HP All-in-One Fax Deletion

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Since WOPR has been so helpful on MS program issues for me previously, thought I’d try this one on our HP OfficeJet fax program. All of a sudden, I can’t delete any received faxes after reading them. The process followed before was to have the window containing all received faxes on the screen and then to click on “Delete fax”. Question box would come up re. deleting entry as well as file and, when “yes” was clicked, it would be deleted. Now, it keeps saying “cannot delete fax entry”.

Thought someone could perhaps advise me on where to look on my hard drive to correct this. I am fairly “techno-naive”, but can follow direction!

Any help would be much appreciated!

Linda

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I’d start in C:program filesofficejet.. (that may not be the exact directory, it may be in a folder called HP)

You might also look at the settings to see if there’s anything in the settings which may prevent you from deleting the faxes..

Hope this helps!

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Thanks for getting back to me so fast!

Have now had time to try your suggestions with these results:
– could find no problem in the program settings (looked under “Properties” for them if that’s correct)
– found “HP OfficeJet” folder under “Program Files on C drive but am not really sure what to do to correct problem
– under “faxes” subfolder, there were many files, all with either a .DCX or a .PCX extension. Opened a few of the DCX ones and they opened in an Imaging program (seemed odd to me; is that correct?) and they do seem to be old faxes I haddn’t been able to delete. Many of the DCX files, however, wouldn’t open and trying elicited message box saying “specified file formal invalid or not supported”
– all PCX files woudn’t open and brought up message box saying “can’t find file”.
– checking “properties” for each of the files, I noticed that all had the “archive” box checked rather than “read only” or “hidden”. Does that mean anything?

So, now I’m not sure what to do. Have you any further suggestions? Should I just delete the files with DCX and PCX and not worry about not being able to check what they all are? Will await patiently any help you can offer!

Linda

– all

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I suppose it depends on how badly you want them all removed. It looks like you will be able to remove them all when your fax software isn’t running, and if you still cant, you can get to that folder to remove them by rebooting in DOS mode.

You might try hp.com to see if anyone else has reported this problem, and if they have a fix…

Hope that helps!

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Found a couple of articles on HP site re. deleting Log entries. Guess my real issue is that I still don’t know how to correct the unable to delete problem (from the program’s dialogue box as I used to). Do I need to remove and reinstall the program (a fearful process for a techno-naive type!).

Appreciate your suggestions to date. