Spyware Sucks

I could not get Director using the software supplied with my 5500c to open at all. I got just IE error messages. I did see that someone reported that the HP 7210 machine software did work. So I downloaded it from HP and it looks a little different but runs just fine and updates the software for the 4750/5500 scanner. I did try the software for the 5950 scanner and it had the same errors as the 4750/5500 scanner. Certainly HP and MS should be able to fix this incompatibility quickly.

hgow do you create a .js file thanks

Thanks for the help, I to have the same problem with the director not opening. Printer is a HP Office Jet All in One 5510.

Many Thanks, it works for me. Only i think you can improve on the Instructions: you need to Double click on the Desktop Icon of the Director and then do Alt+ Space ...etc. If someone has a file script that works it would be nice if you could put it somewhere so we can all download it. Thanks again to whoever posted this solution.

I would be thankful if the instructions are much clear

I don't understand how this fix works. You say "run the HP Director and..." That is precisely the problem: when you click on HP Director icon Nothing happens. So How can one " run and minimize and restore??? Thanks

Thanks for this fix! It works great!

guys i do understand    its a bit hard to follow but i will appreciate  the  solution for u guys .... just copy the script  

sol1

for  people  who have digital  imaging folder

at location

c:/program files /hewlett-packard/digital imaging

copy this script

var WshShell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");

var dirfile="C:\\Program Files\\Hewlett-Packard\\Digital Imaging\\bin\\Hpqdirec.exe";

var oExec = WshShell.Exec(dirfile);

WScript.Sleep(3000);

WshShell.SendKeys("%( )");  //equivalent of Alt+spacebar

WshShell.SendKeys("nn");  //equivalent of click minimize twice

oExec = WshShell.Exec(dirfile);

sol 2

for  people  who have digital  imaging folder

at location

c:/program files /hp/digital imaging

copy this script

var WshShell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");

var dirfile="C:\\Program Files\\Hp\\Digital Imaging\\bin\\Hpqdirec.exe";

var oExec = WshShell.Exec(dirfile);

WScript.Sleep(3000);

WshShell.SendKeys("%( )");  //equivalent of Alt+spacebar

WshShell.SendKeys("nn");  //equivalent of click minimize twice

oExec = WshShell.Exec(dirfile);

**** paste it on  notepad

save  it as file name :   hpdirector.js

and file type as    : all files

... save it on ur desktop....

now when u click  it it will open  hp director for u

plzzz reply if sol works for u

kindly check the location  of digital imaging for ur solution

bye bye

tried the sol 2 and it did not work? any other suggestions?

Way to go chetan.  The .js script worked PERFECT for me.  Can't believe.  The .js notebook file will certainly suffice until HP does get the fix finalized.  

You take care!

To get the sol 2 script to execute, I found that I had to do the following: 1. Save the script to the hard disk. 2. In Windows Explorer hold down Alt and drag the file to the desktop. 3. Right click of the desktop icon 4. Choose "Properties" 5. Click on the "Shortcut" tab 6. Edit the "Target" by adding wscript+space before the file name (shown with quotes) and space+//B after the name. 7. Click "OK" This makes sure that the Windows Script Host is used to process the script. On my system when I attempt to open a .js file, it tries to use Internet Explorer without success.

Thank you all for the script. It has my HP Director back. I can't believe that Hp and Microsft didn't fix the problem on the beta. Ron

Thank you for the script. Now my HP Director is working. You would think with so many people having the same challenges that HP would include a fix in their software updates.

To all that contributed...THANK YOU!!  Both solutions (java script and alt+space) work on my PC's as long as I have the HP Dir and the Java script saved to the current user desktop and launch them from there.  For what it's worth, I think the problem is both HP's and MS's.  MS for not providing backward compatibility and HP for not warning that IE7 will break Director.  As someone previously write, I checked the HP site b4 installing IE7 and found nothing.  Did it again this morning and same thing.

Sandi says:  One thing we need to remember is that ensuring backwards compatibility can sometimes come at the cost to security.

