Hi Microsoft, I'm hoping someone can help. I have an EPSON Perfection V500 Photo Scanner running on a Toshiba A665 laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium SP1. About a month ago, the scanner stopped working. I have worked in depth with EPSON support line, and they believe it is a Windows problem. SYMPTOM: When starting Epson Scan, the error message is: "Cannot communicate with the scanner. Make sure the scanner is on, correctly set up and connected with no errors indicated." WHAT I HAVE VERIFIED AND DONE TO TRY TO SOLVE: Removal of all Epson drivers and programs using Control Panel: Programs and Features. Detach USB cable, power off scanner Reboot Downloaded current drivers from Epson. epson13936.exe ?dated ?July ?20, ?2010 2:54:21 PM Install drivers. Reboot (required by driver installer). Attach and power up the scanner via direct USB connection. Drivers are loaded. Message says they install correctly. Device Manager shows under Imaging devices the EPSON Perfection V500 as installed and working. No errors or warnings. When starting the Epson Scan program, the same error message appears. Using Windows Paint, the scanner option is not active, meaning the scanner WIA is not recognized. VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS a. I have uninstalled and reinstalled about 7 times now. I have tried doing so with anti virus off (AVAST!) I have tried doing so in SAFE mode. Still the same error occurs. b. I have stopped and restarted Windows Image Acquisition service 5x (advised by Epson) with no difference. c. I have applied all Windows updates. d. On another Windows 7 computer, I have successfully installed the same EPSON drivers and connected the same scanner and it works without error, and scans great. So it is not the scanner, cable, or drivers supplied by Epson. EPSON support says that it must be a problem with Windows I would appreciate any suggestions on further steps I can take to resolve this issue.

(One additional thing to mention: I have also tried connecting with a different USB port. I moved the scanner to the USB port the mouse was connected to. The mouse worked in the old USB port and still works in the new USB port. So both USB ports are good. The error with the scanner still occurs.) If your laptop has both USB 3.0 ports (blue) and USB 2.0 ports (black), make sure that you're only using a USB 2.0 port for the scanner. From what I've been able to determine, the A665 seems likely to have at most only one USB 3.0 port, so if you've already tried two different ports, you've probably already tried one that isn't USB 3.0, but you seemed to have eliminated all the usual suspects already. Before you give up entirely, I'd try it in each of the USB 2.0 ports. Before you do that, however, you might consider doing the following: Do steps 1, 2, and 3 from your original post Click the Start Orb, type cmd.exe (or Command Prompt) in the Search box Right-click on the Command Prompt and select "Run as Administrator" Respond to the UAV prompt as necessary In the black Command Prompt window type the following and press Enter after each line set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1 devmgmt.msc In Device Manager, click View > Show hidden devices Device Manager will now show devices that are not currently connected (these will be slightly "greyed out" in the display. I'd look both under "Imaging Devices" and "Universal Serial Bus Controllers" and remove anything that seems to be related to the scanner Do steps 5 and 6 from your original post When you get to your original step 7, connect to a USB 2.0 (black) port that you haven't tried before There are also a few other thoughts here: http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/208339-cannot-communicate-scanner.html (posts 2, 5, 7, 9 (although I doubt #9 is applicable to you)

Samoht, You're very welcome. I'm just sorry we weren't able to solve the problem. Good luck to you. Regards, BearPup

BearPup, I understand completely. There aren't a lot of things left to try. I'm too chicken to start removing Windows services. It appears that might really mess up the rest of the system which runs well. To answer your question, there were no monitor or video drivers installed. I think my next step is to find another scanner and see if it will work with this device. Thanks again for your help. I will post here if I learn anything. Samoht

Samoht, At this point, I'm fresh out of ideas. Nothing is corrupted, the unit works fine on another Windows computer, the software works on other systems, you've done a clean boot and it still happens meaning it likely isn't caused by an app or service... . I hate to say it, but the operative word in the last sentence is "likely". It doesn't say "if the error happens in a clean boot then its definitely not", just "likely" that its not caused by an app or service. My last and only suggestion to you is to go back through your apps and services as though the error didn't happen in a clean boot situation, meaning its probably an app or service in conflict with the scanner / scanner software. I really don't know what else to suggest. Ah, by chance did you get a new monitor or install a new video driver before this happened? Just a wild thought - if the answer is "No", then it doesn't matter; if its "Yes", then I have a wild suggestion to try. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Keep me posted. Regards, BearPup

Samoht, Well, no more tricks up my sleeve, but maybe some direction. When a clean boot doesn't fix a problem, the problem is most likely not caused by an application or service interference. If it was caused by such interference, it would stop causing the problem with the application / service not booted up. Since you've gotten it to work previously in Windows it certainly is Windows compatible and rules out a defect. That leaves one option: something that isn't cleared in a clean boot is causing the interference. When you do a clean boot can you run SFC /scannow (System File Checker)? I'd like to verify that none of the Windows system files is corrupt. I recently had that happen, and the only symptom at the time was that certain programs no longer worked as they should. It was only when I ran SFC that the defect was found. I hope this helps; keep me posted. Regards, BearPup

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

Anonymous

Hi Microsoft,

I'm hoping someone can help. I have an EPSON Perfection V500 Photo Scanner running on a Toshiba A665 laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium SP1. About a month ago, the scanner stopped working. I have worked in depth with EPSON support line, and they believe it is a Windows problem.

