Question

Can't scan in PaperPort - button is greyed out

Asked by: djMundy

Hi Experts,

My client is using PaperPort 11 Pro and a new Brother MFC 9440CN network printer/scanner in a Small Business Server 2003 environment. Antivirus is Trend Micro CSM for SMB 3.6.

They scan using PaperPort, and it works perfectly for all but one PC. Scanning from Windows works fine, but when I attempt to scan from PaperPort, the 'Scan' button is greyed out, and it says "The default scanner is not attached".

The printer is brand new, the previous network printer/scanner had the same problems on this PC (we were hoping the new printer would fix it).

I even tried setting up a new PC, using some hardware they had lying around - installed a fresh copy of Windows XP Pro, PaperPort, and the printer drivers, and that fails too...

    No Scanner
   
    /!\ The default scanner is not attached. Please attach your default scanner or click on the scanner 'Select' button to choose another scanner.
   
    [ ] Do not display this message again
                OK

* I click on the 'Select' button, and tried each scanner option:
    TWAIN: TW-Brother MFC-9440CN LAN
    TWAIN: WIA-Brother MFC-9440CN LAN
    WIA: Brother MFC-9440CN LAN

* Clicked on 'Advanced' button
* Downloaded latest scanner database from ScanSoft
* Tested the device with PaperPort Scan Manager 11.0.16255.1 - "The wizard cannot find your scanner"
* Confirmed that the PC can ping the scanner.
* Confirmed that I can scan using the Scanner Wizard in Windows XP

No matter what I do, the scan button is greyed out.

This is a network printer/scanner. All PCs have the same driver, installed in the same way. No other PC experiences this problem.

The PC can ping the printer. I've tried disabling the Windows Firewall, and the Trend Micro firewall - this doesn't make any difference (and the firewall is enabled on other PCs that are working).

I've uininstalled and reinstalled the Brother PC Suite (using the same default options that work on other PCs), which does not resolve the problem.

There's an option to specify the scanner by IP rather than name, but changing that option does not help either.

I've also tried removing and reinstalling PaperPort, which does not resolve the problem.

I've tried a different network cable (unplugged from another PC 1 metre away which is not having the scanner problem), a different port in the network switch, and even a different network card.

ScanSoft have a Knowledge Base article which refers to this issue, but I get all the way to step 12 which says "refer to the documentation that came with the scanner". I don't think this is a scanner issue as all other PCs can print fine. All other PCs have the exact same version of PaperPort, same printer drivers, all installed in the exact same way...

I'm at a loss about what to try next. Does anyone have any ideas? I've been pulling my hair out for weeks trying to fix this one.

Many thanks,
Daniel

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Asked On
2008-01-08 at 13:07:46ID23067822
Tags

ScanSoft

,

PaperPort

,

11 Pro

Topics

Computer Scanners

,

Microsoft Windows Operating Systems

,

Printers

Participating Experts
3
Points
0
Comments
9

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Answers

 

by: cococanPosted on 2008-01-09 at 14:06:00ID: 20622996

What about the differences between this and other OCs.  Is this PC physically different than others?  Is this PC using shared memory type of Video cards?  How about the memory on this and other PCs.  What about the CMOS settings?  Have you tried to set CMOS to factory settings?  If the PC is physically comparable to others and you have reinstalled a fresh copy of XP, we are overlooking something.
I am looking forward to your answers to the questions above.

Thanks
H.K.

 

by: djMundyPosted on 2008-01-09 at 14:41:18ID: 20623266

The PC is from the same batch as the other two which are working - all same hardware.

The only thing I can think of is that the two that are working also have a USB scanner plugged in - a small cheap Canon one. But on this PC that does work, when I unplug the Canon and restart PaperPort, the Brother network printer is still working.

I'll book a time to visit their office soon and reset the CMOS settings to factory, worth a try but can't see how it would be related. The printer is a network model and so isn't directly attached to the PC.

I'll also check memory and video cards, but have a feeling all 3 PCs are identical.

