HP Scanjet 8270: Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

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This section contains solutions for common problems with the scanner and the

transparent materials adapter (TMA).

Scanner installation or setup problems

This section contains solutions for installation and setup problems.

Uninstall and reinstall the software

The problem might have occurred because of an incomplete installation. Try

uninstalling and then reinstalling the HP Scanning software. To reinstall the HP

Scanning software, you must have either the HP Scanning software CD or a copy of

the HP Scanning software downloaded from the HP Web site.

To uninstall the HP software that came with your scanner, follow these steps:

1. On the taskbar, click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

Note In Windows XP, click Control Panel on the Start menu.

2. Click Add/Remove Programs.

Note In Windows XP, this is called Add or Remove Programs.

3. Select HP Scanjet Drivers 6.0, and then click Remove.

This removes the HP Scanjet software.

4. Reinstall using the HP Scanning software CD that came with your scanner. When

you insert the CD, an installation interface launches automatically. Choose the

HP Solution Center option to install.

Check the cables

Cable type Action

Power cable The power cable is connected between the scanner and a

power outlet.

● Ensure that the power cable is securely connected

between the scanner and a live electrical outlet or surge

protector.

● If the power cable is connected to a surge protector,

ensure that the surge protector is plugged into an outlet

and turned on.

● Disconnect the power cable from the scanner and turn off

the computer. After 60 seconds, reconnect the power

cable to the scanner, and then turn on the computer, in

that order.

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Chapter 5

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Cable type Action

USB cable The USB cable is connected between the scanner and the

computer.

● Use the cable that was included with the scanner.

Another USB cable might not be compatible with the

scanner.

● Ensure that the USB cable is securely connected

between the scanner and the computer.

For additional USB troubleshooting information, see

www.hp.com/support, select your country/region, and then

use the search tool to find USB troubleshooting topics.

ADF cable The ADF cable is connected between the ADF in the scanner

lid and the scanner base.

Ensure the cable is securely connected in the back of the

scanner.

Scanner initialization or hardware problems

This section contains solutions for initialization and hardware problems.

Scanner is off

If the power LED is not lit, the scanner is off. To turn the scanner on:

1. Make sure the power cable is plugged into a power source.

2. Press the Power Save button (

).

Reset the scanner

If you receive an error message similar to “Scanner initialization failed” or “Scanner

not found” when trying to use the scanner, follow these steps:

1. Close the HP software, if it is open.

2. Disconnect the cable that connects the scanner to the computer.

3. Unplug the scanner power cable from the power source.

4. Turn the computer off, wait 60 seconds, and then turn the computer on again.

5. Plug the scanner power cable into the power source.

6. Reconnect the cable that connects the computer and the scanner.

– Make sure that the USB cable is connected to the back of the scanner

correctly. The USB symbol on the end of the cable (the connector) should be

facing up. When connected correctly, the USB connector will feel slightly

loose. When connected incorrectly, the USB plug will feel overly tight.

– Try connecting the USB cable to a different USB port on your computer.

Test the scanner hardware

If you think that the scanner has a hardware problem, verify that the cables are firmly

connected to the scanner, the computer, and the power source. If the cables are

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HP Scanjet 8270 Document Flatbed Scanner

correctly connected, verify that the scanner is turned on, and then test the scanner by

following these steps:

1. Disconnect the USB cable and power cable from the scanner.

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2. Reconnect the USB cable and power cable to the scanner.

The carriage on the scanner will move forward and backward approximately 25 mm (1

inch), and the lamp will turn on. The front panel display message will change from

Processing to Ready.

If the carriage does not move and the scanner lamp does not turn on, a problem might

exist with the scanner hardware. See Product support on page 26.

Scanner has stopped working properly

If the scanner stops scanning, complete the following steps, in order. After each step,

start a scan to see if the scanner is working. If the problem continues, proceed with

the next step.

1. A cable might be loose. Ensure that both the USB cable and power cable are

securely connected.

2. Unplug the scanner power cable from the power source, wait 60 seconds, and

then plug it back in.

3. Reboot your computer.

4. If the problem persists, you might need to uninstall and reinstall the scanner

software. See Uninstall and reinstall the software on page 19.

If the scanner still does not work, visit www.hp.com/support or contact HP Customer

Support.

