Help with Epson Scanner that has stopped working; Epson support says it is windows.

Your screenshot shows what you get when you double-click on the icon for the device in the "Devices and Printers" window.  It looks like you then double-clicked on the "Epson scan settings" icon.  The small image at the bottom is the "aero peek" view, which is supposed to show a window hidden behind the main, full-screen window.  It should come to the foreground when you click on it; if it doesn't try minimizing the (or even closing) the window that shows the two icons.

Have you installed the Epson software that came with your 4540?  That will make configuring it a lot easier.

Otherwise, instead of double-clicking the icon for your scanner in the Devices and Printers window, right-click it.  I don't have this product installed, but you should see a context menu with items such as "Properties" or "Scanner properties."  Select this and perhaps the configuration you're looking for will be available.

As far as scanning directly to email is concerned, what email program are you using?  Your product's User Guide says:

Scan to PC (Email) scans your original and attaches it to a message in your e-mail program. You can select the e-mail program you want to use and resize your image, if necessary, from an option screen on your computer.

Note: This works with MAPI-type email such as Microsoft Outlook, Windows Live Mail, Mac Mail, and Entourage, but not web-based email such as Gmail.

Assuming that you've installed the Epson software, the User Guide says that your 4540 scans in 3 modes, Home, Office, or Professional.  In all modes, the default is to save the scan as a jpg file.  When you click the "Scan" button, the "File save settings" window should open.  This is where you could select the "save as PDF" option.  When the scan finishes, you'll get another window with the options including one to scan another page to the same pdf file.  See the "Scanning Special Projects" section of your User Guide.

For further detail, read your User Guide

User's Guide (HTML Version)

User's Guide (Downloadable/Printable Version)

Epson manuals page:  http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV\_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=183406&prodoid=63091353&infoType=Doc

The first issue I did click on scanner settings but what you are seeing is my pointer ONLY POINTING.

there is no choice to minimize or maximize . If I right click on the list there is open clicking on that does nothing it stays down there . I can't get a window to open to view it at all. By pointing is the only way I can see there is something there .  There is only one box not two that comes up and when I say comes up i mean stays AERO PEEK VIEW.

I have installed and re- installed and still the same darn it

Second part 

about scanning to email . I don't want it scanning to outlook but want it scanning to my personal email .

the only one in the list is OUTLOOK. How do I add mine?

Thanks for your help 😀😀

What I meant was to minimize or close the main window by clicking on the dash or X in the upper right corner:

But I won't be surprised if you do that and don't find anything hidden behind the window.

What happened when you right-clicked the icon for your scanner in the main Devices and Printers window (not the screen in your screenshot)?

What happens if you double-click on the left icon shown in your screenshot (the one that just says "EPSON Scan")?

What do you use for your email? 

• Do you use a program installed on your computer such as Mozilla Thunderbird or do you go to a website?
• What is the portion of your email address after the @ symbol?  DO NOT POST YOUR COMPLETE EMAIL ADDRESS or the forum software will replace it with asterisks and I won't be able to see it.

I was having this same error message on a Windows 10 Pro Asus desktop computer. Shell Hardware Detection was on and apparently functioning fine, however, when I restarted Shell Hardware Detection and unplugged and plugged the scanner back in the scanner opened a dialogue box informing me that it was setting up. It then appeared in my active devices and functioned normally. 

Thanks for the tip!

Steps:

1. Search services.msc
2. Open services.msc
3. Scroll down to Shell Hardware Detection
4. Click on Shell Hardware Detection
5. Click "Restart" the service
6. Unplug scanner
7. Plug scanner back in
8. Boot Epson scan utility

I have been have this problem with my scanner all day, but found a fix on my computer.  Seem this scanner will only work correctly in the USB 2.0 port and NOT the USB 3.0 that I had my scanner plugged into.  Not all the functions are working at this time, but I am able to scan in the Home mode and I am able to scan my slides as well as my color prints.