Scanning Project, Loses Connection (Hard-wired via ethernet to router)

[one_computer]

A very helpful contributor on another HP Forum was helpful in directing me to the HP Scan Extended link - something I could not find myself even by searching the HP site.  I've got the duplicate and double-sided scanning worked out for some very large projects which I batch based on the size limitations of the automatic document feeder. 

Unfortunately, while a number of the initial scanning projects went well, now, with some frequency, in the middle of a scan, the scanner loses connection.  Just happened again.  The printer screen continues to show a scan in progress, but all paper has been removed.  This is burdensome and frustrating, but made even more frustrating when it happens in the middle of a more than 100 page, two-sided document scan.

Router and modem are relatively new.  Speedtest shows enough speed and capacity.  Router services one laptop connected wirelessly and another laptop connected via ethernet cable.  Router also services a smart phone, but I am not using the phone while I have been scanning the last batch of documents.  Printer is connected to router via ethernet cable.

So far, my only resolution is to remove all HP printer software and drivers, restart the computer and reload the basic drivers and the Scan Extended software.  Also shut down the printer - sometimes having to unplug it to interrupt the faux scan - to clear out the memory.  After a few disconnections, I call into my internet service provider to remotely reset the modem while I reboot the router.

Can any other skilled and knowledgeable forum contributor share some insight into the cause for the disconnection and the best wa to prevent it from happening going forward?  Thanks, much.

[MKazi]

@One_compu ter

A very warm welcome to the HP community. A very good day to you. 

I understand that you have an HP ENVY 7640 e-All-in-One Printer. I read that while performing a two-sided scan, the printer often loses connection and it cannot scan. Is this the HP forums post (http://hp.care/2raRvZy) that you were helped with by an Expert?

I understand that the printer is connected via an ethernet cable to the router. You have reinstalled the drivers and the issue persists. Fabulous analysis. Spectacular diagnosis of the issue before posting. Kudos to you for that.You've done a remarkable job performing the steps. 

To provide an accurate resolution, I need a few more details: 

• Does the printer print fine when the scanner loses the connection?
• Have you tried scanning other applications like the HP Scan and Capture, Windows Scan or the Microsoft paint and checked if it resumes scanning?

Meanwhile, I recommend you to perform the following steps to isolate the issue and arrive at a fix: 

• Please download and run the HP Print and Scan Doctor software. This is a free tool for Windows to help resolve issues with the printer drivers. 
• If the issue persists then you may uninstall the drivers from the root level and then reinstall them by following the below steps:
• In Windows, search for and open Programs and Features.
• Select your HP printer.
• Select Uninstall.
• In Windows, search for and open Devices and Printers.
• In the Devices and Printers window look for your HP Printer. If you see it listed, right-click on it and choose "Delete" or "Remove Device.”
• Open up the run command with the "Windows Key + R" key combo.
• Type printui.exe /s and click OK.
• Click on Drivers tab.
• Look for HP Printer driver. If you see it click on it and click Remove at the bottom.
• Select OK.
• Select Apply and OK on the Print Server Properties windows.
• Close Devices and Printers.
• You may download and install the drivers from this link.

I sincerely hope this fixes the issue. Let me know what happens. Cheers! 🙂

[one_computer]

• Thanks for your help.
• Yes, the link to my initial query is correct.  I still return to that posting by Shlomil(?) to access the link to the HP Extended Scan link as I don't know where else to find the link.
• I copied the text of your response and pasted in this response and will try to respond sequentially:

To provide an accurate resolution, I need a few more details:  Does the printer print fine when the scanner loses the connection?

