OfficeJet Pro 6978 Nothing But A Networking Misery

[who4ever123]

Thanks for your help sabretooth!.  I used an ethernet switch to network the printer.

Next question is going to be why the Scan option no longer appears in the HP Printer's Assistant, which is what started this whole thing for me.

Dave

[sabretooth04]

Please try this scan solution:
 
HP Scan Extended

For Windows:   ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/scanners/HPScanExt/HPScanExt.msi

Once it's downloaded and installed, go to Start > All Programs > HP > HP Scan Extended > Run "HP Scan Extended"

Make searchable PDFs scans with this free scanning software - https://www.naps2.com/

Let us know.

[who4ever123]

Sabretooth, I did the Scan Extended thing and it at least got me up and running regarding my scanner, but it was not a very satisfying fix.  First of all, it does not answer the primary question that got this whole thing started, which is, "What the hell happened to the Scan button on the Printer's Assistant?"  I mean, I was just cruising along for a year and then one day I opened the Assistant and the Scan button was gone.  As Curly would say, "Hey Moe, wha happened?"

And then regarding the Scan Extended fix, when I click on the icon, the first thing I get is a small screen, titled Select Scan Device.  There are 3 printers listed.  From top to bottom, they read:

HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 (NET) #2

HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 (NET)

Brother MFC-J87

Starting from the bottom up, I had this Brother printer a couple of years ago.  I properly uninstalled it and it does not appear on my list of printers, but it shows up in the list.  I did a search for "Brother MFC" on my pc and nothing showed.  So for the hell of it, I clicked on it.  The HP Scan window actually opened with an active Scan button!  I clicked on scan and after a minute, I get the message "An error occurred while scanning."

I selected the second one, HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 (NET) and immediately get a long message starting with, "Scanner communication cannot be established."

Selected the top one, (NET) #2 and that was the correct one and allowed me to scan from the printer.

The HP Extended Scan window is exactly the same window that would open when the Printer's Assistant Scan button was showing.  This whole thing is screwy and I just don't like when things are not working properly. Maybe I'll call HP on Tuesday and see if I can get tech support.  

And another thing, when I installed my printer on my laptop in another room, the Printer's Assistant WORKED FINE!!!  It had the Scan option.  Which led me to think.....on my desktop, which is the one I'm having the problem with, I uninstalled every HP printer and fax device that showed up in the Control Panel and uninstalled every program from HP.  To get the new software, I went directly to the 123hp website and downloaded it from there.  I did not use the CD that came with the printer.  On the laptop, which is working fine, I only uninstalled then reinstalled the printer, not the software.  That software is the original, from the CD.  Maybe what I should do is uninstall all of the printer and software from my desktop and use the CD to load the software.  I don't remember if it automatically searches for updated software online, but if so, maybe I can stop that from happenening.

What are your thoughts?  Especially regarding the 3 printers that show up on the Extended Scan, when I only have one installed on my desktop (and the name doesn't even match the name of the installed printer.)

Thanks for your time.  Look forward to your response and Happy Holidays.  I think I should go to a Festivus party and air my grievances towards HP!

[sabretooth04]

You have junk left over in your registry from all your uninstalls.

You need a better Uninstaller like...

http://www.iobit.com/en/advanceduninstaller.php

Use Powerful Scan at the end and delete all registry entries shown.

[who4ever123]

Great.  All I have to do is f**k with my registry, right?

What do you think about what I said about reinstalling my software with the CD?

Dave

[sabretooth04]

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@who4ever123 wrote:

What do you think about what I said about reinstalling my software with the CD?

Dave

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Make sure you uninstall everything first and make sure the printer is deleted.  The program deletes everything in the registry, you don't have too.

Now go back and reinstall from your CD or maybe the updated HP web site.   You may get your scan button back.

[who4ever123]

What do you mean it deletes everything in the registry? I don't want everything deleted of course. I just want anything that has to do with printers or HP software. Will I be able to instruct it to do just that?

[sabretooth04]

Only deletes the registry entries for that program.

[who4ever123]

Well, after all is said and done, if anyone else is stuck with this misery, all you have to do is uninstall every program by HP that has to do with the printer and reinstall the software USING THE CD, NOT THE INTERNET!!!!

[Mommybearof2]

I have done ALL of the troubleshooting steps from the hp website, HP Print and Scan Doctor to NO AVAIL!  I shut down my network modem and router and the computer and printer. Then turned them back on in order.  Nothing works!  I cannot make this printer communicate with my laptop even though they are both connected to the same network in the same room, close to the modem and router.  What is going on?? I am SO FRUSTRATED!  I have been struggling with this for 2 days now!