How should I reinstall printer/drivers?  

Just went from XP to a new Dell W7. I have a multi-function printer that used CD drivers on XP, but with W7, I had to install the printer with Windows Update and a scan utility from the manufacturer's web site. All of a sudden after a month, I can't scan, so I want to uninstall/reinstall the printer. How do I do this when it was installed with Windows Update? I see a list of drivers in the DriverStore/FileRepository folder. Do I delete those so Windows Update can reinstall them, or were they already there when I bought the computer?

Shriber

What is the printer? And completely fill in your specs.

Go to your Printer/Scanner manufacture's Page download the latest driver/utility for your item.

Go to start>right click computer>click manage>then on the left select device manager.

Find your printer right click it and click uninstall then uninstall the driver once you have done that install the setup file you got that you have previously downloaded like i told you to and restart pc all should be well then

let me know :)

Brother MFC 8440, Windows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit, USB connection

I had it it working fine for a month, then it just stopped scanning with Windows Fax & Scan or any other software. I removed the machine then reinstalled it as before, including the scan utility, and all looked good during the install, but the scan still doesn't work. It won't scan from the printer either using the flatbed or document feeder. So - I'd like to completely remove the device, as if it were never installed, but I see all those Brother drivers in the repository and wonder how clean of an install I can get, and if it's safe to remove them. I can't imagine why it would just stop working.

I've restarted several times today, after each step.

If you actually go to control panel printers and devices the little yellow bar at top appears click that and change it to manual drivers install.

You can remove print drivers that are not associated with a local printer or connection using the printui.exe tool
in an admin elevated command prompt type
printui /s /t2
Be sure to remove the driver AND the package.

Also you can find in device manager if you right click your printer properties and find out what your driver is and whats in its details you may be able to delete them files from the repo. But i wouldn't advise that unless you know what your doing.

Backup backup backup is essential anytime btw start at that step first. But try the command prompt i said.
Or...

I took this from elsewhere

Step 1. Restart the computer and log on as "Administrator."

Step 2. Go to the Start menu and type in MMC, which will see access to Microsoft Management Console on the Start menu. Click it.

Step 3. Go to the File menu, select "Add / Remove Snap-in..."

Step 4. Displays the list and select "Print Management" and then click "Add."

Step 5. In this screen, select "Add the Local Server", press "Finish" and then "OK."

Step 6. Scroll down to the name of the computer, select the tree of drivers and right-click the driver you want to delete and select "Remove Driver Package.

Step 7. Finally, make sure you restart the computer before attempting to add new printer drivers or different.

Failing that you know if it isnt driver related... Your scanner may just be jacked

Without sounding nasty its fairly older generation machine. All technology has life-spans and just sometimes what happens happens.

I thought of something that may have jacked up my scan settings, Iobit's Smart Scan. I read reviews before i downloaded it, now I'm not so sure ...

Uninstall it?

Have you tried a system restore, to a point when the scanner worked ?

No, then I'd have to re-setup everything on my computer again. I should have stuck with XP, I had zero issues with that OS. I've had issue after issue with W7 since I got it, I really don't want to do back to the beginning again. I'm uninstalling SmartScan with Revo, it's taking awhile, so I'm hoping I can reinstall the printer after i do this. What would happen if I deleted the Brother driver files in the W7 repository? I really want to start fresh. It's not my printer, that thing's a workhorse and is printing just fine.