HP have come up with a fix, it is the new Solution Centre which is meant to work with all HP scanners, beware it is 244mb to download and frightfully slow: ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software7/COL10861/sj-31873-2/COL10861.exe

Sandi says:  It would be great if you could post a URL on the HP site that mentions this new download, in preference to a direct FTP download link.

Sandi says: Information link about the download here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericSoftwareDownloadIndex?cc=us&lc=en&softwareitem=sj-31873-2&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

This has been broken since beta 2 - a workaround is listed on my blog: http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/archive/2006/10/22/197647.aspx

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software7/COL10861/sj-31873-2/COL10861.exe  Works although it is very slow to download and install

Sandi says:  It would be great if you could post a URL on the HP site that mentions this new download, in preference to a direct FTP download link.

Sandi says:  Information link about the download here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericSoftwareDownloadIndex?cc=us&lc=en&softwareitem=sj-31873-2&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

Thanks for the fix - Works Great. It loads in a larger window though

Found your blog searching for a solution to HP Director not launching day after installing IE 7 and this solved our problem also. Many thanks!

This link:  ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softlib/software7/COL10861/sj-31873-2/COL10861.exe  

(posted by "Kiwipat" above), DOES FIX THE PROBLEM ("Bruno" you listening?) with my 6210 All-In-One and IE7. (HP Director would not launch with Internet Explorer 7 - NOW IT DOES FINE!

Just be advised, I have a very fast cable connection and it took 45 minutes to complete - but it will get the job done.

Thanks

I updated my system with the latest HP PSC 1350 software and that did not resolve the issue.  I then installed the Scanjet 4700 software, clicked on "add printer later", and it installed the new HP Solution Center software.  I had to remove some of the old Director shortcuts which were pointing to the same exectutables as the new shortcuts.  Works great, but took a really long time to update....hours.  The new software definitely fixes the problem.

Sandi says: Just wanted to let you guys know the dialogue going on in these comments is great.  It just goes to show how effective sharing information can be :)

kiwipat wrote: HP have come up with a fix, it is the new Solution Centre which is meant to work with all HP scanners…

Sandi replied: Information link about the download here…

The link describes this as a fix for the HP Scanjet 4800 series.  I have a 7300 series.  Can anyone tell me if it works for all or just the 4800?  If only the 4800, anyone know of a fix for the 7300?  Tks much

I don't know how the code above works. YOu are doing the tasks *before* the app is open? This works and restores HP Director. Change path to your EXE. var WshShell = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell"); var dirfile="C:\\Program Files\\HP\\Digital Imaging\\bin\\Hpqdirec.exe"; var oExec = WshShell.Exec(dirfile); oExec = WshShell.Exec(dirfile); WScript.Sleep(3000); WshShell.SendKeys("%( )"); //equivalent of Alt+spacebar WshShell.SendKeys("nn"); //equivalent of click minimize twice WScript.Sleep(500); // restore it WshShell.AppActivate("HP Director"); WshShell.SendKeys("%( )"); //equivalent of Alt+spacebar WshShell.SendKeys("r"); //equivalent of click restore WshShell.SendKeys("r"); //equivalent of click restore P.S. Stay away from HP and any other companies that promote Digital Restriction Management (DRM)!

The work around works well for me too. If the director doesn't pop up go ahead and hit the alt/shift it will show up described. Thanks to the ones who figured this out.I like IE7 but need my scanner more.

I have the Scanjet 5530, the Photosmart 7960, and Laserjet 1150. It worked on all this. The software was way different and it took me about 3 hours just to figure out how to scan a picture and make it print out at 4.75" by 4.75". ...Jeff...

Thanks for the info on the work around, I got that to work fine, does anyone know if any of the new drivers or HP's fix will work on a PSC 2410v photosmart All-in-One? Thanks again all for everybodys help. Mick

Script method one works after mods for danish windows version - unfortunately, directory for program files changes name and sendkeys are also language specific. Thanks Jens

js script at start of this discussion works OK for scanjet 3500c (IE7 installed on XP). Thanks !

