Computer hardware rant

[Bubba1235]

I upgraded my main PC to Windows 7 64 bit a few weeks back. Today is the first time I have needed to use my scanner so I hooked it up and tried to install the software (CD) that came with it.

Started the install and instantly got a message saying the device driver is not supported in Win-7 64 bit. I got to the Scanner (Epson) web site to look for a newer driver but don't see one. I finally called Epson and asked them where to get the right driver and they said "Sorry, we don't support that old of a scanner under 64 bit OSs." Huh, the scanner isn't even two years old. Yes sir, that is true but we don't support it, however we are having a sale on our new line of scanners.

Umm, try this on, I will NOT buy hardware from a company that screws its customers by deliberately obsolescing a less than two year old piece of hardware. Sir, I hate to say it but I agree with you, I wouldn?t buy one from Epson either. I must get 50 calls a day over this same issue and everyone of them leave angry when I give them the bad news?.

 

[bekosh]

Re: Computer hardware rant

It's computer hardware. It was obsolete before it left the factory.

 

[HondaPower]

Re: Computer hardware rant

There is nothing wrong with the hardware, Epson and many other major hardware vendors of printers and scanner are to lazy to write new drivers. It is easier to sell you new equipment. In many cases if you can find a Windows Vista 64 Bit driver it will work under Windows 7, most but not all. I had the same problem with an HP scanner after moving to vista.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Computer hardware rant

I upgraded my main PC to Windows 7 64 bit a few weeks back. Today is the first time I have needed to use my scanner so I hooked it up and tried to install the software (CD) that came with it.

Started the install and instantly got a message saying the device driver is not supported in Win-7 64 bit. I got to the Scanner (Epson) web site to look for a newer driver but don't see one. I finally called Epson and asked them where to get the right driver and they said "Sorry, we don't support that old of a scanner under 64 bit OSs." Huh, the scanner isn't even two years old. Yes sir, that is true but we don't support it, however we are having a sale on our new line of scanners.

Umm, try this on, I will NOT buy hardware from a company that screws its customers by deliberately obsolescing a less than two year old piece of hardware. Sir, I hate to say it but I agree with you, I wouldn?t buy one from Epson either. I must get 50 calls a day over this same issue and everyone of them leave angry when I give them the bad news?.

.

As has been pointed out by a few, this is not a hardware issue, it's a software issue....and they (Epson) did not cause it....depending on your perspective it was caused by either Bill Gates....or Bubba1235. In fact, it could be called a "liveware" issue...

"Hello, GM?...I put a 2008 engine in my 2006 GMC and now the ( pick accessory) doesn't work. How are YOU going to fix it?"
" What do you mean, did I have to change the engine? That was my choice and none of your &^%$$#business!"

Given the complexity of the interaction between various software, and the cost of staying current, I can't imagine why people would expect companies to have to keep up with Microsoft OS changes, for ever, just because people want to change their OS.
What actually forced you to switch to Windows 7?

You bought an XP compliant scanner, which you still have...reinstall XP and you are fine.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Computer hardware rant

This is a common problem with a lot of hardware from a lot of companies with Windows 7 64. Ran into the same problem trying to get a Wireless G card to work. Pretty much have to go with an N card because there are no drivers for the G cards.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Computer hardware rant

Yet another post that clearly demonstrates why I will not be converting to WIN7 any time soon!

BTW, Epson isn't the only one with short term obsolescence. I had a very expensive, custom designed HP computer suffer a lightening strike (my house was hit). At the point in which I got around to fixing it, the computer was about 3 years old, yet I could not buy a new motherboard for it. Instead, I had to buy a refurbished board and even that cost me over a hundred bucks.

I would much rather keep my old machines going, until I absolutely have to upgrade to whatever flavor Microsludge is selling at the time. I am dreading this, because I will have to buy all new peripherals and a lot of new software.

My last project, was an old WIN98 machine, with an AMD 650 Duron processor. Fortunately, the motherboard (MSI 6738) has 4 slots, two of which accept DDR, while the ones in use when I bought it, took PC100 memory. I got rid of the PC 100, put a gig of DDR in it and bought an AMD Athelon 1.8 for 20 bucks, from a computer recycler. My motherboard/bios will only recognise this chip at 1.15 gHz, but that's OK - its plenty fast enough for use in my shop. I also put a 500 gig PATA in another older machine and took the 100 gig from that and put it in the AMD machine. After slapping WIN XP Home in it, I have a nifty machine for very little money!

By tinkering with all of this stuff, plus buying one of the last WIN XP machine I could find, I have 4 desktops and a laptop. I also have all but one of the desktops and the laptop, hooked up to stereo systems, instead of computer speakers, so listening to music and watching movies through them, is a pretty decent experience. Heck, even the stereos, equalizers, etc., are old stuff that I've had for years.

It pays to keep your old stuff!



???

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Computer hardware rant

By tinkering with all of this stuff, plus buying one of the last WIN XP machine I could find

You can always just load up XP on any new machine.

 

[Subliminal]

Re: Computer hardware rant

Windows 7 is awesome...I wouldn't let issues like this detract you from switching. I've been using it since it first came out in Beta. Great software, user friendly, works well even on old hardware.

However, the issue is the 64 bit...you might have the same issue with 64 bit XP.