SYMPTOM:

When starting Epson Scan, the error message is: "Cannot communicate with the scanner. Make sure the scanner is on, correctly set up and connected with no errors indicated."

WHAT I HAVE VERIFIED AND DONE TO TRY TO SOLVE:

Removal of all Epson drivers and programs using Control Panel: Programs and Features.
Detach USB cable, power off scanner
Reboot
Downloaded current drivers from Epson. epson13936.exe ?dated ?July ?20, ?2010 2:54:21 PM
Install drivers.
Reboot (required by driver installer).
Attach and power up the scanner via direct USB connection.
Drivers are loaded. Message says they install correctly.
Device Manager shows under Imaging devices the EPSON Perfection V500 as installed and working. No errors or warnings.
When starting the Epson Scan program, the same error message appears.
Using Windows Paint, the scanner option is not active, meaning the scanner WIA is not recognized.

VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS

a. I have uninstalled and reinstalled about 7 times now. I have tried doing so with anti virus off (AVAST!) I have tried doing so in SAFE mode. Still the same error occurs.

b. I have stopped and restarted Windows Image Acquisition service 5x (advised by Epson) with no difference.

c. I have applied all Windows updates.

d. On another Windows 7 computer, I have successfully installed the same EPSON drivers and connected the same scanner and it works without error, and scans great. So it is not the scanner, cable, or drivers supplied by Epson.

EPSON support says that it must be a problem with Windows

I would appreciate any suggestions on further steps I can take to resolve this issue.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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47 answers

LemP 74,985 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2014-01-14T01:04:01+00:00
(One additional thing to mention: I have also tried connecting with a different USB port. I moved the scanner to the USB port the mouse was connected to. The mouse worked in the old USB port and still works in the new USB port. So both USB ports are good. The error with the scanner still occurs.)

If your laptop has both USB 3.0 ports (blue) and USB 2.0 ports (black), make sure that you're only using a USB 2.0 port for the scanner.

From what I've been able to determine, the A665 seems likely to have at most only one USB 3.0 port, so if you've already tried two different ports, you've probably already tried one that isn't USB 3.0, but you seemed to have eliminated all the usual suspects already. Before you give up entirely, I'd try it in each of the USB 2.0 ports.

Before you do that, however, you might consider doing the following:
- Do steps 1, 2, and 3 from your original post
- Click the Start Orb, type cmd.exe (or Command Prompt) in the Search box
- Right-click on the Command Prompt and select "Run as Administrator"
- Respond to the UAV prompt as necessary
- In the black Command Prompt window type the following and press Enter after each line
set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1

devmgmt.msc
- In Device Manager, click View > Show hidden devices
- Device Manager will now show devices that are not currently connected (these will be slightly "greyed out" in the display. I'd look both under "Imaging Devices" and "Universal Serial Bus Controllers" and remove anything that seems to be related to the scanner
- Do steps 5 and 6 from your original post
- When you get to your original step 7, connect to a USB 2.0 (black) port that you haven't tried before
There are also a few other thoughts here: http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/208339-cannot-communicate-scanner.html (posts 2, 5, 7, 9 (although I doubt #9 is applicable to you)
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Anonymous

2014-01-14T00:07:36+00:00

Samoht,

You're very welcome. I'm just sorry we weren't able to solve the problem. Good luck to you.

Regards,

BearPup
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Anonymous

2014-01-13T20:22:42+00:00
BearPup,

I understand completely. There aren't a lot of things left to try.

I'm too chicken to start removing Windows services. It appears that might really mess up the rest of the system which runs well.

To answer your question, there were no monitor or video drivers installed.

I think my next step is to find another scanner and see if it will work with this device.

Thanks again for your help. I will post here if I learn anything.
- Samoht
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Anonymous

2014-01-13T03:14:14+00:00

Samoht,

At this point, I'm fresh out of ideas. Nothing is corrupted, the unit works fine on another Windows computer, the software works on other systems, you've done a clean boot and it still happens meaning it likely isn't caused by an app or service... .

I hate to say it, but the operative word in the last sentence is "likely". It doesn't say "if the error happens in a clean boot then its definitely not", just "likely" that its not caused by an app or service. My last and only suggestion to you is to go back through your apps and services as though the error didn't happen in a clean boot situation, meaning its probably an app or service in conflict with the scanner / scanner software.

I really don't know what else to suggest. Ah, by chance did you get a new monitor or install a new video driver before this happened? Just a wild thought - if the answer is "No", then it doesn't matter; if its "Yes", then I have a wild suggestion to try.

Sorry I can't be more helpful. Keep me posted.

Regards,

BearPup
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Anonymous

2014-01-13T01:00:12+00:00

Samoht,

Well, no more tricks up my sleeve, but maybe some direction. When a clean boot doesn't fix a problem, the problem is most likely not caused by an application or service interference. If it was caused by such interference, it would stop causing the problem with the application / service not booted up.

Since you've gotten it to work previously in Windows it certainly is Windows compatible and rules out a defect. That leaves one option: something that isn't cleared in a clean boot is causing the interference.

When you do a clean boot can you run SFC /scannow (System File Checker)? I'd like to verify that none of the Windows system files is corrupt. I recently had that happen, and the only symptom at the time was that certain programs no longer worked as they should. It was only when I ran SFC that the defect was found.

I hope this helps; keep me posted.

Regards,

BearPup
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