• My current hardware set up at this time:  Samsung laptop and HP Envy 7640 printer hard-wired to Netgear N900 router via Ethernet cable.  Samsung laptop running Outlook, OneNote, Internet Explorer, Edge Browser, Snipping Tool, Second scanning program (ScanittoPro) and several different Word documents holding Snipped images from internet.  Second laptop, Asus, connected to router wirelessly and running Youtube.
• In order to work through your list of recommendations, I opened the HP Extended Scan application and created a new Scanning Shortcut (Two sided, delete blank pages, save to external hard drive, 300 ppi)
• First Batch:  Loaded 34 pages into ADF, scanned both sides, result: 35 scanned pages.  Perfect.  The scanned images within the HP Scanning software remained on the screen, so I used the Back button to clear the window in order to start a new scan.
• Second Batch:  Loaded 42 pages into ADV, scanned both sides, result: 42 scanned pages.  Perfect.
• Third Batch:  Loaded 42 pages into ADF, started scan - stopped at 11 pages.  Scanning stopped and hung for about 2 minutes and then the error message came up:  HP Scan, Scanner Communication cannot be established...  Scanning was stalled.  To respond to one of your first questions, I tried and was successful in printing a single page document without any problem while the scanning was interrupted.  In order to restore the ability to scan, I shut down the printer and rebooted my computer and tried again.  

Have you tried scanning other applications like the HP Scan and Capture, Windows Scan or the Microsoft paint and checked if it resumes scanning?

• I may not understand your question.  I have tried the Windows Fax and Scan and ScanittoPro scanning programs previously.  I am not able to use a different program to continue the interrupted scan.  I believe I have had the same loss of connection issues when using ScanittoPro.  For purposes of following your instructions, I tried to continue the scan by using ScanittoPro but it wouldn't connect.  scanittoPro binds and won't close on command; I have to use the Task Manager to disengage ScanittoPro.

Meanwhile, I recommend you to perform the following steps to isolate the issue and arrive at a fix:  Please download and run the HP Print and Scan Doctor software. This is a free tool for Windows to help resolve issues with the printer drivers.

• Began troubleshooting by downloading the HP Print and Scan Doctor, selected HP Envy 7640 series (Network) printer.  Given choice to fix fax or scanning problems - opted to fix scanning problems.  Step 2:  Finding and Fixing Problems shows image and label of of HP Envy 7640 Series (Network) above a line of text "Driver Error."  Several oval labels show below:  First, Recommended Updates shows a blue/white icon with image of a crescent wrench, Device Manager shows a green circle with a white check mark icon,  Driver check label is colored red with a red "X" in a white circle icon.  The remaining items listed have no color and no icon:  Device Status, Windows (WIA) Scan, Registry, HP Scan and Test Scan.
• Below this group of status items is a line of text:  The Scan driver is unable to communicate with the product.  Save your work, and then close all applications.  Remove power from your printer by pulling out the printer's power cord.  Plug the power cord back in, turn the printer back on and then click "Restart Computer".  [I followed these instructions but closed the HP Print and Scan Doctor before getting to the point where I was supposed to click on the "Restart Computer" button, so after following the instructions, I restarted the computer and restarted the HP Print and Scan Doctor 5.0.]
• Results of second HP Print and Scan Doctor 5.0 scan:  The text above the status labels shows "Some issues were found and fixed with your product."  Text below the status buttons now read, "Everything checks out okay with your scanner (except for the tests you chose to skip.)  If you would like to perform a test scan to verify everything is working correctly, click "Test Scan."  I loaded a single page of paper into the ADF and selected "Test Scan."  Scanning process began, the scanned image appeared in the HP Scan application window.  I opted to not save the scanned document.

• For confidence, I ran the HP Print and Scan Doctor 5.0 scan again.  The same results show.  The Driver Check status button is red with a red "X" in a white circled icon.  Only have options to Restart Computer, Skip or Go Back.
• Don't see this path being productive, so going to return to the alternative instructions provided in your response.  IN order to do this, I selected the Back button, but then couldn't select any other action.  All of a sudden, the printer cycled and the results screen showed again.  Now the Driver Check status button has an orange circled icon with a white apostrophe mark.
• Below this group of status items is a line of text:  The Scan driver is unable to communicate with the product.  Save your work, and then close all applications.  Remove power from your printer by pulling out the printer's power cord.  Plug the power cord back in, turn the printer back on and then click "Restart Computer".  This time, I used the "Restart Computer" button to restart the computer and then started to work through the rest of your list of instructions.

If the issue persists then you may uninstall the drivers from the root level and then reinstall them by following the below steps:  In Windows, search for and open Programs and Features.  Select your HP printer.  Select Uninstall.  In Windows, search for and open Devices and Printers.  In the Devices and Printers window look for your HP Printer. If you see it listed, right-click on it and choose "Delete" or "Remove Device.

• I could not find a Programs and Features setting, but did find Apps and Features, from which I removed HP Dropbox Plug In, HP Envy 7640 Basic Device Software Service, HP Envy 7640 Series Help, HP Goodlge Drive Plug In, HP Scan Extended and one other HP related application for which I did not note the name.  Opening Devices and Printers showed no HP Envy 7640 so I skipped it.

Open up the run command with the "Windows Key + R" key combo.  Type printui.exe /s and click OK.

• Next, I opened the Run command and executed the printui.exe /s command.  DIdn't really see anything happen that I could record.

Click on Drivers tab.  Look for HP Printer driver. If you see it click on it and click Remove at the bottom.  Select OK.  Select Apply and OK on the Print Server Properties windows.  Close Devices and Printers.

• I skipped the Click on Drivers tab instruction as there was no device found from which I could follow your instructions through the Close Devices and Printers step.

You may download and install the drivers from this link.

• I worked down the the link you shared to download and install the drivers.  Working through that process, I get hung up on the Activiation step where, when I try to skip without activation, I get to a screen that says "Almost Ready," with an option to finish.  This takes me to a web page that asks "Are you sure you want to close this window?  If you exist, you can complete your setup later by saving this link."  I then arrive to an HP website with an error message across the top telling me that my version of Internet Explorer is out of date - which it isn't.  There is no option to finish the "activation" so I just close the opened browser window.

• I am sharing significant detail, because this represents only a small portion of the many hours I have put into troubleshooting issues with your software and printer which is way too unreliable for my needs and is just at or below my skill level which I know would really trip up someone with lesser skill - aka "a normal consumer."  I have probably worked through this process on my own about 8 times so far in the past 45 days.

• I then opened up the HP Extended Scan, recreated the Short Cut as outlined above and ran another batch of double-sided scanning of 42 pages.  (I don't know which pages from this notebook have double-sided images, so I have to run all through the ADF.)  At this point, I've realized that I have run the second batch of pages twice.  It's getting late and I am tired.  Loaded up the fourth batch total tonight, second since I reloaded the drivers.  Total of 32 pages, both sides, resulted in a file of 44 scanned images.  Perfect.
• Next, loaded up the fifth batch, third since reloading the drivers.  Stopped at the 17th page and shut everything down so I can go to bed.

• Today, I removed all HP applications and reloaded them again.  This morning, I removed the ethernet connection and attached the USB cord from my HP PhotoSmart 2710 to the HP Envy 7640.  (A USB cord was not included with the HP Envy 7640 Printer.)  Went through the same process of loading batches of documents and working through the scanning process and on 2 different occasions so far today, the scan was interrupted due to lack of connection.  So far, I have been able to get back up and running just by shutting down and then rebooting my computer.

This isn't fun, anymore.

Back to you.

[one_computer]

17.06.14.01:  Update:

Was able to scan a few batches of 2-sided documents last night - turning off and unplugging the printer, and rebooting the computer between each batch.  Throught I may have found a workaround for the technical defficiences.  Worked for a few batches, then lost connection at the 5th page of the last batch I tried last night.  Shut down both the printer and the computer for the night.

This morning, I booted up the laptop and turned on the computer and opened ScanittoPro.  Ran the unfinished batch from last night - 2-sided, manual duplex, about 50 pages - without a problem.  Continued with some smaller, single-sided document scan projects for the balance of the morning.  No problem - and then all of a sudden the connection is lost.

This time, I opened up Task Manager to see what was active and saw a program called ScantoPCActivationApp (or something like that) which seems to be an HP executable (?).  There was a red X in front of the name of the application, so I assumed it was not working properly and removed it.  Tried to initiate the scan again without any luck.  Removed the documents from the ADF, shut down the printer/scanner and then opened up this HP Forum to post this update.

Couple things:  Right now, neither the ScanittoPro nor the HP Scan Extended applications can connect to the printer - both show alerts indicating this.

The "Source" choices I can see in ScanittoPro includeds:  HP Envy 7640 series TWAIN; HP TWAIN; and WIA-HP Envy 7640 series (NET).  Can't confirm that I have used either the TWAIN or WIA-HP with any consistency.  I think I just used whatever would work - which may be only one of them or both of them.  Didn't track this selection.