I have had a runin with HP USA/RSA on this subject. For users in the USA and Canada contact HP support - they have 5600 software that they say apparently is not affected by IE 7. South African users sorry you cannot purchase the disk as you require a serial number for that product Why I do not know! I suggest that HP director users lodge written complaints to HP email support demanding the fix sooner than later. They claim the product even if purchased last month is old. I have queried them on why one has to pay for a CD fix. The matter has been escalated to the HP board by personal mail. HP were long aware of the problem. HP South Africa were not aware of the problem until I brought it to their attention. HP RSA and HP USA support have differing views/do not share info. I have queried the board on why the have not publically placed an acknowledgement on their site that the problem exists and a tentaive release date. I am personally affected as I use Blind Reader and non of the work arounds work for the visually challenged/blind as Blind reader cannot see minimised items. Niether are they sympathetic to my demise. When a corporate who generates massive profits/overtakes the competition ignores its customers let it be at their peril. (I will no longer support HP products). Guys/Girls make you voices heard to President Mr Hurd at HP.

I have had the same problem, and still have yet to resolve it four days after buying my new scanjet 5530. Solutions tried include a) the minimimize/maximize trick outlined above, b) running two different sets of java script suggested by HP, c) Installing an alternative program called col10861 (which ceases to instal at the point when it crosses paths with something called MSI Photogallery), d) installing another HP fix, col9464en, to try to deal with the installation problems of col10861 (it does not), e) Rolling back internet explorer 7 to IE 6, f)installing yet another patch called Col10862, and g) in a one and a half hour phone session, doing various computer reconfigurations and removing the software for my all-in-one. While I have no fault with the efforts of the HP personnel both on the phone and through their online support, there has to be some reason why the HP software will not run on my computer, and nobody can figure it out. Further, as some of the suggested solutions require that the HP director be open, that means that just pushing the button on the unit is no longer available as a time-saving option. We have this model at the office, and it works fine. However, at the office we have technical support professionals if something goes wrong. I am now in the position of having to pack this up and return it to the store to look for a competitors product.

I am just curious. Does this problem only occur if one has not previously gotten HP Director to work with IE6, so that any ActiveX control would already be registered beforehand, so that IE7 would recognize it and then their program would work the way it should? My case is that I only installed HP Director on a system which already had IE7. Thank you.

I installed IE last night, same problem here, I'm downloading that patch at the top of the page, hoping it will work and get my director back for me. I have hp scanjet5530 Photosmart installed along with HPdeskjet5850 I need the settings back!

Does anyone know of any non-HP software that will allow the buttons on my scanjet 5530 to work?  

I have given up on all the fixes and HP downloads - they have not fixed my problem.  

I can scan using acrobat, but this requires that I first sit down and open acrobat.

If all I want to do is print off a copy of something, I want to just be able to push a button and pick up the product from my printer.  If I had know about the software problems with this scanner, I would have bought someone else's product, or someone else's all in one.    

Sol 1 worked fine with my HP 1200,many thanks.

chetan,

sol 1 worked for me. I have HP 6110. Thanks

Hamid

Sol 1 works fine for me with PSC1210

many thanks

What is sol 1, and were these posts in response to my question about alternative software that will work with the buttons on the scanner?

What is sol 1, and were these posts in response to my question about alternative software that will work with the buttons on the scanner?

emile for ur post what u cxan do is goint to scanners and cameras  rt click on ur scanjet choose properties > click on events tab and u can assign the events to respective buttons like which software they need to run when clicked check and reply

emile for ur post what u can do is goint to scanners and cameras  rt click on ur scanjet choose properties > click on events tab and u can assign the events to respective buttons like which software they need to run when clicked check and reply

I tried doing the JS file. It will bring up the hp director screen, but when I click on the icon to scan pictures it tells me that " An error has occured with the scanning device. Please ensure that the scanning device is commected properly and try again." It is connected properly. I need my scanner for my work. Is there any way to take IE 7 off of my computer? Atleast with the other Internet explorer, I didnt have to worry about it. Thanks for your help.

