Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.p.

John D Mathis

Michelle A Watson

Robert M Fontaine

Tina Marie Leja

Erin E Geegan

Laurie Anderson

A method and apparatus are provided for interactively guiding a user through a scanner installation procedure. When a scanner installation program is launched, the scanner installation program causes various screens having various options to be displayed to a user. The screens provide the user with information that guides the user step-by-step through the scanner installation procedure. The scanner installation program automatically detects which I/O ports of the user's computer are available for connection to the scanner and displays a message to the user indicating which I/O port(s) is available for connection to the scanner. The scanner installation program then provides the user with the option of seeing a visual demonstration of steps that need to be taken by the user in connecting the scanner to the available I/O port of the computer. The user is also provided with the option of printing out, written instructions that list the steps that need to be taken in connecting the scanner to the available I/O port. The scanner installation program also provides the user with options as to which scanning software packages are to be installed on the user's computer. When the user selects scanning software packages to be installed on the computer, the amount of memory and time required for installation of each scanning software package is displayed to the user.

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Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America

John D Mathis