Now almost every computer owner has a home scanner. And most often it is purchased in the appendage to the printer. Alas, with each subsequent update of the line of printing devices, it becomes clear that manufacturers are gradually abandoning the production of highly specialized solutions, preferring harvesters that combine a printer with a scanner. Although the average computer owner rarely needs a scanner, the functions of a photocopy machine (copier) are sometimes very handy.
The use of combo solutions for replicating copies can be found in the instructions. We will focus on a more complex option - on how to use the scanner (independent) in the environment of the Windows operating system. All modern models use a USB interface to communicate with a computer, so first we connect the device’s wire to the corresponding free port on the computer. Varieties with a CIS matrix use USB current (500 mA) to power all internal circuits. But CCD scanners (with a backlight) require the connection of an additional power supply. After turning on all the necessary wires, press the power button on the scanner (in CIS it is enough to connect USB-interfaces). The hardware component is prepared. But this is not a complete answer to the question “how to use a scanner”, since further installation of programs is required.
A scanner with a driver and bonus applications should be included with the scanner. A driver is a control program that provides the operating system with instructions on how to interact with a connected device. It is recommended that you immediately go to the scanner manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver for your model. If the equipment was found and the driver is installed, then there should be no problems with how to use the scanner. The exception is too old models, more unsupported by the manufacturer and incompatible with new operating systems. Let us dwell on this point in more detail, since the number of owners of obsolete models is hundreds of thousands. How to use a scanner with it? There is a solution, and as many as three!
The first is to install an old operating system that is still supported by the driver. For obvious reasons, it is unlikely that anyone will be delighted with the return from Seven to Win XP or even Win 9x.
The second method allows you to leave the modern system, but at the same time use the scanner. It is about using a special emulator that creates a virtual computer. The most famous are VMware Workstation, Virtual PC and Virtual Box. Download, install, install the old operating system in a virtual environment and use the scanner.
And finally, the most convenient solution (if it works) is to use the VueScan program. This application is designed specifically for scanners and, most importantly, can work without drivers installed on the device. However, VueScan cannot be launched with all devices, so you need to try.
Before scanning a document, the scanner must be configured. The number of available items depends on the driver and the program used (Twain shell, Adobe Fine Reader, etc.). Usually it’s enough to understand the resolution (dpi) and scan quality (color, black and white).
Sometimes you need to "share" the scanner over the network. This is only possible if the device is fully supported by the operating system. You can use third-party programs - BlindScanner, RemoteScan and the like. They all work on the same principle: the server part of the program is installed on the computer with the scanner, and the client part is installed on the others.
You can also take advantage of the features of Windows. Through the monitor icon in the notification area, go to the "Network Control Center". We look through the full map. Using the "Wizard" we add the desired scanner model. This method is inferior to the previous in flexibility.