Thanks for your help,
Daniel

 

by: cococanPosted on 2008-01-10 at 08:42:49ID: 20628564

This is not the same issue but you may want to tinker with the same idea and see what happens.
======================
Products: PaperPort 10, 11



Problem:

When launching PaperPort 10 or 11, an error may appear stating the following message:

"Server Busy"

This action cannot be completed because the < Application Name > program is not responding. Choose "Switch To" and correct the problem."

Cause:

This message is caused by a TWAIN driver that that PaperPort is unable to communicate with.

Solution:

The above error may occur if a certain Sony Twain driver is installed on the system. This driver is located in "C:\WINDOWS\twain_32" or "C:\WINNT\twain_32" and is named "sonyhcds.ds". If this particular file is located in the "twain_32" folder, it is recommended to move the file to another location or rename it to "sonyhcds.ds.old". If the driver is needed to communicate with a current piece of Sony hardware, it will either need to be moved back to the "twain_32" folder or renamed back to its original filename ("sonyhcds.ds").

If there is no "sonyhcds.ds" file in "C:\WINDOWS\twain_32", please follow the below steps to try and determine which TWAIN driver PaperPort is unable to communicate with:


Close all programs.
Browse back to: "C:\WINDOWS" or "C:\WINNT".
There will be a folder named: twain_32.
Please rename this folder to: twain_32_old.
Please create a new folder named: twain_32 in the same location (C:\WINDOWS or "C:\WINNT"). There should be no files in this folder.

So there should be:
C:\WINDOWS\twain_32
C:\WINDOWS\twain_32_old
or
C:\WINNT\twain_32
C:\WINNT\twain_32_old


Launch PaperPort and see if the Server Busy error appears again. It is possible during this step that no scanners are listed on the Scan Pane.
If the error does not appear, please close down PaperPort and browse to: "C:\WINDOWS\twain_32_old" or "C:\WINNT\twain_32_old".
By process of elimination, take one file at a time (Copy/Paste) and place the files in "C:\WINDOWS\twain_32" or "C:\WINNT\twain_32" and launch PaperPort. This will help to determine which specific driver is causing the Server Busy error. Please note which file (driver) allows PaperPort to scan properly and which file (driver) creates the Server Busy error.
If determined which file (driver) is creating the Server Busy, please move that file to another folder outside of "twain_32".
PaperPort should now be able to launch without the "Server Busy" error.
Other devices that may cause this issue:


Philips SPC 900NC PC Camera



TechNote Number: 5008
Published: 1/24/2005
Last Modified: 7/26/2006

 

by: djMundyPosted on 2008-01-31 at 17:35:21ID: 20793364

Hi cococan,

Thanks for the ideas. I've only just been able to get back to the office that is having these issues.

There are no Sony or Phillips drivers in the twain_32 folder. I tried moving the other files out as suggested, and moving them back in one at a time, but still can't make it work. I tried all combinations of files in this folder.

I also tried copying the files from the twain_32 folder from one of the other PCs (one that does work, and has the exact same drivers) to the twain_32 folder on this problematic PC, and that didn't help either.

Thanks again,
Daniel

 

by: djMundyPosted on 2008-02-04 at 05:51:51ID: 20814206

Thanks for your ideas guys, but I contacted ScanSoft and lodged a support case - they provided me with a patch that fixed my issues.

Thanks again for your time,
Daniel

 

by: cococanPosted on 2008-02-04 at 06:51:12ID: 20814800

No objections.

 

by: Vee_ModPosted on 2008-02-15 at 06:30:00ID: 20901919

Closed, 500 points refunded.
Vee_Mod
Community Support Moderator

 

by: mkhan_55Posted on 2010-10-06 at 11:10:50ID: 33843318

When the button in paport is greyed out all you need to do is uninstall the scanner driver and reboot your PC and then reinstall the scanner driver and it should resolve the issue as it resolved mine.

Many thanks
Mkhan

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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