HP Desktop Jet F4280 not scanning

[flipboi15]

hey guys, this isn't actually my all-in-one, its my dads but i am trying to help him fix it. First i will give you my dads computer information.

- HP Desktop Jet F4280
-Windows Vista (not sure if its home or whatever)
-Norton 2009
- He uses HP solution Center

Now my problem is that, he can scan, if he's lucky, parts of the pictures if it lets him, but almost all the time it actually stops before i could do anything, he told me that it worked fine before (not exactly sure how long before was) but now he can't even use the thing. he can make copies, print etc etc, he just cant scan. What ive tried to do is, turn off the firewall, turn off norton, and still a no go. When i push the scan button, the "scan window" would just freeze up and when i click it it would say "HP Cue Scan Flow Not Responding". Another error i get is a screen shot and it happens most of the time so it actually stops the scanner from scanning.

[IMG]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y268/flipboi15/desktopjet.jpg[/IMG]

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated for i am stuck, thanks.

[flipboi15]

help would be appreciated !

[flipboi15]

help pleasee

[kaninelupus]

Well the fact that it can copy (uses exactly the same hardware as scanner) makes me think a driver issue, as opposed to hardware fault. Have you tried downloading latest drivers from HP?

[flipboi15]

Well the fact that it can copy (uses exactly the same hardware as scanner) makes me think a driver issue, as opposed to hardware fault. Have you tried downloading latest drivers from HP?

they dont seem to have any drivers for the specific printer. They just have that HP total care thing, and ive tried different versions of it but still no dice.

[kaninelupus]

I know is a pre-packed driver-and-software package, but usually have the option to selectively install components. The other option, if you know how, is to try and break the installer down and extract the drivers you need. Seeing you even posted the same question on HP's own support forum with no response, can appreciate your frustration.

I'm still thinking software/driver issue. The fact that the device can print (showing memory caching functional) and can photo-copy (identical hardware to scanner in the AIO) looks to show a functional device.

Can you open up the device manager and check to see if there are any driver errors showing (look for a yellow triangle). Also, can you check and see if the scanner is listed as a separate entity?

It would be handy to know exactly when the scanner issues began... would be easier to try and tied to a specific event. I'm thinking one of two strong possibilities.

HP by default installs their own update client with EVERY bit of software they offer - is possible an update has been installed which is not 100% compatible with Vista. If this is the case, I'd be using something like CCleaner to FULLY remove both the printer software/drivers and the update manager and start from scratch using the original intaller on the disk. You know that worked so start there.

Or, remembering SP2 has recently been released for Vista, it may be that has broken compatibility. There you might be waiting for driver updates.... sorry.

Now have you tried performing a scan through an image editor as opposed to the "push button" method, or the HP scan tools? The reason I ask is that when Vista first hit the ground, I remember having similar issues with my own CanoScan (ironic, seeing as works perfectly under Win7 x64). Couldn't scan via scanner buttons or Canon's desktop utilities, but could import directly into Photoshop. May not be the neatest option, but if does prove to be an incompatibility with Vista SP2 (or prior Vista update), might get you through till HP offer an update.

[flipboi15]

Hi, thanks for the reply and thanks for taking the time to help me.

Can you open up the device manager and check to see if there are any driver errors showing (look for a yellow triangle). Also, can you check and see if the scanner is listed as a separate entity?

nope, theres no yellow triangle on anything.

It would be handy to know exactly when the scanner issues began... would be easier to try and tied to a specific event. I'm thinking one of two strong possibilities.

I was reading a thread and it said that Photoshop created a conflict or whatever with scanning, and i asked my dad if the scanner worked before he installed Photoshop and he said yes, but im not 100% sure if this is the reason, i uninstalled both Photoshop and the All-in-one but still no dice.

HP by default installs their own update client with EVERY bit of software they offer - is possible an update has been installed which is not 100% compatible with Vista. If this is the case, I'd be using something like CCleaner to FULLY remove both the printer software/drivers and the update manager and start from scratch using the original intaller on the disk. You know that worked so start there.

Ok, i used CCleaner to uninstall the printer software then i used the CD installation, but again, no luck!

Now have you tried performing a scan through an image editor as opposed to the "push button" method, or the HP scan tools? The reason I ask is that when Vista first hit the ground, I remember having similar issues with my own CanoScan (ironic, seeing as works perfectly under Win7 x64). Couldn't scan via scanner buttons or Canon's desktop utilities, but could import directly into Photoshop. May not be the neatest option, but if does prove to be an incompatibility with Vista SP2 (or prior Vista update), might get you through till HP offer an update.

