Windows 7 Fax & Scan
 

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.

Fax modem or fax server?

If a server, have the IT boys been playing?

Either way, have you tried THIS link? I'd go for a re-install.

Fax modem & I am the IT boys!:)

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.

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:

Do you have a message service on the POTS line?
 

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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:

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.