The only reason to go to 64 bit is if you have more than 4 gigs of ram...and 4 gigs, quite honestly, is enough for just about any computing task. Not every, mind you, but almost.

I had the same issue...our printer was old, too. I went to Costco and got an all in one which is very nice, and i managed to sell my old printer and scanner on craigslist for darn near as much as the new unit cost.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Computer hardware rant

I don't expect hardware manufacturers to develop new drivers forever. However, 2 years is pretty darn weak. I'm thinking 5 minimum. It's especially bad to not support a scanner since those typically don't see a lot of use or get replaced that often.

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Computer hardware rant

Guys - you're not listening, it's not Win 7 that's the problem, it's your choice of 64 bit over 32 bit. Yes, I'll agree that it's annoying that your printer doesn't have 64 bit drivers and they really should have been developed.

If you remember the days when Chicago, aka Longhorn, aka Vista was just about to come out, people were scrambling for 64 bit drivers because the word was that they were only going to be 64 bit OS's. They released it in 32 bit as well so the earth didn't tilt on it's axis and gravity storms didn't consume us all.

Since printers are essentially a consumable, it's probably better to just bite the bullet and buy a better model so you can enjoy your computer.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Computer hardware rant

Mac!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Computer hardware rant

Guys - you're not listening, it's not Win 7 that's the problem, it's your choice of 64 bit over 32 bit.

Not entirely true. An XP 64 bit driver is often available where a Windows 7 64 bit driver is not.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Computer hardware rant

Take the old bone machine, load Linux and Samba server on it, hook up the scanner to it, and peer to peer link to it with the windows machine.

It might be a hassle to set up, but once it's up, the biggest service problem you'll have is remembering the root password if it goes down.

 

[lowkee]

Re: Computer hardware rant

What is the exact scanner model? I'll research it a bit for you.

As for general driver info, if it has a Vista 64-bit driver that should load without issue, just install the driver manually instead of through the setup.exe. Win7 will complain a bit, but will take it without issue. Bear in mind, even if the driver is only Vista 32-bit, it should also still work, especially for a scanner. If I can force Win7 64bit to use a Vista 32bit sound card driver and it has 90% functionality, a scanner should be cake.

Keep in mind, Epson will not tell you to use drivers written for a different OS, since there are normally slight compatibility issues they don't want to deal with, so they are better off saying "No, we don't support that" and get you off the phone or, as you found, upsell you a new scanner.

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: Computer hardware rant

Dual boot the computer, problem solved.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Computer hardware rant

The only way I every upgrade an operating system is when I buy a new computer that has the new operating system on it. So far, my XP machine is doing just fine. When it croaks, I'll buy a brand new PC with Windows 7 or whatever comes next on it.

Until then, I'm good with what I've got.

 

[oceansbreeze]

Re: Computer hardware rant

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! I see your rant against the software companies, but as said, they can't anticipate when Microsoft is going to do and can't keep writing upgrades forever, yeah 2 years is weak, but given the cost of a new stand alone scanner these days, I can see why they wouldn't care. They are in business, after all to make money. In fact, I'm sure they appreciate MS cranking out new OS's to give them an excuse to retire some stuff.

I'm an accredited compaq system engineer, and accredited compaq technician. (ACSE and ACT) compiled with A+ and Novell, Lexmark, and HP certifications..... and I stopped giving a crap about computers 5 years back. Was so hard to stay on top of stuff with the new hardware and technology.... Now I just sell refurbished IBM systems as a side hobby for my company.... and tinker with people's software issues as well, there's always something.

I would do the dual boot - one partition with XP and one with Win 7, if you REALLY need Win 7. Do you reallllly need Windows 7?

 

[ifallsguy]

Re: Computer hardware rant

You should have an option to run the scanner in XP compatible mode. You can get most drivers to run in Win 7 by telling the OS to run the program in whatever mode you need.

Also, normally the Vista drivers will work.

This is really an Epson issue, not Microsoft or Windows 7. I do computer tech work and more than once have been told by major companies they won't be putting out a new driver and to just buy a new card, printer, scanner, etc.

As for the line about Mac, I also have a G3 and support is nonexistant for that. And most new software requires higher levels of the Mac OS than will work on the machine. Macs are very good machines but I cannot stand the dictator who run the company and won't buy a new machine. A sealed system is worse than anything Microsoft has ever put out.

 

[ifallsguy]

Re: Computer hardware rant

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! I see your rant against the software companies, but as said, they can't anticipate when Microsoft is going to do and can't keep writing upgrades forever

Sorry but Epson had everything they needed to write those drivers for over a year before the release of Win 7. It is a decision by Epson not to support. More than one small company either wrote the code needed (not a major change from Vista or XP). Epson and a number of other major companies have a history of NOT SUPPORTING new operating systems. The comment they can't anticipate is bogus. It is decision to sell replacement equipment to keep their bottom lines up. I tell my clients they should avoid these companies due to their not even trying to update drivers for products less than 12 months old.

 

[ftl900]

Re: Computer hardware rant

I had the same problem when I upgraded my laptop from Vista to Win7, which I love, btw. But my onboard Bluetooth stopped working, and there just isn't a WIN7 driver for it. I tried several compatibility modes, and ran as administrator... to no avail.

Oh well, break out the Blackberry data cable.