The js file workaround does the trick for my Scanjet 2300c.  Thanks a bunch!

Wht is the JS File .I have the same problem, since  I download IE7 HP diredtor does not work.

Uninstall IE7 from controlPanel

That will fix hpdirec.exe to work on my psc 2410

Sandi says: That's not a fix. That's a roll-back.  And, you are left without IE7 and all of its security improvements.

I tried downloading and installing the 200+mb "fix" from HP.  No luck with my 3500c.  The js worked like a charm.

error communicating  with scanning device has nothing to do with ie7   ... what u can do is go in system properties > hardware>device manger> universal serial bus controller> uninstall usb composite device  and then click action and scan for hardware change follow the prompts   ... it willl resolve the issue for u

Sol 1 (posted by chetan on Sunday, October 29, 2006 4:59 PM) works fine for me with hp scanjet 3570c

many thanks to chetan

cix

see hp customer care at this link

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?docname=c00802504&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

cix

Thanks to Chetan for his suggestion on the USB devices.

However, when I called HP tech support, this was one of the things they walked me through on, and it did not fix the problem.

Solution 2 worked great.  Thanks to the expert!

Sol 1 works on my 2175, all functions seem normal.  Tx a lot to everyone that has been involved in the effort to solve this.  I, too, spoke several times to HP, & although I couldn't see them, had the feeling I was confronting a blank stare.

Sol 1 worked great for me Thanks a bunch (read HPs fix, looks to me like they're suggesting u to do what you can't do to fix that u can't do that)

Sol 1 works for me.

However HP Director does not appear on the Taskbar nor on the desktop after the script

is activated. I have to double-click the script-file once more before the opening-screen

of HP Director appears on the desktop.

Perhaps Chetan can update the script to fix this problem.

Thank you.

thanks   a lot guys   for the repetitive response ... hp has come out with a fix for  the issue now..   click on start button> goto programs > hp> software update click on that it will ask u to upadte software for ie7 issue . tell it to continue it will complete and i beleive ur old hp director icon will start working... and u dont have to use ..js anymore..

check this step out if it works let me know ...urs chetan

What "software update" shortcut??? There's nothing like that in the start menu->programs->hewlett-packard!

Using version HP PSC 1210.

From http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?docname=c00802504&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN : "The HP Solution Center software, which replaced HP Director software, does not exhibit this issue with Internet Explorer 7"

So where can we download this "HP Solution Center" software?

HP is pure sh#t. Never ever gonna buy their products.

still not working on my scanjet3500c.

Thanks to the JS file, I can now bring up HP director, but get the "error communicating with scanning device" message.

Buttons on the front of the scanner work, so I know the connection is there.

FIXED!!

I just bought a HP Photosmart 385 to print pictures. I loaded the software and it fixed the issue y'all are talking about.

What is did was combine the two programs in one; a TAB or the 5510 and another TAB for the 385. Now it's all called "HP Solution Center" version 50.0.152.000. The "HP Director" program is gone and replaced with HP Solution Center.

Mr. Mister is correct.

I bought a HP Photosmart 385 and the s/w that came with it, when installed, for lack of a better term, converted HP Director to HP Solution Center. All if perfectly fine, it even kept all my original copy/fax/print/scan settings.

The program looks a little different, actually better!!

Open letter to HP

I'm tired of tyring to fix the problem I'm having with my 3570c. And HP support is not free.

Canon Printer, here I come. Good-bye HP

Thank you for your help; the script solution totally worked for me.

If you want to get fancy (or just make everyone using your computer comfortable) you can even put the .js script in the HP/digital imaging/bin folder and make a shortcut to it on your desktop.

Final touch: rename the shortcut "HP Director" and access the shortcut's properties to change the icon into the director icon (found in hpdirector.exe)

WOW It looks too good now! It even feels like IE7 did NOT screw up my hp scanner!

To fix this problem go to this link;

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?product=443001&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&lang=en&cc=us

It will install a new program and WILL CORRECT the HP Director problem.

