There has been an arising problem with Epson scanners where the scanner application fails to scan for any documents. This problem can be traced back to a number of different reasons ranging from problems in the scanner drivers to incorrect configuration of the network. Note: This article is meant for all operating systems (Windows 10, 8, and 7). It also includes workarounds when after updating to Windows 10, the scanner fails to work.
Solution 1: Running Scanner Software with Administrative Privileges
The first and foremost thing you should try is running the scanning application with administrative privileges. Many applications that require input from an external source require you to grant them administrative privileges so they can perform all of their operations without any interference or security checks. You should change the application’s settings and allow administrative access.
Note: Your account should have admin powers to execute this method. Make sure to make your account an admin before trying this out.
Solution 2: Fixing Wireless Connection
In numerous cases, the Epson scan application fails to associate the scanner with the network LAN address automatically. This issue arises if you are connecting to the scanner using a Wireless Network. While you can still search for addresses automatically within the application, it fails to do most of the time. To counter this issue, we can manually add the address by fetching it from the command prompt and make your scanner working again in no time.
As you can see, the IP Address of the scanner is “192.168.0.195” in this case. You can enter this address in your browser and if successful, you will be able to open the scanner’s properties.
Solution 3: Using Shorter USB Cables
Although many tech manufacturers claims their devices can be connected using very long USB cables, only a few of them live up to their spoken words. In a nutshell, the more you prolong a USB cable for the connection between scanner and computer, the more signal losses will occur. With this being said, if you are using the scanner on the other side of the room, you should fetch another USB cable which is of shorter length and try connecting the scanner. Relocate it closer to your temporarily and check if this workaround works. If it does, it means there was the loss of signals and it was causing the computer not being able to communicate.
Solution 4: Restarting Shell Hardware Detection
The Shell Hardware Detection service monitors and provides notifications for Autoplay hardware events. This service is used as the main tool for detecting when other hardware is plugged into your system. This service is responsible for detecting scanners, printers, removable storage devices, etc. If there is a problem with this service, your computer might not detect the scanner. We can try restarting this service and reconnect the scanner and see how this goes.
Solution 5: Turning off Password Protected Sharing
Password protected sharing is a security mechanism that ensures that the sharing of files and folders over the network is safe. If it is turned on, people on your network will not be able to access the files on your computer unless they enter the password provided by you manually. There were frequent cases reported where this very mechanism was causing problems for the scanner to connect. We can disable this mechanism, reconnect the scanner and see how it goes. You always revert back the changes if things don’t go our way. We will also check if Printer Discovery is turned on.
Solution 6: Changing from LPT1 to USB 001 Virtual Printer Port
Line Print Terminals belong to the rather old technology of connecting printers and scanners to your computer. Nowadays, most of the printers have transitioned from LPT to USB. We can try changing the ports of the printer and see if this makes any difference. This issue was particularly known to work for users who lost the functionality of the scanner after migrating to Windows 10.
Solution 7: Resetting Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)
Another workaround which we can try before updating the drivers of the scanner is resetting Windows Image Acquisition service. This service is related to capturing the images when you scan using your computer. It is an application programming interface (API) that enables graphics software to communicate with imaging hardware such as scanners.
This process is a core part of fetching the required scanner document into your computer. Resetting this service can fix any problems if it was at fault.
You can also try stopping the service and starting it later on manually if resetting doesn’t work.
Solution 8: Updating Scanner Drivers
If all the above solutions don’t work, we can try updating the scanner drivers. You should navigate to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest scanner drivers available. Make sure to download the exact drivers meant for your printer. You can look for the model number present on the front of your printer or in its box. Note: There are a few cases where a newer driver doesn’t work. In that case, download an older version of the driver and install it using the same method described below. Note: If your scanner is inbuilt with your printer, you should update the drivers of your printer using the same method explained below. In that case, you should look in the category of ‘Print Queues’. Select the driver file you downloaded using the browse button when it appears and update it accordingly.
Note: If updating the drivers don’t work, you should exit all the scanner applications and uninstall them accordingly. Now go back to the device manager and uninstall the scanner/printer by right-clicking it and selecting “Uninstall”. Once uninstalled, unplug the scanner and download the latest drivers from the website and install them after you plug the hardware again.
Tips:
Try disabling your antivirus software (you can use Windows Defender temporarily).Uninstall Epson Scan, open Windows Explorer and navigate to “C:\Windows”. Locate “twain_32” and rename it for example “twain_old”. Restart your computer and reinstall Epson Scan.Check if there are any restrictions on the network which are causing the printer to not connect. Also, add the ” C:\WINDOWS\twain_32\escndv\escndv.exe” to Windows Defender, Firewall and Antivirus exceptions.Make sure that correct network configurations are entered in the scanner hardware if you are connecting a network.Ensure that the USB ports are working perfectly on your computer where you are plugging the hardware.
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