PROBLEM WITH SCANNING FROM MY DELL PHOTO ALL-IN-ONE PRINTER #966

 elaine898,

If you used the instructions that I stated in  the other thread,  then you'll need to install the OCR Program to scan.

Since I do not know if your connected with the USB Cable or using the wireless card, that information can also be helpful.

As for scanning, if you have the disk that came with the printer, then insert the Printer disk and stop it from running. Go to My Computer and double click on it. Look for the drive with the Dell disk in it. Right click on it, left click explore. Look for the OCR Folder. In the OCR Folder, there is an Abbyy Folder. right click on setup.exe, that's in the Abbyy Folder and left click run as administrator. This will install the OCR program.

Or

Try Simple OCR

Also try reading...

Update list of applications to send scans to

Rick

you will have to check your firewall settings as well ( like mcafee or norton ) all you got to do is go in to program permissions and grant access to printer related files manually from program files folder, also if any printer files are blocked then they need to be granted access manuallu only then it will work

Thanks for your response!  However, I've already handled the OCR issue, still can't scan.  In fact, after I did EVERYTHING I described in my original post, and even purchased a new USB cable (that's how I connect my printer to my computer, it still won't work!  When I try to print, the mesage that appears on my computer screen says the following:  "Communication Not Available.  The printer cannot communicate with the computer"  I tried all the solutions listed, and cannot print.  As I mentioned with scanning, I still get the message that the list of applications cannot be downloaded from the computer to the printer.  Therefore, I can neither print nor scan, and I'm really frustrated!  I've turned off the printer and the computer, started one and then the other numerous times, and still no luck!

OCR software's got nothing to do at this point of time and it doesnt makes any sense to me at all OCR comes into picture only if you wat to edit the scanned document but in this case the scan is not happening at all 

First of all please try to make a copy and see whether if that works or not and if that works like i told you in my other thread you would have to configure your firewall ( mcafee or norton ) only then you can print or scan 

Hello, Rick:

First, I really appreciate your help in the ongoing saga of my Dell AIO #966 printer problem.  I seemed to have solved it, with one NOTABLE EXCEPTION!!  After using the Dell Printer clean-up utility, then downloading and installing the Vista 32-bit drivers and then re-starting the computer, everything (both printing and scanning) wworked great.....until I turned off the computer and printer for the night.  When I restarted everything the next day, ONCE AGAIN, I could not print or scan, because a messageappeared stating "Communication not available - The printer cannot communicate with the computer."  I followed all the instructions (disconnecting adn reconnecting the power cable, the same for the USB cable, etc., etc.) and it still wouldn't work.  I then actually purchased a new USB cable (!!), and still no success.  ANY SOLUTIONS AT ALL?

elaine898,

When you shutdown your computer, are you doing it like this?

Start, shutdown the computer?

Those sounds like the systems like going to sleep or hibernate. Try these tweaks...

Go to device manager(right click my computer, left click properties, left click hardware, left click device manager)

Go to the USB Controller section and click the + sign.

Go to each USB Root Hub and right click on it, left click properties, left click power management. Uncheck the box, allow computer to turn off this device to save power.

Restart your computer.

--------------------------------------

Go to device manager(right click my computer, left click properties, left click hardware, left click device manager). Click on Network and then right click on your wireless adapter, left click properties, power management. Uncheck the box, allow computer to turn off this device to save power.

Rick

Hello again, Rick:

First, I ALWAYS shut down my computer by clicking on Start, then selecting shut down.  Also, I followed the steps you suggested, and found 7 USB Root Hubs, and found that all the boxes that you indicated were ALREADY unchecked.  Still, I restarted the computer, and although my printer worked fine in both scan, copy and print modes, when I turned it off for the night again, and restarted in the normal fashion the next morning, the computer no longer recognized my printer, and I once again saw the message indicating that the computer and printer were not communicating!!!  I'm SO VERY FRUSTRATED!!  Is it possible that I have a virus?  My McAfee virus scan program is ALWAYS operative, but I'm still wondering if that could be my problem.  Also, could it be that, when I restart the computer, the printer driver gets "hung up" in some way?  I don't know anything about this, but I do know that I've got to get this running!  Any help you could provide would be much appreciated!

elaine898,

Allowing Printer past McAfee

1. Open the McAfee Security Center and then click on the ‘Internet and Network’

2. To the right of ‘Internet and Network’ you would see all the services that are present under it, just below that you would have a button ‘Configure’ please click on that.

3. Now you would have the Internet and Network Configuration, in this window you would have an option ‘Firewall Protection in Enabled’ to the right of that you would have a downward arrow, click on that.

4. Then click on the ‘Advanced’ button which would have a new screen up.

5. To the left of that window you would have ‘System Services’ click on it and to the right pane of the window you would have the ports listed.

6. Please check the option which is for ‘Windows File Sharing’ then click on ‘Apply’ and then ‘Ok’

7. Restart the computer

Rick

lgillies,

What virus program and firewall are you using?

Did you try this tweak?

Start, control panel, device manager. Click on Network and then right click on your wireless adapter, left click properties, power management. Uncheck the box, allow computer to turn off this device to save power.

Rick

Yes I had already disabled that.  I am using windows security essentials.  I have only been able to get that to work once on this computer.  My son who also cannot get it to work is running vista home premium with avg anti virus.

lgillies,

Are you printer sharing?

Make sure the computers are all on the same WORKGROUP, XP defaults to MSHOME and Vista/Windows 7 are WORKGROUP

Share Files and Printers between Windows 7 and XP

File and Print Sharing in Vista (Thanks to mombodog)

Sharing a printer through a wireless network

Also read...

Allow Wireless Printer Blocked by AVG 8.0 Firewall

Allow Printer past Microsoft Essentials

Rick

I have tried all from your last post and went through all of the steps again from this post:  en.community.dell.com/.../19835321.aspx.  Still no luck.  I have only been able to get this laptop to connect once a few weeks ago and have never been successful other than that.  Is there anything else I can look at?  Not sure what to do at this point, I really need to get connected.

The one thing I did not do from the post is run the patch because it was for vista and I am running windows 7.  should I have run that patch anyway in compatibility?

lgillies,

You have to run Delete Print Jobs

Restart your computer.

Disconect the printer.

Download and run the patch(printer cleanup utility) until it prompts you to restart your computer.

Restart your computer. Make sure the printer is removed. Manual Printer Driver Removal

This gives you a clean start at installing the printer.

Virus programs and firewalls block communications.

Infected computers will not install the printer, also.

Rick