Uninstalling and reinstalling a scanner driver involves a few basic steps. In this article, we’ll explain how to do it.
Step 1: Uninstalling the Scanner Driver
Before you can uninstall the scanner driver, you’ll need to make sure that you don’t have any active scanning processes running on your computer. If you do have one, you’ll need to terminate it before proceeding with the uninstallation. To do this, open the Task Manager (press Ctrl+Alt+Del) and end the process from there.
Once you have no active scanning processes, you’ll be able to proceed with uninstalling the scanner driver. To do this, go to the Control Panel, then select “Programs and Features”. From here, locate your scanner in the list and select “Uninstall/Change” to begin the process. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation.
Step 2: Removing the Remaining Files & Registry Entries
Even after uninstalling the scanner driver, some trace files and registry entries may still remain on your system. These should be removed in order to ensure that the new driver will install correctly.
To remove the remaining files, use Windows Explorer to navigate to the “C:\Windows\System32\Drivers” folder and delete any files related to your scanner. Then, go to the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class” registry branch and delete any entries related to your scanner.
Step 3: Reinstal the Driver
Once you have removed any remaining trace files and registry entries, you can proceed to reinstall the scanner driver. The best way to do this is to download the latest version of the driver from the manufacturer’s website and install it manually. Make sure to follow any instructions provided by the manufacturer during the installation process.
Once you have finished the installation, restart your computer and make sure that the driver installed correctly. You should now be able to use your scanner without any issues.
If you’re still having issues after reinstalling the driver, try rolling back to an older version or using a different driver. If this still doesn’t work, you may need to contact the manufacturer for technical support.