HP 3570c "Failure to communicate"

[gneuner]

Hi all,

I have a twist on the old HP scanner "failure to communicate" problem.
I am running a USB connected 3570c scanner on WinXP Pro. Everything
was working properly a few days ago but now the scanning software will
not initiate contact with the scanner. No new software was installed
by me in the meantime and my AV and malware scanners can find nothing
amiss.

The scanner is normally attached to a USB hub. I have checked all the
ports on the hub using other devices (they all work) and I have tried
plugging the scanner directly into the computer. The scanner continues
to misbehave regardless of where it is plugged in.

Symptoms:
The HP Director module launches but fails to create a window. I can
see it in the Task Manager but nothing is visible and there is no cpu
activity. The executable appears to be hung - it has to be killed
manually. If I try to launch one of the applications directly (like
copy or image scan), I get the infamous

"Failure to communicate with scanner. Be sure scanner is on and
properly connected. [1215]"

error and then the application opens but nothing works. Unlike the
director executable the individual applications do seem to close
properly.


Ok so far? Here's where it gets weird.

Windows (properly) recognizes when the scanner is present - it
appears/disappears from My Computer when I muck with the USB. When
connected, I can open the scanner's property pages and test the device
(whatever that does) successfully and also edit the front panel button
events. When I enable the scanner's buttons to remote launch their
respective applications, the apps work properly when launched by the
driver in response to a button press ... but not when launched directly
from Explorer.

The error is obviously false - the scanner IS communicating and
working. I can use it - but apparently only when the scanner remote
launches the application.


I checked HP's web site and I am running the latest software for my
scanner model. I've tried the Aug 2005 "Comm Failure" patch without
success and I have also tried completely uninstalling the software and
device drivers and reinstalling everything from scratch. So far no
joy.

I haven't seen any useful information in past posts regarding this
problem - most of the responses have either blasted HP or pointed to
the latest driver. AFAICT, no one has previously mentioned seeing apps
work when launched by the driver but not when launched directly.

Has anyone actually resolved the "Comm Failure" issue and if so, how?

Thanks in advance,
George

 

[gneuner]

Hi all,

I have a twist on the old HP scanner "failure to communicate" problem.
I am running a USB connected 3570c scanner on WinXP Pro. Everything
was working properly a few days ago but now the scanning software will
not initiate contact with the scanner.

Well I've figured out the problem ... IE7. I found a whole lot of
complaining going on in various HP specific forums. What I still don't
understand is why the scanner worked a number of times *after* IE7 was
installed and then suddenly stopped - I know the settings for IE7 had
not been changed.

Anyway I rolled back to IE6 and all is well.

George

 

[swingaxle]

Thank you!!! You saved me from ever increasing frustration with HP and
Microsoft!

I have an HP 8200 USB scanner. I've been screwing around for the
better part of a day or more trying to determine why a previously
working-fine config broke. Never occured to me, since I don't use IE,
that the MS update for "critical" problems to IE7 screwed it up! I had
allowed the update to go in, thinking it didn't really matter as I
never use IE anyway. I should know better.

truckin-on

 

[CSM1]

Not the only thing that IE7 update caused problems with. IE7 cut off my home
network access.

I could not run any remote programs or access the databases on the server.

I changed the security settings to allow access, it works again.
Big brother thinks he knows better than the person that owns the computer.