Using a Scanner with Windows Vista

• 1). Connect you scanner to your PC. The Windows hardware manager will pop up and offer to scan the computer for any pre-installed drivers that are compatible with the scanner. There is no harm in allowing Windows to try to find a driver; in fact, Microsoft has added a number of adequate drivers for a number of different peripherals, so there is a chance that Windows will be able find an appropriate driver and get your scanner running without any further action from you. This, however, is not the most likely scenario, as there are far too many different scanner models for Microsoft, or any company for that matter, to pre-install compatible drivers for, and it is likely that you will have to go elsewhere for a driver.
  
  
• 2). Navigate to your scanner maker's website. Then, go to the support page. There will be a place for you to input your model number, do so. You will be presented with the support materials and resources relevant to your scanner, including its drivers. Find the driver appropriate to your system and download it.
  
  
• 3). Download the driver, making sure that, if you are running 64-bit Windows you download the 64-bit driver.
  
  
• 4). Install the driver. Basically, just follow the on-screen instructions. After the installation is complete, you may be prompted to restart your computer. If so, it is imperative that you do so before trying to use your scanner, as not restarting the system would likely result in the scanner nor functioning properly.
  
  
• 5). Test your scanner. If the scanner works, then you have successfully installed the driver and are now able to use it with Windows Vista.