It will say that it is installing Photosmart s/w (which it will) but ignore that.

HP Director icon will no longer work, just delete it and a new icon will be installed "HP solution center". NOW YOU CAN LAUNCH the "new" program.

I'm using an HP Photosmart 2610 all-in-one printer.  HP Director stopped working when I installed IE7, I got the fix from HP and now HP Director works fine but I have another problem now.

When I attempt to scan I get the "error communicating with scanning device" message and I can't use IE7.  I doublclick the IE icon and it opens but it just shows an hour glass.  At first, I'd have to reboot to get IE working again but upon experimenting I found that if I stop the hprblog.exe process after attempting to scan, IE starts working again.    

Has anyone else ran into this and found a fix.  Thank you.

Steve

thanks for the workaround, but now when hp director does open up it only shows "view and print" and "help" i can't scan a picture or document or copy.

For God sake! How is this so hard for HP? Can't understand at all! Maybe when you become a big swelling corporate pig rolling in a lots of cash you don't have to worry about the customers.

I bet that they perfectly knew about this when IE7 was in beta, I sure was suffering from it (I'm a web developer, so I do have to have it installed to test my work).

Still only a workaround: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?docname=c00802504&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

Nothing new in my PSC 1210 "Software & Driver downloads".

People are still asking over and over again: http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=979897&admit=-682735245+1165513679994+28353475

HP has treated their loyal customers like sh#t, instant karma will get you, ya hear, HP people responsible of this.

Wow Chetan! You rock! This works beautifully. I can't belive what a pig this HP software is...

HP's answer for everything is REFORMAT.

But that is to be expected when tech support is shipped over seas.

I tried the script and I worked.

HP Director opens in a window a little larger than it's supposed to be just like with the Alt+Space solution.

chetan

Thanks for the js script and directions, beating my head agains the wall until I found this solution.

Thanks ! That's worked well to me !!

I have a All-0n-One 1210.

thanks a lot  to all who all responded  with positive results now the real solutions

guys check ur software version and  printer

A solution for software version (CUE versions 3.0 - 4.4 )(for the following products only PSC 2300/2400/2500, OJ 5500, PSC 1350, OJ 7100, OJ 4200/4250, PSC 1300, OJ 7300/7400, OJ 6200, PSC 2600/2700, PSC 2350  goto  all program > hp > software update> run it it will ask u u want to  update and shows in upadte list critical upadte for ie7 complete install . and restart ur computer . the original icon will start working...

if u have  version less than that ie below 3.0

u need to install latest software that is version 7.0  

u can do it by loading software meant for printer  ps c6180 fom hp website and connecting  ur printer as it is backward compatible will work with all printers.

happy installing

Love it:)

HP Updates gave me a patch for my officejet 6110 all in one that did the trick, and on a dial up, small downloads are a heaven sent.

Thank You for keeping us informed.

thanks for a rapid reply TDH

A new issue is coming up duiring installation of new printers u get message printer driver is unknown    and installation fails ..... plzz reply if u anyone recives this message or has a solution to it

Hi All,

     I am getting a error message while scanning from the computer

Error : Error communicating with the scanning device

 I have tried following steps:

1.Checked the pml driver in services.msc, It was started

2.Checked the Hp digital image monitoring is enabled or not,Its enabled.

3.still the same

4.Did level 4 Uninstallation

5.Renamed the Twain_32 from C//Windows//Twain_32

6.Deleted Hewlett Packard from the registry Editor

7.Started the Installation normally,detected the hardware connectivity fine and Installed 100 % successfully.

8.Tried scanning from the computer

9.Still i got the same message

10. I wud really appreciate if you cud assist me in this Issue

The solution worked for me!!!

(HP Director / IE7)

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

I used Doug Baird's instructions to execute the

Jscript file with a little modification.

