Scanner and camera wizard stopped working

Question

From one day to the next, my Microsoft Scanner and Camera Wizard stopped working. I have searched the forums and Google and done everything that's been recommended, none of which has helped. These recommended things include:

Downloading and running the Microsoft Autoplay Repair Wizard
Doing a System Restore to last Friday, since the wizard was working fine on Saturday
Manually opening the Scanner and Camera Wizard (it tells me "The computer cannot detect the scanner or camera")
Restarting the computer
Using a different USB port
Looking for the camera in My Computer (it still doesn't appear there)

Anyone have any other ideas? I have no way to get my pictures off my camera unless I can get the wizard working again. I tried the camera on a friend's computer, and it worked fine, so it seems to be a problem with just the wizard on my computer, not the camera too.

dbramlet · Answer

Have you tried uninstalling the software and then doing a fresh install? Have you checked something else in the USB ports to see if they are working? Maybe try a mouse or something to make sure they work. Sounds like that is the problem.

RoHe · Answer

Sounds like a USB problem. You can try the generic USB fix. Disconnect all USB devices except mouse and keyboard. Reboot. Open Device Manager and expand the list under USB. Right-click and uninstall every USB entry. Exit Device Manager and reboot. XP should reinstall the USB ports. Try connecting just one USB device.

It may be that your collection of USB devices is drawing too much power from the USB ports and that causes them to stop working. If connecting one (in addition to mouse and keyboard) works, try 2. If it fails, then that's an indication you need to use an external USB hub that has it's own power source.

Ron

fuzzypeach · Answer

When you say to uninstall the software, dbramlet, do you mean the Canon camera software? The thing is that the Canon software still works fine. It's just that neither the Canon software nor the Microsoft Scanner and Camera Wizard can detect the camera. The mouse works in the USB ports, so it's not a problem with any of the ports.

fuzzypeach · Answer

RoHe,

I did exactly like you said. The computer reinstalled the USB ports on restart. I plugged in the mouse and it worked. I unplugged the mouse and plugged in the camera. It came up with the little yellow balloon that said “Found New Hardware Digital Still Camera.” Then “Found New Hardware Canon Digital Camera.” But when I manually started the Scanner and Camera Wizard, it couldn’t find the camera, and it didn’t appear in My Computer.

I also got out my USB hub from the closet and tried that. After it said “Your new hardware is installed and ready to use,” it found the mouse and the camera that were plugged into the hub. But again, the wizard could not detect the camera.

dbramlet · Answer

Yes, I meant uninstall the cannon software and once it's all gone reboot and follow the exact instructions as when you got the camera. It appears your USB ports are working fine and maybe the reinstallation of the camera and software will allow it to be installed properly. When you got the message that new hardware was found for the scanner and camera my concern is that most scanners and or camera's have their own USB driver to install so just sometimes when one uninstalls then does a new install of software following the proper way for installation by the instructions it will work. If you prefer not to go that route then not sure what else you can try. The way these stopped working and were working seems maybe something is corrupt in the software. But if you have a firewall running be sure these items are approved for startup. Now, you also need to have a scanner power on with the computer to get it loaded so maybe shutdown and have the scanner hooked up and then bootup and see if it will work.

fuzzypeach · Answer

Well, I uninstalled all the Canon software I had on my computer. I restarted, then reinstalled the software. No change at all. I checked the firewall and it's fine. Any other ideas?

RoHe · Answer

If camera and scanner were connected during the software uninstall and reinstall, then do another system restore using the same restore point that you used just before it found the new hardware.

With camera and scanner disconnected, uninstall the software. Reboot, disable antiviral software, and reinstall the software. Reboot again. Now connect one device at a time.

Ron

fuzzypeach · Answer

My new printer arrived today, and after installing the software and drivers, I had another go at the camera. This time it worked. So maybe the printer installation process kicked the camera wizard back into gear. Anyway, it works now. Thanks for the advice and input!

RoHe · Answer

Glad you got it going again, but I'll never understand things Microsoft. :) Ron

Windows General

Scanner and camera wizard stopped working

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