From the tone of your post, this is not where you want to post.  The people here are very knowledgeable and will help, if someone really wants it.

(I go back to before PC's and have been a help desk tech and manager and do PC support now, but I won't offer any assistance).

I did not mean to offend. I merely stated some facts. If you think you can help, I would appreciate your effort.

I have tried without success to reach Microsoft "techies," hoping they knew some way to find and delete the Microsoft driver.

Regards,

4ls

First, a misconception.  The Windows XP built in drivers were supplied to Microsoft by HP, not something Microsoft developed themselves.  HP did that for some devices that they would not be issuing full Windows XP drivers and it provides "basic functionality" for those devices.  On devices that they (finally) developed full XP drivers, the built in's were there to provide a stop gap "basic functionality" until they could get the full XP drivers issued.

As far as the old drivers coming back or overriding the newer drivers, I've never heard of that before.  I've installed new XP drivers on one of my own systems that had the built in's and never had a problem.  I've also installed several updated drivers for customers without problems.

However, the sequence of events converting from the built -in to the new may be an issue.  Using the built-in drivers, you should have the scanner powered on and operational.  Then uninstall (remove) the scanner, in the Control Panel/Scanners and Cameras (also check the Windows Device Manager and if it's showing up there uninstall it there too) and then physically disconnect it from the PC.  Restart Windows, install the new HP software but do not connect the scanner to the PC until the installation program tells you to.  See if this helps.

One Additional note.  Most older scanners will not be "WIA" (Windows Image Acquisition) compliant and the front panel scan controls on the scanner may not work - you'll have to use the scanner program to do whater scanning operation you need.  With Windows XP, Microsoft instituted a new interface standard and most older devices are not compliant.

Fireberd:

Thank you for your reasoned response.

Your observation is why I have had this nagging problem. Now, on to the second PC.

In my previous PC, I had developed a workaround that was consistent. It was the same routine every I wanted to use the scanner.

Here's that routine: Uninstall scanner driver in Device Mgr.; Unplug USB cable to system before boot-up for Step 1; Plugin USB cable after boot-up(System automatically loads the MS scanner driver.); Update the scanner driver in Device Mgr as follows: right-click on Imaging Devices; select "update driver;"select "install from a list. . ;"select "don't search. I will choose. . ;" select HP Scanjet 3300C;"click on Next. DO NOT REBOOT!

That would enable me to use the scanner until I shutdown the system. For the next time I wanted to use the scanner, I had to repeat that routine. Nothing has changed with the new PC except now I have one MS scanner driver to select from and four HP scanner drivers.(These additional drivers are probably due to my efforts to try downloading the software and driver  from HP and installing it on my system.

I have discovered that not all four of the HP scanner drivers will work. It requires the one with "usbscansys". That is why I can manipulate these drivers until I find the correct one. Also, I have discovered that I do not have to disconnect the USB cable. That does not seem to matter. I just have to "uninstall" "update" and follow that little routine I described above to make the scanner work.

As I stated originally, what I need is someone who knows Windows XP Home well enough to delete that MS scanner driver. Otherwise, it will be there for as long as I have this PC. . . .

What's worse. I cannot FIND these damned drivers with a Search operation. I have "display hidden files" enabled. If you or anyone else can tell me how to eliminate that cotton-pickin' driver, I can handle the problem from there.

Thanks again for your response.

4ls

From your description, the problem is you are connecting the scanner first.  When you connect the scanner first, it will automatically pickup the built in drivers and never "see" the HP drivers. 

As I mentioned, when you get ready to install the updated HP drivers, go through the uninstall routine I mentioned, including disconnecting the scanner. Then upon Windows restart, DO NOT connect the scanner first, install the HP software and when the HP installation program tells you then physically connect the scanner. 

Installing the software first and the device when the installation program tells you is the normal procedure in almost every case (actually every case I've run across).

Thanks, Fireberd:

I'll follow up on your suggestions.

In the interim(today) I discovered something that will alleviate my problem in the future. I do not know why I had not done this before.

Thanks for help.

This will be all from my end.

4ls