Windows 7 Fax & Scan

[Parapunter]

Morning everyone.

I use Windows fax to send out confirmations to suppliers (Yes I know, it's a dead technology, but it persists in my industry) Lately, I have been unable to send or receive. The dialogue box says no dial tone detected on outbound and on incoming, it's the incoming call cannot be answered as a fax.

I've checked the line, swapped the adsl filters & done a system restore to before the point it stopped working.

Any fax experts out there? I don't really want to have to buy a fax machine if I can help it.

[Spurlash2]

Fax modem or fax server?

If a server, have the IT boys been playing?

Either way, have you tried THIS (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/Set-up-your-computer-to-send-and-receive-faxes)link? I'd go for a re-install.

[Parapunter]

Fax modem & I am the IT boys!:)

[Spurlash2]

Now THAT'S funny:)

As you're the IT man, I'm guessing that you trump my 3 MCP's, so you're on your own!

OTOH, go for re-install. Can't think of anything else.

[Parapunter]

I've tried that, didn't work.:{

It's a stand alone pc & the only one I have that's set to take updates from MS automatically, so all I can think of is it's either a duff update or the fax modem itself is cream crackered. I suppose I can try a new modem card for a few quid. The fax service itself says it's tickety boo, all ok in device manager, nothing in the event viewer & the line is ok - we use it as a phone/fax, so we know that's not it.

Seems a bit extreme to go for a rebuild to fix this.:suspect:

[Feline]

1) I have a message service on my dial-up line - it indicates there is a voice message by interrupting the dial tone. Whereupon my FAX modem will refuse to connect because it is not detecting a continuous dial tone.
2) Silly question I know - is the FAX modem plugged into the "line" socket of the filter - won't work too well if plugged into the ADSL port (have actually seen this done because customer was using a "Y" adapter and it wasn't obvious where the modem was actually plugged in).
3) Have you had any thunder and lightning recently? Quite amazing how lightning can strike a modem and leave it looking like it's working (flashing front panel lights but no connectivity). It (the lightning) had actually burnt out a PCB track withing the isolated part of the modem.
When all else fails - have you tried swapping out the modem? I also need FAX very occasionally and purchased a USB FAX modem (powered from the USB port - about the size of a matchbox). Cost me about five quid and well worth the investment.
Good Luck!

[Parapunter]

As a matter of fact we had a lighning storm a fortnight ago, with a strike so close, I could hear the electricity, followed by a a power cut. Never thought of that.

[twiggs]

Ditto re the suggestion of a USB fax modem.
Considering how little they are needed these days, it's very convenient having a USB modem that can be plugged in as required and swapped from PC to laptop, which also rarely have internal modems these days.

[Feline]

Parapunter - be sure to let us know when you finally resolve the problem! :)

[Keef]

I concur the "lightning strike" diagnosis. My faxmodem died following a thunderstorm. There are two tiny one ohm surface mount resistors on it, between the input socket and the rest of the electronics. They were both open-circuit. I replaced them and it was back in business.

[Parapunter]

OK, here's what I did:

Tried a new user account on the basis that I may have a borked profile. No different.

Uninstalled/reinstalled fax service - no different.

Reseated fax modem, reseated ram - no different.

Updated motherboard drivers, checked for BIOS changes - no different.

Swapped fax modem card for another I have in a different box - Bingo!


So it was the card and all through that, W7 was looking me in the eye & saying, no guv, everything's alright here! Looking back, I suspect the thunderstorm may be repsonsible - it was right on top of the building & the lightning strike set off alarms in the car park.

[Feline]

As they say in this part of the world "Yah, Well, No, Fine"

Glad you got it sorted PP!

Worth remembering that a Dial-Up Fax Modem is connected to a long copper antenna - and a multi-thousand volt pulse from a lightning strike can travel a l-o-n-g way down a piece of copper! :ok:

[OFSO]

As a matter of fact we had a lighning storm a fortnight ago, with a strike so close, I could hear the electricity, followed by a a power cut. Never thought of that.

Gentleman: living in a country where the locals haven't quite figured out electricity (and a number of other things) and where we also have LOTS of thunderstorms, I couldn't imagine having a PC without a UPS.

And the UPS should have filters of course, and be earthed, and you should have a very fast-acting ECB on your power supply. And STILL turn everything off by hand if there's the slightest visual/audio hint of a storm in the area.

The same goes for satellite TV and things like electric gate motors. ECBs, UPSs, filters and good earthing.

And say your prayers, too, can't hurt.