To get the sol 2 script to execute, I found that I had to do the following: 1. Save the script to the hard disk. 2. In Windows Explorer hold down Alt and drag the file to the desktop. 3. Right click of the desktop icon 4. Choose "Properties" 5. Click on the "Shortcut" tab 6. Edit the "Target" by adding c:\windows\system32\wscript.exe + a space before the file name (may be shown with quotes) and a space + //B after the name (see below). 7. Click "OK" This makes sure that the Windows Script Host is used to process the script. On my system when I attempt to open a .js file, it tries to use Internet Explorer without success.

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WSCRIPT.EXE C:\hpdirector.js //B

Note: There is a space between EXE and C

Thanks Doug.

i can't run the hp directory after the inst. of ie7. my all in is psc2175

during install   u get error message  "printer driver is unknown"

guys a success full solution for this issue has a success rate of 90%

cause of this issue is recent update of aol safety and security software

go ahead unplug the usb cable

now open add remove programs click remove on aol uninstaller

it will show u alist of aol programs to uninstall select aol safety and security software

and uninstall it ... after that . restart computer ... after computer restarts go ahead and connect usb cabel ur printer will be found and installed and u can printer later on u can install aol safety and sequrity using ur aol cd... good luck

Kind of predictable, really: How to uninstall IE7 (22,582) http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/archive/2006/02/05/82589.aspx

PingBack from http://www.errorforum.com/internet-explorer-error/16560-helping-hp-director-software-play-nice-ie7-part-2-a.html#post20755

Pingback from  ALTERNATE-REALITY.NET  » Blog Archive   » HP Scanjets

I had automatic updates turned on and IE 7 got installed.  What a mess.  VB6 wouldn't load some projects.  Biggest thing is my HP Director for 5550c scanner quite working.  HP imaging works, Word insert from scanner works.  Director was kaputs.  Installed HP patch, HP start up but with link to HP imaging not the classic Director dialog.  Also, there is now a communication error when I go to scan.

Where can I find a copy of IE6 so I can install and get back to normal?

This is the most fustrating thing I've run into in years.  Fix one thing, something else pops up.

Hi there,

My problem is somewhat different - but related to this.

After installing XPSP3 and after an automatic HP printer update (for my HP PSC 1410), the printer scanning utility (launched from Director or directly) started to work really very slowly (more than 5 minutes to get going!). Worse: both IE7 and Outlook Express suddenly seemed to suffer from a similar disease. IE7 loaded its site very slowly (certainly when they contained many graphics) and for OE it was the same, when opening a message whenever it featured embedded graphics (without formatting, message appear at a normal speed).

The strange element in all this, is that Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird work perfectly well, without a hitch (and because of the mishap, I discovered that both are far more efficient and speedier than IE7 and OE). And that goes for everything else that is installed on the computer, including applications that use a lot of graphics.

In other word: everything is concentrated around HP, IE7 and OE. However, in HP, the only utility suffering is indeed scanning - all the rest works without a hitch.

The people at Microsoft Support, with whom I have been in constant touch about this, are as flabbergasted as I am about this. Maybe you might know an answer to this predicament. I am still waiting and waiting for an answer from the HP side. Their software is really clunky, to put it mildly - had nothing but troubble with them.

Of course I tried to uninstall or reinstall the mentioned software, without any change in the situation.

By the way, the driver that you refer to in this blog (playing nice with IE7) is no longer present on the HP list.

Looking forward to receiving your answer (I mentioned my e-mail address under url).

Thanks for a useful blog.

Regards,

Harry Kümel

RE: When I attempt to scan I get the "error communicating with scanning device" message and I can't use IE7.  I doublclick the IE icon and it opens but it just shows an hour glass.  At first, I'd have to reboot to get IE working again but upon experimenting I found that if I stop the hprblog.exe process after attempting to scan, IE starts working again.    

Make sure compatibility mode is turned OFF:

1. Right-click the HP Director icon on the main screen, then click Properties.

2. On the Compatibility tab, uncheck the Run this program in compatibility mode for: option.

3. Click Apply, then click OK.

4. Try to open HP Director again. & run .js script

We had turned on compatibility mode during troubleshooting, got the .js script to finally open HP Director, but got communication errors with Scanner (2300C).  Turn off Compat. mode every thing works GREAT....