Unable to communicate with twain device (scanner problem)

[Dr. Dos]

I get an error message "unable to communicate with twain
device." I cannot scan using Brother MFC 6800. Scanner
starts, but stalls and hangs after about half a page.
PaperPort and/or Acrobat 6 applications hang. When I shut
applications down, scanner comes alive again and spits out
rest of scan job, without scanning. Printer-scanner is well
connect to computer via usb. Worked fine three days ago. I
have had this same problem on two different XPSP2 machines.
It just seems to happen, /although/ I recently installed
MSOffice 2007, and Adobe Acrobat 6 update 6.0.6 on one of
the machines, but not the other. Last time this happened,
there were no new installs, so I hesitate to blame MS or
Adobe, but..... Uninstalling/reinstalling the Brother
printer and PaperPort does not make any difference. Brother
is clueless. This is not a hardware problem (device works
fine), but is about hardware. Google is of little use.

 

[Guest]

Sometimes with printers/scanners,its crucial that on the first "found new
hard-
ware" wizard starts,one installs the cd for the machine & xp loads drivers &
soon finishes,however one must leave that window open,and then install the
software from the cd,once software has installed,close window,then close out
wizard.If not performed at that time,you'll get youre unable to communicate
message.Also,you'll get the same message with SP2 installed,one must get the
updates from the mfg,if they dont have one,it'll never run right.....

 

[Dr. Dos]

Sometimes with printers/scanners,its crucial that on the first "found new
hard-
ware" wizard starts,one installs the cd for the machine & xp loads drivers &
soon finishes,however one must leave that window open,and then install the
software from the cd,once software has installed,close window,then close out
wizard.If not performed at that time,you'll get youre unable to communicate
message.Also,you'll get the same message with SP2 installed,one must get the
updates from the mfg,if they dont have one,it'll never run right.....

Installing drivers and software is/was not the issue.

What I discovered is the finicky nature of USB hubs and the
strange logic of WinXP and USB management.

My problem turned out to be a USB hub. The hub works fine
for printing, but not scanning. I previously experienced
connection problems using different hubs sold as
JASCO/General Electric 8 port powered hubs. I have six of
them and they all exhibit connection/recognition problems.
The problem with the scanner is another manifestation an
endemic issue with this hub brand. Either there is a
"timing" issue, or a power problem or poor chip functioning.

Additionally, moving the scanner from one USB port to
another (from the hub to a direct connection on the
computer) required a totally new installation of the scanner
from the install cd. The computer would not even recognize
the scanner as a USB device until I ran the install routine.
I had no idea that WinXP would assign or "dedicate" ports to
a specific device and not recognize that device installation
when the USB device was plugged into another port.

 

[Zamir Deen]

I've had this problem with Brother MFC9700, everything but the scanner worked fine. I decide to upgrade to the newer network model Brother MFC-8660DN. This was a big mistake. I followed all the installation directions religiously, the scanner installation failed. Not only that the Brother Tech support has no clue, they do not pay attention to the details that I as a customer was giving them to help trouble shoot the issue. I stayed on phone three different times, each time for more than three hours. The issue was escalated to the level 6 technician who eventually declared that it's a Microsoft issue. Bologna, I wonder how Brother is able to put up with such a low standard, poor service and a product that is such a 'poor' quality. Note that the printer, fax and copier work fine, the scanner doesn't! Any suggestions how to contact the people who run the company? I tried to call their corporate office in NJ – guess what, I had to leave a message. Nobody bothered to call me back! Talk about customer relations!

EggHeadCafe - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com

 

[JS]

The heart of the problem:
If you connected the multi-function printer/scanner to your PC and then
installed the printer drivers/software, the chances are very high
that the printer may work but scanner function will not.

Most scanners or multi purpose printers require
that you install the software before connecting the scanner or
printer/scanner.

Step By Step Instructions:
1) Disconnect the multi-function printer or scanner.
2) Uninstall the printer/scanner software and twain drivers using
the Add/Remove programs option.
3) Look/search for folders associated with your printer/scanner model that
contain 'Twain' files, if the folder(s) still exist after the uninstall,
then delete these files and the associated folders.

Note: In the list of files that Search has found you can ignore any
files listed in:
C:\Windows
C:\Windows\system32\....
C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\.....

NOTE: In the C:\WINDOWS\twain_32 folder you may have
one or more files. The one "not to delete" is named: wiatwain.ds
(wiatwain.ds is installed by Windows XP)
Any additional files in this folder were most likely created when you
installed the printer/scanner. Check each files 'Properties' and if has the
brand of your scanner (Epson, Cannon, HP, Etc) identified as the
company/brand, those files can be safely deleted.

On my PC I have my HP scanner's twain file located in:
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Precisionscan Pro 3.1\TwainCtrl.ocx
There should be something similar on your PC, so in my case at least
I would uninstall the HP Scanner software and if that 'TwainCtrl.ocx file
is still there after uninstalling the scanner software I would delete it.
I also have a second twain file named 'Twain_32.dll' located in:
C:\Program Files\Adaptec\Easy CD Creator 5\PhotoRelay

4) Check Device Manager and remove any entries if necessary.
5) Create a Restore Point
6) Scan registry using the brand name/make of the scanner as key word for
search. (Delete any entries found, but be certain it's a scanner related
entry)
7) Reboot the PC and once again check Device Manager,
it should not show any listings for the printer/scanner.
8) Now reinstall the software and twain drivers.
9) Shutdown the PC.
10) With the PC power off, connect the printer/scanner and then
restart/boot to Windows.

Note: Sometimes it's might help if you try a different USB port if you
printer/scanner is a USB device.

One easy way to test your software installation's twain driver are working,
is to use a graphics editor named IrfanView.
http://www.irfanview.com/

If you download, install and run this software,
located in the menu bar is an option named 'File'.
On selecting the 'File' option you should find an
option (near the bottom of the list) to named:
'Select TWAIN Source', click on this option
and a popup should then display valid Twain sources
for you scanner. If you see your scanner listed,
select it, and then try to scan an object (Photo).

By selecting Twain Source from the file menu IrfanView should load
your scanner's software and then scan.

If you choose the 'Copy Shop' option also in the file menu you have the
ability to bypass your scanner's software and directly scan a photo into
IrfanView. Try the 'Copy Shop' option and let me know what happens.
Note that 'Copy Shop' will list both your scanner's Photo editing/scanning
software and the hardware name (make & model) of your scanner when
you click on Copy Shop's 'Select Twain Source' button.
You should choose the scanner's hardware option.

For instance on my PC the Photo editing/scanner software is named:
'HP Precisionscan Pro 3.1'
The second entry in Copy Shop's 'Select Twain Source' list is my scanner
make and model which shows as:
'WIA-Hewlett-Packard Scanjet 5470C 1.0'

So for me when using Copy Shop I select the second entry when
asked to select a Twain Source.
I then check the 'Show Twain Preview' box.
(I check this option so the scanned image does not go directly
to the printer, but instead is displayed in IrfanView).
Next I click the 'Start' button located a the bottom of the Copy Shop
window to start the scan.