I was unsure which category this question fitted into.

My daughter has just replaced her Del Optiplex GX 260 PC.

She wishes to use the Tiny (make) scanner that came packaged with it, but has no separate driver for it. There is no model info on the scanner except the name 'tiny'. As she has a single 'Restore' CD for the old Del PC, it occured to me that the scanner driver must be on it somewhere.

How do you locate it?

Hi Mike:

Perhaps this will help:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=%22drivers%22


:cool:

This is off the top of my head, so don't take the path as being set in stone.
In windows, put the recovery cd in. You can prevent it autoplaying by holding down the left SHIFT key.
Once it's in, go into windows explorer, and find the disk (usually the 'D' drive) - you expand the folders, and look for a folder with the name of the operating system on it, the name of the device (in this case scanner), an 'accessories' folder, or a USB or Drivers folder.
take a look through the folders until you see one which may be applicable - there is nearly always a 'readme' file tucked inside the appropriate folder. Have a look at any readme files to see if they do relate to the software required for the scanner.

One thing here - I'm assuming that the scanner would work at all.
I have a Tiny scanner which came with my old system (running win 98)
This, and many other scanners will NOT function with XP, no matter how you try to coax them. I can find no drivers for my scanner to allow XP to use it.
If you are using XP, and you cannot find appropriate drivers, you could do the following:
Set a system restore point - just in case things went haywire (shouldn't affect things, but it is M$ we're talking about!)
Plug the scanner into the appropriate port (you didn't say whether it was parallel or USB) and see if XP will swallow it. If it is on XP's 'happy to play' (well actually the 'compatibility) list, XP will happily run it without the need for external drivers. If if throws up an error message, then you'll need to go through the disk again, or do a search using the serial number of the scanner if available.

Of course, someone with direct experience of this setupcould come along and give you better advice:D

edit..........
sheesh!! someone jumps in while I'm typing:D
Was just going to paste this link for drivers http://www.driverguide.com/

Insert the Dell restore CD in the new system, open Explorer, right click on the drive in which the CD is inserted, click Explore, and look around for a specific driver folder for the scanner that's compatible with the new system's O/S.
If it's there, then see if it has a setup.exe file in it.
If so, then you may be able to install the scanner's drivers onto the new system.

If no luck with that, then go to the Dell site, enter the service tag number from the GX 260, and check for a driver for the scanner.

If there's no driver available for it, then Dell may list the scanner's make and model if it was supplied by them.
If so, then see if the manuf's website has a driver for it.
If Dell does not have the scanner's data and you still have the GX 260, then connect the scanner to it, d/l Everest from the below link to the new system, burn it to a CD, and load and install it on the GX 260.
It should give the make and model of the scanner.
http://www.lavalys.com/index.php?page=product&view=1&subpage=5

deddard,
You beat me to the punch.

Donn: That Google search yielded nearly 40 million references!
You can spend ages on these sites, even if you have a model number. Then, just as you think you're going to download a file in one click, you get asked for a whole load or 'Registration' details. Good try!

deddard: Both Systems are Windows 98SE, so no problems there. I think her Scanner is USB.


ski: Re: Dell's website, I believe you also have to 'Register' before you can get into the Tech Support page/s. I tried Dell's site and entered in the GX 260 service tag number, it couldn't find it in the Database. So I proceeded (as per instructions) without the number - just kept going round and round in circles and ending up on the same page again!
A good idea regarding Everest; the snag is, the Dell is not connected. In fact it's waiting for a 'buyer' to collect it. But we'll try the recovery disc in the meantime.

Go ahead and register with Dell and let us know how you make out. I'm registered with them, no big deal... needed something awhile back for a Dell Optiplex GXA. Found their site helpful and I found everything I needed, including pdf manual.

Fruss Tray Ted:

Hi. I did get into Dell's site, but it occured to me that the scanner is most probably not connected with them at all. The retailer obviously took individual components from different manufacturers and sold them as a package.

My first PC came from PC World here in the UK, and came bundled with Corel WordPerfect software. Being bundled with a non-Corel CD-ROM meant that Corel did not offer any support for it.

Returning to Dell, I can't remember where my daughter bought this PC from, but the first move is to ascertain exactly which model of Scanner she's got. It's unusual that she could not see a label (missing?) or identification plate anywhere.

There's drivers out there, your daughter just needs to open her eyes and find the model number. The second and third hit at Google (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Tiny+scanner&btnG=Google+Search)
shows there is for 2 different ones, one from Driverguide.com where I've found many drivers but sometimes the manufacturers site has them too.

She should find something to this effect: FU318D or similarly worded model.

AFAIK, these "tiny" scanners are rebadged Visioneer models.

While there are some drivera available at the makers website, they insist on your purchasing the whole of the paperport program to get them!
The problem is that the model number on the scanner, such as FU318D, cannot be related to the scanner model number as given by the handbook/website.

And their tech support leaves something ( read everything!) to be desired. I know, I've tried.

david eaton: I found a posting (via Google) on another forum. A guy was saying that the Tiny scanner, model FU318D is (was) made by Primax, and also sold as 'Colorado 9600'.

Tiny do like to make things difficult don't they?
I've had problems finding stuff for their notebooks and all sorts.

It can be pretty tough trying to find out if things are compatible, but here's the M$ link to their compatibility site.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/catalog/default.aspx?subid=21&xslt=hardware&pgn=97aad4f8-31e0-4add-a5e7-6e2cf8e82df7&title=hardware

Another thing you could try, if the scanner is USB, is simply plugging it into the system. XP should detect and identify the scanner, even if it can't load the drivers - this should give you some information on where to start looking (manufacturer/model etc)

deddard: (and others) she's finally done it. She went into Add New Harware, then it took ages pointing to the exact location on the CD to extract the file.

Going off topic now, in conversation she mentioned that she always shuts down her PC by turning off the power switch. I put her right by saying "NEVER do that, always use the Windows Shutdown." It then transpired that neither her new (or old PC) had 'Reset' buttons. I thought all PCs had them - no?
I have found this function very useful when a PC locks up completely, including the Start menu. It saves using resorting to the 'forbidden' mains power switch.

Can anyone enlighten me as to exactly what electrical function 'Reset' does.

The reset button simply switches the system immediately - the hard-switch on all PCs often have a delay built into them (3 seconds or so) which means that the system will ignore short-presses when powered up.
This isn't always the case, and they sometimes function in the same way that the reset switch does - it doesn't have a delay, it just kills the power and applies it again. This is (in simple electronic terms) the equivalent of having a monostable multivibrator with reset (-it's stable when it's on, but shorting out the transistor will reset the switch by allowing the charge to leak to earth for as long as the switch is pressed)

You're dead right - using the switch is a step towards PC suicide - all sorts of problems can occur.

See if your daughter can find a copy of a registry doctor (these can sometimes be found on cover-mounted magazine disks) that perform similar functions to Norton Windoctor or Registry mechanic - this should clear up a few problems that may have occurred due to the hard-switching. It isn't vital, but it's good to have this sort of stuff around.