The Self-Scanner Has Checked Out

(I am helping a caller on the phone who recently had some scanning software installed on her computer.)

Me: “Place the document on the glass and press the scan button on the computer screen.”

Caller: “That is what I did and nothing is happening.”

Me: “Is the scanner on? There should be a light on it that indicates that it is on. Maybe it is not plugged in or hooked up correctly?”

Caller: “Yes, it’s on. I can see all of my other files and folders on the screen.”

Me: “Wait… What do you mean, you see other files and folders?”

Caller: “I see my Windows desktop and the monitor seems to be working like it always does.”

Me: “When I told you to place the document that you want to scan on the glass, are you holding it up to the glass on your monitor?”

Caller: “Yes!”

Me: “That would be our problem. You need to have a scanning machine in order to scan documents. You don’t use your monitor.”

Caller: “Oh. How do I get one of those?”

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