SUMMARY

So, I've tried scanning though the ADF for both single-sided and double-sided documents with mixed and then dissappointing results.  I've tried scanning both single-sided and double-sided documents using the ADF using both HP Extended Scan and ScanittoPro with mixed and ultimately dissapointing results.  I've tried scanning both single-sided and double-sided documents using the ADF with the printer connected wirelessly and via USB with mixed but eventually dissapointing results.

What am I missing?

[one_computer]

17.06.14.02:  Update:

I unplugged the printer and rebooted the computer.  Ran the Print and Scan Doctor and got a clean bill of health.

[sabretooth04]

Try this.

These settings are for setting up your wireless or wired printers to:

* Stay connected to your router
* Fix printer ‘offline’ status
* Wake from sleep mode
* Speed up wireless printing

While DHCP is convenient, devices such as printers (wired and wireless) should always be assigned a static (fixed) IP address manually to avoid conflicts on your wireless network and MUST be outside the DHCP range of the router. This is because printers are the only external devices that do not have the ability to automatically interrupt the router for a new DHCP address once the least time expires.  

After setting the static IP, the computer(s) must be updated under Printer Properties/Ports to show a Standard TCP/IP port with the printers’ new static IP address.

1. Set a static IP in the printer outside the DHCP range of the router (check your manual).  This Static IP is important as DHCP IP addresses will change upon different power up sequences of your devices.  You always want your printer to come up with the same IP address all the time.  See how to do this here:

http://www.watchingthenet.com/linksys-tip-assign-static-ip-address-to-printer-while-using-dhcp-on-yo...

This is for Linksys routers but can be used for all routers. Verify your DHCP range and change this first if needed.  After setting the static IP, the computer(s) must be updated under Printer Properties/Ports to show a Standard TCP/IP port with the printers IP address.  

To see why this problem exists and how to fix it, watch this video here for Windows.   Scroll down for MAC information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEqvUKxWmq4

How to set a Standard TCP/IP port.  This is important.

a.    Click Start/Devices and Printers.  Right click on your HP Printer.  Select Printer Properties.  Select the Ports tab at the top.
b.    Select Add Port.  Select Standard TCP/IP Port.  Select New Port.
c.    Follow the Add Port Wizard.  Under Printer Name or IP Address, input the Static IP address you just set from the above information.  Example:  192.168.1.15.  The IP address will be copied under Port Name.  This is OK to leave this alone or you can put in your Printer Model.
d.    Select Next and Finish the Wizard.

If you create a TCP/IP port without a static IP above, you may lose your TCP/IP connection and have the same issue. This is because your network has powered up differently giving you a different DHCP address to the printer that does not match the TCP/IP address above.  This could occur at anytime just like the video shows.

For MAC PCs perform the above Static IP setting in the router and then watch here on how to perform your IP setting for MAC computers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5tNFjEBDOw

By performing the above, the printers Embedded Web Server (EWS) will now work all the time by going to your Printers Static IP address in your browser.  

2. Verify in the printer that 'Auto Off/Sleep/Energy Saving Mode' is disabled and/or the System Mode Time Out is set to zero (0) if your printer supports this.  Use the Embedded Web Server (EWS) by going to the printers IP address in your browsers address bar, click Settings Tab/Auto Off, or use the Printer Assistant, Printer Home Page (EWS). Also check your Printer Properties. This feature is automatically disabled when the printer is connected to a computer or mobile device, a network, or a fax line (if supported) you may not find this setting.

3. If the printer supports and has IPv6 enabled, disable IPv6 in the printer.

4. Make sure printer is plugged directly into a wall outlet and not into a UPS, power strip or surge protector. This will cause the printer to drop offline and disconnect (yes verified!).

5.  Make sure your printer and router are at least 5 feet apart from each other.

Additional steps to be taken if you continue to have the problem (if they are posted)…

[one_computer]

Thanks, Sabre.  Just a quick clarification - no router setting changes are required if the printer is connected via USB?

[sabretooth04]

Correct, did  I miss that this was connected via USB?  You said Ethernet.

[one_computer]

Yes and No.  I prefer the wireless Ethernet connection, but resorted to the USB connection so I could get some work done.  I will try to work through your instructions and recommendations and let you know how it works out.  Thanks for your input.