just bought a cannon lide usb scanner. it installed all right on my xp home system but when trying to scan, the operation is halted with a error massage that the computer couldn't access the scanner, to check the cable and that the driver was closed. it also disabled my usb mouse.
i tried with only the scanner on the usb but got the same error massage.
i replaced my c drive with a spare 4gig drive that i fomatted and installed win 98 on and the scanner worked fine.
cannon support said i should format my hd and make a clean install of the xp (it's easy for them to say that, but i want to avoid it if possible)
the scanner worked ok with another xp machine at the dealer's.
any idea what can be done?
TIA, david

Check Device Manager for an IRQ conflict between the scanner and the mouse.

Maybe a silly question - but is the scanner self-powered and if so is it powered up OK.

the scanner is powered by the usb. when connected or when the system is started you can hear it work. and as mentioned, it works fine in the same machine with a different os.(win 98).
driverwise, i used the driver delete utility and the 'latest driver' from the cannon website, but even though the error massage is different, the problem is the same: no scan and mouse freeze. since i am not familiar with no-mouse operation i am not shure the system is ok then. i restart it from the start button.
TIA david

Before biting the bullet and doing a clean XP install, start in Safe mode, uninstall the scanner software, open Device Manager and remove the scanner, restart, let Windows recognize the scanner, and reinstall its software using the driver supplied on the CD.

Along the same lines - but - usb device drivers are generally best installed prior to connecting the devices to the pc. Check this for sure with the manufacturer. That being the case - remove everything as suggested but reinstall the correct software - and then connect the device and follow any "found new hardware" prompts as required.

Mal-installed usb software can "stick" and be hard to correct if the sequence was incorrect in the first place.

This doesn't apply to devices that identify themselves as HID devices and for which the OS (as long as it supports USB) will already have the drivers. Scanners are not HID devices so this doesnt apply to them.

i tried uninstallation and installation of 3 different drivers, one from the disk and two from cannon websites, both in normal mode and safe mode- nothing helped. it's interesting though, that when i try to scan in safe mode, i get an error massage as soon as i click on 'aquire', it says there is no comunication between computer and scanner and when i click ok there is a massage that says that there is a twain error. i never scannwd in safe mode. maybe scanning is not working in safe mode.
thanks for the helo so far, david

Originally posted by valver
i twhen i try to scan in safe mode, i get an error massage as soon as i click on 'aquire', it says there is no comunication between computer and scanner and when i click ok there is a massage that says that there is a twain error.


Safe mode loads the absolute minimum of drivers and programs necessary to enable Windows to run, so the twain program would not be loaded. That would explain the error message.

As far as the scanner is concerned, the possibilities seem to have been covered, with one exception. This is a USB powered scanner. What other items are running on USB, and what is the combined load? What is the maximum power output of your USB ports? Its' possible that there is an overload here.


Dave

i tried it with all other usb components (mouse printer and a cable modem) disconnected. i tried it also on the powered hub, all with the same result, (and it did scan ok on win 98 with everything connected)
david

While looking for something else, I came across quite a good reference regarding "CleanUp of Device Manager in Safe Mode" and with special refernce to USB at http://www.zensupport.co.uk/ADSL/USB/default.asp?URL=t_clean

It is aimed at Win98 and ADSL but the same principles should apply.

thank you all for your help.
after trying many posibilities (during which i probably restarted my machine over 20 times...), and after additional problems (like 'no responce' from word), i formatted my c drive and reinstalled win xp. the scanner works fine now.
thanks again.
david