Problems with Multifunction Scanners

A lot of users have trouble with multifunction scanners – the units that work as a scanner, printer, and fax machine. The most common problem is that only the first or last page actually comes in after the scan.

The Problem

The trouble is that these scanners have poor TWAIN drivers, or only WIA drivers. WIA was an early attempt by Microsoft to replace TWAIN. While WIA works well for cameras and camcorders, it’s very poorly implemented for scanning.

Whenever Windows only finds a WIA driver for a scanner, it will auto-generate a TWAIN driver as well. These show up in the list of scanners as "WIA-device name". These are almost always problematic and should be avoided.

The Solution

The best solution is to install an actual, updated TWAIN driver for your scanner. Go to your scanner maker’s website and download the driver that matches your version and edition of Windows.

If you can’t get a TWAIN driver, you’ll be forced to use the "WIA-" version of the driver. These drivers seem to work best if you always show the native scanning dialog. Do this:

Go to the Enterprise Organizer Pro "Tools" menu > "Settings" > "Scan"

Select the option called "Show Scanner Dialog"

Click the small "Save" button at the top of the window

Click "OK"

Now when you scan, the scanner’s own interface will pop up. This will give you the most trouble-free results.