I've tried both scanner button and using the software that came with the printer software install.

Thanks again for trying to help me, i hope my reply is useful!

[kaninelupus]

To be honest have not heard of any incompatibilities btwn Photoshop (which version by the way) and scanners - unless is a specific issues with the HP all-in-ones, but still sounds unlikely.

I'd suggest rolling Windows back to a point where you know it was actually working, but my concern is that with all the installs/uninstalls & system changes along the way, I don't know if that is even going to be possible.

To be honest, the last resort may be one of two things:

A fresh Windows install, taking careful note if anything knocks it out again, where it actually happens. Would also be VERY minimal as to what HP software you allow to install (using the advanced/selective install to deselect anything that your father doesn't specifically need. I would also by far trust Photoshop over any image-editing software HP has bundled.

The other is to simply replace the printer with something actually reliable - if he needs an all-in-one/multifunction, would stick with Canon or Epson as close second. If you look at the ridiculously high number of issues ppl seem to have with the HP multifunctions, you really do have to wonder if, even with a fresh install, whether you'd find yourself back here in a few months time just as perplexed. Even still, would still suggest getting a seperate scanner (even have a look on eBay) - can pick a CanoScan LiDE100 (mine is an LiDE50) for as low as $50 second-hand, and they just don't die, as well as driver support still being available. The reason I suggest a separate scanner is that it is always easier troubleshoot driver issues.

We used to have a HP all-in-one for my wife's office. It lasted less than 12 mths before we took the damned thing to the tip and replaced with a canon printer and a shared my now 7yo CanoScan (which STILL works flawlessly, even on Win7 x64).

I know neither option is what you want to hear, but my concern is that HP has made such of things, that I honestly wonder if restoring the scan functionality to the existing device without a fresh install is actually going to prove near impossible. Even spent the last hour on Google & Bing trying to see if there was a solution I may have missed, and still came up empty. Even if you eventually found a remedy, my concern is it would take longer to get the issues sorted out than simply starting from scratch :(

[flipboi15]

To be honest have not heard of any incompatibilities btwn Photoshop (which version by the way) and scanners - unless is a specific issues with the HP all-in-ones, but still sounds unlikely.

I'd suggest rolling Windows back to a point where you know it was actually working, but my concern is that with all the installs/uninstalls & system changes along the way, I don't know if that is even going to be possible.

To be honest, the last resort may be one of two things:

A fresh Windows install, taking careful note if anything knocks it out again, where it actually happens. Would also be VERY minimal as to what HP software you allow to install (using the advanced/selective install to deselect anything that your father doesn't specifically need. I would also by far trust Photoshop over any image-editing software HP has bundled.

The other is to simply replace the printer with something actually reliable - if he needs an all-in-one/multifunction, would stick with Canon or Epson as close second. If you look at the ridiculously high number of issues ppl seem to have with the HP multifunctions, you really do have to wonder if, even with a fresh install, whether you'd find yourself back here in a few months time just as perplexed. Even still, would still suggest getting a seperate scanner (even have a look on eBay) - can pick a CanoScan LiDE100 (mine is an LiDE50) for as low as $50 second-hand, and they just don't die, as well as driver support still being available. The reason I suggest a separate scanner is that it is always easier troubleshoot driver issues.

We used to have a HP all-in-one for my wife's office. It lasted less than 12 mths before we took the damned thing to the tip and replaced with a canon printer and a shared my now 7yo CanoScan (which STILL works flawlessly, even on Win7 x64).

I know neither option is what you want to hear, but my concern is that HP has made such of things, that I honestly wonder if restoring the scan functionality to the existing device without a fresh install is actually going to prove near impossible. Even spent the last hour on Google & Bing trying to see if there was a solution I may have missed, and still came up empty. Even if you eventually found a remedy, my concern is it would take longer to get the issues sorted out than simply starting from scratch :(

man i dunno if this worked, but i did all the steps and tried to rescan, but no dice. I switched the USB port from the back to the front and i tried to scan and it worked ! im not sure what it was but now its working! thanks for all your help!

[kaninelupus]

Oh, b.l@@dy hell!! I usually suggest trying different port for external devices, but for some reason, with all-in-one devices almost never works (I s'pose due to the multiple drivers). I shall take that under advisement.

Still hold to advice though

a) get rid of HP AIO - go a canon or epson, as will have a lot less hassles
b) a seperate scanner is always a good idea, and canoscans never seem to die (and I'd like it to, as want to update to new model... but until it dies, would be shot by misses for the upgrade :( )

[flipboi15]

ok, i will tell my dad! thanks for all the help again.