Default paper size scanning problem, LaserJet M1120n MFP

[Air_Head]

Hi, I just got a used LaserJet M1120n MFP. Installed the most up-to-date drivers form HP's website. Printing is fine over USB or LAN, however the WIA scanning driver defaults to paper size "Letter" and I can't scan A4 pages all the way. The bottom is always cut off and I get an unwanted strip besides the scanned document. Please, advise how to change the default paper size of the WIA driver to A4. I use Windows XP Pro. Looked everywhere but cannot find any settings that will allow me to change the default paper size. Any ideas?

I have been thinking, could default paper size be somehow be tied to system locale? My locale is European and all other device drivers do default to A4. I wonder how the WIA scanning driver chose to default to Letter size.

The TWAIN driver works fine (I can choose default paper size), though it is less intuitive than I expected. Too bad I can't use it over a LAN. Is there a way to calibrate the scanner for white as the background seems kind of dark?

Your suggestions and ideas are most appreciated. Thank you.

[AlwaysNeon]

When you are using the WIA driver what program are you using to scan? It seems that if the issue is the lack of choice, then the issue may be with the program you are using to scan since it works with TWAIN. 

-Spencer 

[Air_Head]

Thanks for the reply, Spencer. I have used Adobe Acrobat to scan by means of the WIA driver, but when I do so the paper size selection box is dimmed (inactive) and I can't choose any paper size (nor any is preselected). I have also used Win XP's native Scanner and Camera Wizzard; it doesn't even have a paper size setting. Then I have used it with Win 7's native Windows Fax and Scan; no paper size setting here either.

Here is a useful thread on the same issue from Adobe's forum: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/844549

Reading around the forums I came across several posts where people discussed the impossibiity to set paper size when scanning using the WIA driver. Their problem was a bit different, though. The WIA driver had locked to size 'Legal' while they needed to scan in size 'Letter'.

The WIA interface was developed by Microsoft and here is what they have to say about the issue:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff548440%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

'Supported Scanner Paper Sizes

Although two WIA user interface components are able to display a list of page sizes to the user, there is no easy way for a WIA driver to know which page sizes a scanner supports.

Page Size in WIA Applications

There are no WIA properties that allow WIA drivers to report supported page sizes or that allow applications to specify page size directly. To communicate page size settings to a driver, an application must calculate the required size in dots per inch (dpi) and adjust the origin of the scan to conform with the registration requirements of the device.

Page Size in the Common Scanner Dialog and in the Scanner and Camera Wizard

Both the Common Scanner Dialog and the Scanner and Camera Wizard have a static table of supported page sizes in which each page size is described by its horizontal width and vertical height, both in increments of 0.001 inch. These page sizes are currently displayed only when the scanner is in document feeder mode.

The largest page size (by area) that a driver supports in page feed mode, as determined by the maximum bed size, is considered the default page size. Paper sizes that do not fit on the feeder or on the bed of the device are not offered to the user.'  -- exactly my case!

Having tried the same WIA driver (developed by HP in this case) on several PC's running different WIndows OS and using non-US locale settings, I have came to the conclusion that HP may have hard coded the Letter paper size in the driver. I guess this works for North America but not in Europe where A4 is the standard size.

I guess I have to look into ways to get to that hard coded paper size setting in order to be able to make use of the driver. I don't even know if that will be possible but I'll keep on reading. Wish me luck 🙂

[AlwaysNeon]

In this instance it seems like it is an incongruency between WIA and the program. Since WIA is a Windows service, I believe the issue might be related to Windows. Can you tell me what happens when you try scanning into something like MS Paint? 

-Spencer 

[James10001]

My printer drivers are dated back to 2009, even the windows 8,1 versions that are available on the HP website. I have an CM1321nfi that has a WIA driver, no Twain driver for Windows 8.1 (64bit), and it only scans in legal size of 8.5x14.  Nothing I could do fixed it. 

Called HP support and was told by some guy in another country that I needed to pay them $39.99 and they would help me.  All the post said I needed was an updated DLL that had to be sent to me by Tech Support.

Well, after refusing to pay 40 bucks to get a driver, (seems high after buying 6 printers and 4 laptops, etc.) I found this fix on the Adobe web site.  Since I only use Adobe Acrobat to scan documents this works for me.

From Adobe Support:

Please clean the stored settings and try scanning afterwards. To clean the stored settings, please follow the steps below:

0. Close Acrobat, if running.

1. Go to Run dialog (Windows button + R).

2. Type "regedit" and press enter.

3. Go to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Scan" and delete it.

After you are done with clearning, follow the steps below:

1. Launch Acrobat.

2. Go to File > Create > PDF from Scanner > Custom Scan.

3. Expand the Scanner dropdown and select the driver or your choice (WIA or TWAIN).

4.  Set the option to show Native Scanner Interface.

5. Save your options and close the dialog box.

If you want to use WIA only, please note that not all WIA drivers allow Acrobat to specify paper sizes. HP is an exception, which allows Acrobat to specify Paper Size even with WIA driver but that doesn't mean that it will also obey us. You might specify a paper size in Acrobat and get a totally different scanned image size.