Resolved Issue with Old Scanner Driver
Resolved Issue with Old Scanner Driver
My printer or scanner stopped working recently, so I’m choosing not to replace it. I mostly print in black and white, so my monochrome laser printer is enough. The issue is with my scanner—my HP Scanjet 3800 has been with me for more than ten years, and I think it’s still functional. The latest driver on HP’s site is for Windows 8.1, while I’m using Windows 10. Is there a way to make it work (compatibility mode)? I know Vuescan exists, but using it would cost £99.95, and buying a new scanner would be more expensive. Any advice would be appreciated.
Well, that's the situation. It seems you can't use the scanner with modern operating systems without paying extra fees, and for HP customers, it's common to purchase a new scanner to boost profits. That's just how things are. You have three choices:
Purchase software.
Buy a new scanner.
Use an outdated or insecure OS that lets you install old drivers. You might also be able to run it via a virtual machine, especially if you already have a W7 or W8 license.
By the way: Have you actually attempted to install the drivers for W8 just to check if you're permitted to do so? In theory, this could work for W10 (though I haven't tried it myself).
Well, that's the situation. It seems you can't use the scanner with modern operating systems without paying extra fees, and for HP customers, it's common to purchase a new scanner to boost profits. That's just how things are. You have three choices:
Purchase software.
Buy a new scanner.
Utilize an outdated or insecure OS that permits installing old drivers. You might also be able to run it via a virtual machine, especially if you already have a W7 or W8 license.
By the way: Have you actually attempted to install the drivers for W8 just to check if you're permitted to do so? In theory, this could work for W10 (though I haven't tried it myself).
It's a really good scanner, superior to the one with my printer/scanner. It's from 2007, so I know HP won't support it forever. Sadly for HP, if I were to get a new scanner, it would probably be a Canon, which is what I had before the HP. I'll try the Win 8.1 driver, but it only says no.. Thanks.
People who purchased a Canon back in 2007 still face the same problem, and they are now thinking about switching to HP. Overall, this benefits HP and other companies too.
It's interesting to note how my scanning equipment evolved over time. Before HP, I used a Canon scanner around the year 2000 with Windows 98. After switching to XP, Canon continued to work with it, but when I moved to Vista in 2007, support ended and I had to switch to HP. I'm considering going back to my original choice.
I attempted to use the Windows 8.1 driver, which functioned somewhat, though I think the built-in scanner app might have been responsible since it lacked a dedicated negative scanner feature.