Paper jams

If misfeeds are occurring frequently, follow these steps:

1. Clean the feed-roller assembly manually. See Clean and Maintain the ADF in the

Care and maintenance section of the HP Scanjet 8270 Document Flatbed

Scanner onscreen Help for more details.

2. See the onscreen Help for information about resolving other ADF problems.

3. If misfeeds continue, order and install the ADF Roller Replacement kit. The ADF

Roller Replacement kit contains a roller mechanism, a separation pad, new

screws for the separation pad and replacement instructions (see Order

maintenance and scanner supplies on page 18 for more information).

Additional troubleshooting information

To solve other problems with the scanner, see the onscreen help. To gain access to

the help, open HP Solution Center, click the tab for the scanner, and then click

Onscreen Guide.

Scanner operation problems

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Chapter 5

Scanner will not turn on

If the scanner will not turn on when you press the front panel scanner buttons, there

may be one of two reasons:

● The scanner may be turned off. Be sure the power cable is plugged in.

● The scanner may have been unplugged. Check to see that the power cable has

not become disconnected from the scanner or unplugged from the power source.

● Check to see that the ADF cable has not become disconnected from the scanner.

Scanner lamp stays on

The scanner lamp should time out and turn off automatically after a period of inactivity

(about 15 minutes). This is the Power Save mode.

Scanner does not scan right away

Check to be sure the power cord is plugged in.

If the scanner has not been used for a while, the scanner lamp might need to go

through a warm-up period before scanning can begin. If the scanner lamp needs to

warm up, it takes a moment after starting the software or pressing a scanner button

for scanning to begin.

Buttons appear not to work

After each step, start a scan to see if the buttons are working. If not, proceed with the

next step.

● A cable might be loose. Ensure that the USB cable, the ADF cable, and the

power cable are securely connected.

● Unplug the power cable from the power source, and then plug it back in.

● Ensure that the power cord is plugged in.

● Restart your computer.

● The buttons might be disabled. Try the following procedure:

– Open Control Panel, select Scanners and Cameras, and then select your

scanner model from the list.

– Open Properties, and then click the Events tab. From the Scanner events

list, select Scan Document button press.

– Ensure that the HP Scanning software option is selected.

– Windows 98 and Windows 2000: Ensure that the Disable Device Events

option is not selected.

– Windows Me and Windows XP: Ensure the Take No Action option is not

selected.

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HP Scanjet 8270 Document Flatbed Scanner

Resolve issues with scanning documents or text (OCR)

The scanner uses optical character recognition (OCR) to convert text on a page to

text that you can edit on your computer.

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● If you scan text but cannot edit it, make sure that you make the following

selections during scanning:

– HP Scanning (Select Document.)

– Scan to (Select a word-processing program or Save to File.)

Note If you select Save to File, select a text file type from the File

Type drop-down list.

● Scanned text might not appear on your computer exactly as it appeared on the

original, especially if the original contains faint or smudged text. For example,

some characters might be incorrect or missing. As you edit the text, compare the

scanned text against the original, and then make corrections as necessary.

●

Note The OCR software is installed automatically when you install the

HP Scanning software during scanner setup.

Scanned image is fuzzy

It is important that the item you scan comes in full contact with the scanner glass. If

the resulting scanned image is not clear, check to see that the item is in full contact

with the scanner glass.

Scanner is scanning items very slowly

● If you are scanning to edit text, the optical character recognition (OCR) software

program causes the scanner to scan more slowly, which is normal. Wait for the

item to scan.

● Some default settings can cause the scanner to scan more slowly. Open HP

Solution Center, click Settings, click Scan Settings and Preferences, and then

click Scan Preferences. On the Quality vs. Speed tab, clear the Scan at

maximum pixel depth check box.

● The resolution might be set too high. Reset the resolution to a lower level. The

scanner software automatically selects the resolution to provide the best balance

between image quality and file size.

To change the resolution, open HP Solution Center, and then click Settings.

Select Scan Settings, and then click Solution Center scan button settings.

Click the tab for Scan Document button or Scan Document To button, and

then click the Scan Document Settings button. The Scan Document Settings

dialog box is displayed. Use the drop-down list to change the resolution.

Scanner glass needs to be cleaned

Clean the scanner glass under the following conditions:

● Ink is on the glass.

● Fingerprints are on the glass.

● Items have excessive amount of dust or dirt on them.

● Smudges or other marks appear on scanned images.

● Haze or dust is on the glass.

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