Missing in action

Q: I am trying to install a Lexmark X6170 all-in-one on a Dell Dimension 4100.The installation hangs up without a message near the beginning when itstarts to install the scanner. Thinking the problem may be a bad USB port orcable, I installed new ports, upgrading from v1.1 to 2.0, and have used 3different cables. I tried installing in safe mode and selective startupmode. No luck.Neither Dell nor Lexmark have been able to solve the problem. I previouslytried to install 3 different HP models also without success, so I suspectthe problem lies with the PC. With the HP's, the installer seemed tocomplete the entire routine, but at the end give me an "unsuccessfulinstallation" message. I previously had a HP 5100 scanner installed. I usedthe uninstall software to remove it, but I wonder if something was notdeleted that is interfering with the new installation.
G. Blevins
A: I am going to ask you a few more questions; hopefully this will lead to a resolution. We need to first narrow down possible causes. The first thing that you should have is a definitive idea if it is the PC or the scanner. The process to rule out the scanner is simple. Try to install it on another system. If it works, then you know that it is the PC. If it does not, then you know that the scanner is the problem. A friend or relative should be able to help you out if you do not have another system at home.
On your PC, try to install using parallel port at the rear of your computer. This is of course assuming that your scanner has this capability. If it works, then you know that the problem may be your USB. If your scanner does not have this capability, check your USB port by using another device on it. Once again, its’ success or failure is an indicator about your problem.
If you are concerned that you may have deleted some necessary system files you can check to verify your suspicions. There is a program called System File Checker that scans your computer for altered or extracted files. There are two ways that you can run this program. The most direct is by going to the start menu and selecting “run”. Next, you can type sfc on the command line and click ok. Then you can scan for altered files. This will show you if you are missing files. From here you can restore the files assuming that you have the installation disk that came with your computer. Before you attempt any restoration, I would strongly encourage you to perform a full backup of your computer. I know that you have a recent one handy. This is your insurance policy. If all else fails, you can reinstall your operating system and then reinstall the scanner. It is time consuming, but it is cheaper than another computer or scanner.