Rant #1,555: No Scan Do

One of my best friends died yesterday, and I am not talking about a person.

My computer scanner broke. It does not work anymore.

I used a Hewlett-Packard flatbed scanner, and yes, I really cannot complain, because it is pretty old, maybe 14 or 15 years old.

But the photos that I put up here of picture sleeves and such, those were all taken with the scanner, including the two I have included as part of today's entry.

I scanned so many things with this machine, not just these sleeves ... old photos, bills, checks, important documents ... you name it, and it was scanned with this machine. 

I tried to use it yesterday night, and it would not scan anything.

I checked all the connections, and everything was right, but it simply would not work.

This was not one of those combination scanners and printers. This was simply a dedicated scanner, one that I used hundreds, if not thousands of times over the years.

My wife bought it for me years ago, and I think it even outlasted the store that she bought it in. I think she purchased it in the old Wiz electronics store, so maybe it is even older than I think it is.

Anyway, it broke down once before, and I got one of those combination printers and scanners.

I did not like the quality of print I was getting, but I was learning to live with it.

Then one day, I must have been bored, because I took the old scanner and looked at what was wrong with it.

Evidently, the belt somehow had turned and twisted, and thus, the scanner could not take a full image.

I opened the back of the machine, unfurled the belt, and Voila!, I fixed the thing.

I attached it to my computer, got rid of the printer/scanner, and I have now used this scanner for several years after I fixed it.

This time, I checked for the same thing, but it has nothing to do with anything being twisted.

It is done, and yes, it is like an old friend left me.

So what did I do?

I set out to find another one, an exact duplicate of what I had.

And on Amazon.com, I found exactly what I was looking for!

It was for a minimal price, I ordered it, and it should be here soon.

Good, because I need the thing again. I have plenty more things to scan.

I will just have to be patient.

So R.I.P. my old scanner, you did me well.

Onward and maybe not upward, but onward onto the same old thing.

Just the way I like it.