I have NO idea about any of this, but I have a HP Scanjet 4300C that is compatible with Windows 98 (and maybe 2000?). Since I got Windows XP, it has been out of comission. A friend told me, however, that I can get something called firmware (?) to make it work with Windows XP. Is this something free off the internet? It seems to be, but I am really really confused, please help! I don't mean to sound like an idiot, but, well, I just had surgery, I have a lot of time on my hands, I just want to scan some pictures, and it is an awesome scanner! Any and all help would be appreciated, thanks guys! -sadia

Look here. When ever you need a driver from hp go to website. follow this link and it will give you a list to download. Good luck. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?lc=en&cc=us&lang=en&dlc=en&product=58982&os=228 Jim R

A friend told me, however, that I can get something called firmware (?) to make it work with Windows XP. LOL i_XpUser

There are no firmware updates out there for this scanjet. You have to download the drivers and install the drivers for it to work on the xp OS. That is the only way, also also after installing the drivers you should be able to scan pictures. You need drivers for it to work properly. Jim R

CLICK ME to see official list of HP Scanjet scanners supported & not supported in Windows XP. It's not just the drivers, you need to order the software installation CD from HP. i_XpUser

The following is how I solved the same problem with a simular model. HP Scan Jet 4200 & Windows XP SP2 Install Help PROBLEM When you try and install the Drivers for the Scanner you may receive the following error: “HP Precision Scan LT There is a problem with the registry settings. One or more settings were reset to the default value. [2060].” or some other #. Or when you go to use the Scanner you may receive the following error: “Cannot find your Scanner you may have a scanner connected to your PC, but HP Precision Scan LT was unable to locate it.” CAUSE for the PROBLEM Both of the above error messages are the result of Windows XP SP2 Installing it’s own Drivers for the HP Scan Jet. SOLUTION to the PROBLEM To confirm that this is the cause, Right Click on My Computer and click on the Properties TAB, then click on the Hardware TAB, next click on the Device Manager TAB. In Device Manager, go down and click on the Plus to the Left of Imaging Devices TAB. It will expand to show the Hewlett-Packard Scan Jet 4200C (your model #) Double click on it. The Hewlett-Packard Scan Jet 4200C Properties window will open. Click on the Drivers TAB and look down to the line which tells Driver Provider. If it has the word Microsoft for the Driver Provider then the information below will help you resolve this problem. It should read for Driver Provider: Hewlett Packard. If is has Microsoft as the Driver Provider then click on the Driver File Details TAB. In the Driver File Details window you will find the Path for all the Drivers which Microsoft installed for the Scanner. Write down the complete Path and file name for each file. EXAMPLE C:\WINDOWS\system32\hpgt42.dll Now go back to the Hewlett-Packard Scan Jet 4200C Properties window and click on the Uninstall TAB. Once you have uninstalled the Microsoft drivers for the scanner, if it tells you to restart your computer, just say NO! Close all the windows and then go into C:\WINDOWS\system32 and either cut and past or delete all the files which Microsoft was using to install the scanner. Don't hook up the scanner until the program ask you to hook it up. DO NOT reboot until you have run the HP Scan Jet Software and drivers program. Two things to take note of in this step: One is that I would cut & Past them to a different folder until you have the scanner working under HP Precision Scan LT, then if you want to delete them it is safe to do so. The second is that I have done this on two different Computers and both of them were running Windows XP HOME SP2. The 1st Computer was one I built my self for my wife, this one I was able to Cut & Past all files while in normal Windows. The other one was a HP Pavilion and it would not let me Cut & Past in Windows mode so I rebooted into Safe Mode and Cut & Pasted all the files. Finally Reboot the computer and it will come up with a window to install the Hewlett-Packard drivers, but will also complain about them not being Digital Signed, just click the continue TAB, and when prompted to reboot do so and your scanner will now work just fine.

thanks guys! -sadia