The problem is HP is creating an invalid registry entry, but if you remove it, as your registry cleaner will, the HP CUE software crashes. HP now has this same fix information, but it'll probably be 6 months before they release a fix (if ever). If you want the fix, read the very end. The beginning here documents the problem.
HP Scanner Software Problem
CIRCUMSTANCES to cause error:
Run HP Solution Center
Click on Scan Document or Scan Picture
Error window pops up; scan software aborts
ERROR MESSAGE:
HP CUE Scanning Flow Component has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
CAUSE:
HP software installation creates a bad registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Hewlett-Packard\DigitalImaging
Key = ProfileWritePath
Value = %APPDATA%\HP\Digital Imaging\Data\Destination
This value is in error; it indicates the HP CUE profile is written in the USERs application data path. The registry variable %APPDATA% typically resolves to
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data
Therefore, the installation software says the HP CUE profile can be found in
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\ HP\Digital Imaging\Data\Destination
However, the actual path where the HP CUE profile is being written is:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ HP\Digital Imaging\Data\Destination
In other words, the HP CUE profile is not being written to the %APPDATA% path, but is instead being written to the %ALLUSERSPROFILE% path.
The HP software works as installed, until the user runs a Registry Cleaner program. Registry cleaner programs detect that the path specified by HP is an Invalid Path and removes the key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Hewlett-Packard\DigitalImaging\ProfileWritePath
If this key is missing from your registry, this is your problem. When this key is deleted from the registry, scanning fails and the HP CUE error message occurs. Replacing the key allows scanning to work again. The bad Key Value created by HP cannot be corrected by the user. If you change the erroneous value, to a valid path, the scanner fails and the same HP CUE error message occurs:
- You cannot replace %APPDATA%
with %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data
- You cannot replace %APPDATA%
with C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data
Any changes to correct the erroneous value apparently cause HP CUE to blow up.
WORK AROUND:
Since you cannot fix the HP software bug, you must fool the Registry Cleaner so that it does not remove this invalid HP registry entry.
First, you must recreate the original HP registry entry if it is missing. In the registry:
- go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Hewlett-Packard\DigitalImaging
- create a new key (String Value); name it ProfileWritePath
- set the value of this new key to
%APPDATA%\HP\Digital Imaging\Data\Destination
For each user who will logon to the computer, you must go their personal Application Data directory, and create the HP CUE sub-directories that are missing; the registry cleaner will then see that the HP registry entry is pointing to a valid path, and not remove the HP registry entry.
For example, you must create this folder path for each user of the computer:
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\ HP\Digital Imaging\Data\Destination
You don't need to add any files to the end directory, it can be left empty.
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