BleepingComputer.com: Problem with All in One Printer

I wonder if anyone can help me with a problem i seem to be having with my All In One Printer.

I have an Epson Stylus Photo RX520 which i have had for a number of years, currently being used with a Packard Bell desktop running Windows 7 Home Premuim x64, which i have had for about a year and until now both machines have worked well together.

The problem is mainly with scanning to PC. I was scanning a magazine to create a multipage PDF file from the scans, and had done several pages when i suddenly received a 'Communication Error' and had to save the document prematurely, and restart the printer. i turned off the printer but was unable to restart it after several attempts. I left the machine alone for about half an hour and the printer did switch back on. i started scanning again and the same thing happened again after only a few pages scanned. Getting nowhere i stopped using the printer and left it alone until the next day, when it appeared to be working fine, so i tested general printing and photocopying functions and they seemed ok. Then i tried scanning again and after about 5 pages scanned the same problem happened again.

I thought the first time the problem occured that i had been over working the machine and accepted it, but for it to happen again the next day seems to suggest something is wrong, but i do not know what. I am very disapointed and frustrated, since the scanner (and indeed the whole machine) when it works still produced excellent results and i am reluctant to replace it at this time.

Hi Richard,

It seems to be a driver problem basing on the way you explained things as it works standalone as a copier + its an intermittent issue.

1. Was there any changes/updates that was done before the issue started?
2. Does your issue only happen when scanning PDF files format? Also what is the software your using when scanning?


booterbotter

booterbotter, on 15 November 2011 - 12:36 PM, said:

Thanks for reply 'booterbotter'.

I did wonder about drivers, so have reinstalled the most up to date driver for the machine. This appeared to be the same version as is already had (for vista/7 PCs) before the trouble started.

I don't use the scanner that often so don't really know when the problem would have started. If anything maybe some windows update may have triggered it but cant see how, and if so determining which one would be virtually impossible I think.

Scanning issue occurs when scanning PDFs or Jpeg (that I have tried). Sometimes it occurs on the first page scanned, other times it lets me do one or 2 before stopping.

I use the software that came with the printer; 'Epson Scan'. This might be part of the problem since I haven't been able to update it for windows 7, so the version I am using is really meant for an XP sp2/3 machine. I always assumed i was stuck with Epson Scan and couldn't use anything else. If I can use something else perhaps you or someone else could suggest a better alternative?

Thanks again.

Hi,

A windows update may have caused the issue, how? The driver for your All in one are automatically being updated by Microsoft as the last driver posted on Epson UK website was 2006. Any updates for your drivers will now always come from those windows updates.
I know it may sound odd but at least try to use a new usb cable for your device. If that does not fix the issue, I would try scanning using a different application such as the Mspaint, Irfanview or Adobe Photoshop so that we can isolate if its a connection, driver or application issue.

I have tried out some of the other applications that i have that do scanning, including Paint, Paint.Net, Adobe Photoshop Elements and Windows Fax and Scan. Whilst they appear to be more limited in their options compared to Epson Scan they do seem to work OK without the original problem arising. As i say these applications are far more limited and less easy to use than Epson Scan. I can only scan to PDF with Photoshop and even then it creates a massive file just for one page. I cant seem to tailor the scan to the document type as easily either.

Unless i am completely wrong and have missed something, it seems to be that the Epson Scan software is the issue here. I went back to it after testing the other applications and after a couple of pages the problem arose again, with the whole machine shutting down and refusing to restart for ages. Seems fine again now though.

This is the second unit of this model i have had. I had no problems with the first as far as scanning goes - had to replace it after the print heads went wrong from using cheap ink. This second unit had been fine up to now except the photo transparency (slide)/film negative function has never worked properly.

I suppose if the cause is the software then i need to look into a decent replacement, ideally something that is comparable to Epson Scan in terms of functionality. Any suggestions? Not too expensive please!

Thanks for the help.

It really depends on your style and choice. Some reviews on the Epson workforce and sx series seems to be ok. I would suggest that check the reviews on an individual AIO not in just epson.co.uk but even on other websites.

I have been checking out various options and settings in the hope of solving my problem, with little sucess to date. I have recently tried the scanner with an XP machine (thinking it might be a conflict between Windows 7, epson scan and or the scanner itself). Unfortunately the same problem occured, the scanner stopped mid scan and in some but not all cases shut itself down. I had been using the machine fine with 'Softi ScanWiz' software on my 7 machine but this seems to be affected too now.

Any ideas? Trying to scan anything at the moment is a complete waste of time.

Thanks

Good morning Richard,

If you are still interested in acquiring a different printer, may I suggest the Canon Pixma MP-495 AIO printer (printer, copier, scanner).

I purchased this model back in the spring of this year and it has performed quite well. (I bought it to replace a Dell AIO printer when the scanner & copier functions bit the dust after just over 1 year's usage. For some unknown reason, whenever I would scan in a document, or attempt to use the copier function, the resulting page would come out with a gray-colored shading over the entire document).

This post has been edited by spc3rd: 05 December 2011 - 08:28 AM

spc3rd, on 05 December 2011 - 08:23 AM, said:

Thanks for reply. Apologies, but i was asking about replacement scanner software, not a printer/scanner. Nothing wrong with the printing or photocopying functions of the 520. Just scan to PC thats the problem. That said if the scanner part is going wrong then i might need a new stand alone flatbed scanner!!