Dell 968 AIO OCR Software missing

s6mbl,

Since you do not have the printer disk, you'll have to download an OCR Program from the internet. I think Simple OCR should work nicely for you.

Rick

Thanks Rick - that works perfectly now.

s6mbl,

Glad you got it working! :emotion-21: Thanks for posting back.

Take care,

Rick

Hi Rick,

I have a similar problem to that reported by s6mbl and would appreciate your help because the solution did not work for me.

I have a 968 AIO purchased in 2008 which I originally used with a Dimension PC and all functions worked fine.

I recently changed to a Vostro running Win 7 32 bit Pro. Like s6mbl my 968 installation disc has gone missing so I downloaded R241344 and ran this. It installed in a Program Files directory Dell 968 AIO Printer. A check using the setup program said it was installed correctly. I have the AIO Center on my desktop.

I successfully scanned an image to Paint. Later I tried to scan to Word and got the “OCR missing” error message.

After finding this thread I ran the Simple OCR install file and this is also in its own directory in the Program Files directory. It also has its own shortcut on the desktop and on clicking it the welcome screen opens. As far as I can tell the OCR apps install is OK.

Unfortunately when I again tried to scan to Word I got the same  “OCR missing” error message.

Having had another rummage around but cannot see the solution. Hope you can help.

TIA, C

 castlemore,

Been fortunate enough not to have to use Simple OCR for a while. Did you try opening Simple OCR?

Did you add Word to the list of applications to send scans to? Update list of applications to send scans to

Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit? What drivers did you install and how?

Rick

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

In answer to your questions:

1)    I have now used Simple OCR and I have to say that it is simple! Once the 968 is selected as the scan source, I can get a scan from the 968 but driven from Simple OCR. I can then run the OCR process, edit the results and save in an MS Word file.

2)    MS Word is pre-selected in my AIO Center

3)    Win 7 32 bit. I obtained the driver from Dell Support. I quoted my Service Tag # and R241344 was the only option offered. I saved the file and ran the executable from my PC.

The route to Advanced Settings is slightly different to that in the link that you sent me – there is a button labelled Advanced under a heading Select Scan Quality in the right hand half of the AIO Center screen.

What I have discovered is that the default for Scan to MS Word is to use OCR – there is a check box on the Advanced screen that is always set if any of the four standard source settings are selected. The AIO Center would seem to be set to look for OCR software in a particular location, which it would be if the 968 install CD had been used. It seems the Center does not look for any other OCR software that may be on the system and I cannot see any way to point it to other OCR software.

However if I select MS Word and open Advanced Settings, I can uncheck the OCR box and then scan an image to MS Word. This works fine.

So, I can now scan an image to MS Word from the AIO Center and I can scan a document for OCR processing from Simple OCR.

I would have preferred to be able to do it all from within the AIO Center and to be able to download all the install disc content, including the OCR software.

But thanks very much for your help - C

 castlemore,

It was explained to me a few years back, because of royalties, the OCR Program and some other items cannot be offered for installation through a download. You get them on the Printer disk and if the disk is lost, then you don't have the program.

You can try to install THIS(trial version) and maybe the trial version will install the OCR program. If it doesn't work, at least I managed to offer you a way to use the scanner on your printer.

Take care,

Rick 

Hi Rick,

Yes, I can see the commercial angle.

Thanks also for the ABBYY link. I opened up the link but the trial is for 15 days only. So I did not take it. But thanks anyway for your efforts. For now, I am content with my workable, if not very elegant solution. You can be content that without your interaction I would not have found this solution.

My takeaways from this experience?

1) take care of your installations discs!

2)even more impressed with the depth of Dell support - that's coming from someone who has been single sourced Dell for nearly 20 years!

Best regards,

C

castlemore,

I don't work for Dell. I just enjoy helping others.

My favorite words are...

FREE and Thank you.

Rick

Hi Rick,

Sorry, this is my first time on Dell Community.

In that case an even bigger THANK YOU

C

castlemore,

Helping others is what it's all about.

Take care,

Rick