redyns1120,

Disconnect the printer and run the patch, it may or may not work. Then Manual Printer Driver Removal and restart your computer. Try installing the Vista drivers in the compatibility mode.

Please follow the instructions below and then tell me what happens.

First, let's make sure your computer has the latest Windows Updates, especially .net framework, needed to run many applications and the latest Java.

Disconnect your printer. Download and run this patch to completely remove the printer from your computer. Rin the patch until it prompts you to restart your computer. The patch MUST be run on Vista machines.

Restart your computer.

Download the proper drivers.

XP Drivers

Vista 32-bit Drivers

Vista 64-bit Drivers

All other drivers

Right click on the setup.exe file, left click properties, left click compatibility. Change the compatibility to Vista. Then install the proper drivers. You'll be prompted when to connect the printer(powered on)

***To install drivers, sometimes the file unzips and does nothing. You have to look for the setup.exe file, right click on it, then left click run as administrator***

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.

Scanning

Scanning using USB connection, open the Dell All-In-One Center, click on scanning and copying and scan from there.

Scanning wirelessly, use the scan buttons on the printer.

Rick

I have done all of the things that you mentioned, as I had seen the same post on his board when someone else was having a similar problem.  The printer is clearly connecting to the computer as the scanner function works.  Any other suggestions???

Correction: just did the same thing twice more, and this time I selected "Vista service pack 3" and followed the steps and for some reason now it works.

Thanks for your help!!!!!!!!!

redyns1120,

When I installed my printer, I used Vista SP2 compatibility mode and got mine working.

Glad you got it working. Thanks for posting back.

Take care,

Rick

I keep trying to download the Vista 64 bit driver, and it doesn't download - the file that does into the download window says it's only about 9K, and the driver is supposed to be 55MB. I have tried numerous times, and it downloads the same way over and over. I can't, therefore, get my 944 to work with my new Vostra 1520 notebook.

asmbooth,

You're having issues with the Dell Download manager. Here's what you need to do.

To use the Dell download manager you must have the Windows .net framework installed (use Windows update).  Though it's not made clear by Dell, you DO NOT need the manager.  Go into your browser settings and delete all Dell cookies (or clear all your browser cache).  Then go back and choose "download using my browser" when you select the file for download.  You will then not need the Dell download manager at all.

Also try using the instructions located at...

944 All-In-One Printer owners thread (W7)

Rick

Just found this reply to my earlier post from last year- followed your instructions and it worked!! YOU ROCK!!!!:emotion-2: 

thank you so much!!!

@ Rick, aka, PudgyOne, I've never posted to a forum before, so I apologize in advance is there is an issue.

While I realize this is an older thread, I too want to thank you for taking YOUR time to post this work around for the benefit of the rest of us not as knowledgeable to be able to figure this out on our own.

After supplementing my 4-yr old Windows XP Dell laptop with a new Windows 7 Dell desktop, imagine my surprise & dismay when my DELL printer would not install. :emotion-39:  It never crossed my mind that printer drivers would be an issue. Come on Dell, get with it!!   It was the only hardware to experience an issue. With your guidance my Dell 944 AIO is now working.

Thanks again for taking the time to post this for the benefit of others.  You are an:  :emotion-13:

 seaforddi,

Glad you got it working! :emotion-21: Thanks for posting back. I experimented with my Dell 964 Printer and found that installing the printer in the Compatibility mode with Vista drivers worked really great. Dell has a list of printers that are not compatible with Windows 7 and I have narrowed the list down but people still believe their Dell printer is ot campatible.

Take care,

Rick

Hello,

I've found your instructions very helpful, but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind offering some more insight.

I'm running win7x64, and unfortunately plugged in the printer before I read these instructions.  So after reading said instructions, unplugging the printer, deleting it from Devices and Printers and then running the removal tool, I'm still having trouble.

After all that, I start Setup as Admin, wait for the part where it asks for the printer to be plugged in, then plug it in.  But windows still uses the old data it has stored away somewhere for the printer, plops it in the "Unspecified" part  of Devices and Printers, and the wizard can't see it.

Consequently, the wizard can't continue, and says the installation failed.

Any suggestions would be very helpful, and I'm not too worried about the scanner, just the printer... so if I could get the drivers for the printer and install them sans-wizard, that should work...

Thanks!

~C