Imaging Devices show up in Unknown Devices. "Add an imaging device" does nothing.

[Guest]

Sigh. I've had this trouble for months. Any imaging device I plug in has the same result. Plug in the device, windows recognizes the device by name (ie: Epson perfection Scanner) and sticks it in unknown devices

This happens with my Kodak camera, Epson scanner and Logitech quick cam. All USB. None of the devices are recognized by any software.

I was leaning toward the USB but any USB hard drive or key works without a problem

When I click "Add an imaging device" in CP/Scanners & Cameras, nothing happens

I've removed all traces of the hardware & software including reg keys and inf files. I've removed all traces of twain. I've removed the USB hub from the device manager and reinstalled

I'm really thinking it's something to do with imaging devices in xp. Any way to reinstall just that component

I see others in the news groups with the same problem but never a solution

All of these devices used to work and I have no idea what action caused this

Any thoughts?

 

[Colin Nash [MVP]]

Generally, you need to install the manufacturer's software (drivers) before
plugging it in via the USB cable. If you plug it in before installing the
drivers, you will see symptoms like you describe.


Also: From Start menu, choose Run and type SERVICES.MSC --- verify that
the Windows Image Acquisition Service is set to Automatic and is "started"


--
Colin Nash
Microsoft MVP
Windows Printing/Imaging/Hardware

Sigh. I've had this trouble for months. Any imaging device I plug in has

the same result. Plug in the device, windows recognizes the device by name
(ie: Epson perfection Scanner) and sticks it in unknown devices.

This happens with my Kodak camera, Epson scanner and Logitech quick cam.

All USB. None of the devices are recognized by any software.

I was leaning toward the USB but any USB hard drive or key works without a problem.

When I click "Add an imaging device" in CP/Scanners & Cameras, nothing happens.

I've removed all traces of the hardware & software including reg keys and

inf files. I've removed all traces of twain. I've removed the USB hub from
the device manager and reinstalled.

I'm really thinking it's something to do with imaging devices in xp. Any

way to reinstall just that component?

 

[Colin Nash [MVP]]

Correction:

The Windows Image Acquisition Service can be set to Manual instead of
Automatic. It was set to automatic on mine but I'm not sure why. In any
event, this is only a minor suggestion. Either should work, but Disabled
would probably cause problems.


--
Colin Nash
Microsoft MVP
Windows Printing/Imaging/Hardware

 

[Guest]

Colin

Thanks for the reply. I have confirmed the WIA service to be running and startup to be automatic. I even stopped and restarted the service and checked the event viewer to confirm it's happiness

The Kodak, for instance, never needed software and I never installed any. I just plugged it in and away it went. I do not believe it to be a driver installation issue. I really think it has to do with Windows Imaging

Why would clicking add new imaging device do absolutely nothing

Thanks
Chris

 

[Guest]

The service is running and is throwing no errors :-

Thanks anyway

Anyone else have a thought

Thanks
Chris

 

[nohj]

And now, 7 years later, I have the same problem! With an Epson Perfection Scanner (V330).

I worked with Epson tech support and they threw up their hands. What I suspect is that when the driver registers with windows as an imaging device, but windows doesn't understand because something else is messed up, so the device is put under Unknown in device manager. Is that possible?

Epson sent a utility to wipe all the scanner stuff off the machine. Then I re-installed again. Still nothing.

It all worked perfectly on my wife's machine. Both are Windows XP SP3.

I got some utilities from Nirsoft that show me that information about the scanner is missing on my machine, but I don't know where the utilities is looking for that information, yet.

Regards,
John