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"Server Busy" error message when you try to scan a document

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This article provides a resolution for fixing "Server Busy" error when you try to scan a document.

Applies to:   Windows 10 - all editions
Original KB number:   2971655

Symptoms

Consider the following scenario:

  • You are running a 64-bit (x64) version of Windows 8.1, Windows 8, or Windows 7.
  • You are running a 32-bit scanning application.
  • You are using a scanner that uses the TWAIN 1.0 default interface.
  • You try to scan a document.

In this scenario, you are prompted by a "What do you want to scan?" message. The message window also displays options to configure the scanner. After several seconds, you receive the following error message:

Server Busy

Cause

This problem occurs because a 32-bit scanning application is running in a 64-bit version of Windows. In this situation, the drivers for the scanner are loaded during a separate Wiawow64.exe process. The "What do you want to scan?" message is part of the Wiawow64 process. The error message is caused by an OLE call from the 32-bit scanning application. This problem occurs because the OLE call has a time-out value that expires while the scanning application is waiting for user input in the "What do you want to scan?" window.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, we recommend that you contact the scanning application vendor to have them update the application.

More information

If you are a developer, see the following information:

When you call the AfxOleInit(); function, the m_nTimeout parameter is set to a default value of 8 seconds. To disable the time-out of the OLE call, you must add the following line after you call the AfxOleInit(); function:

AfxOleGetMessageFilter()->EnableNotRespondingDialog(FALSE);

Data collection

If you need assistance from Microsoft support, we recommend you collect the information by following the steps mentioned in Gather information by using TSS for User Experience issues.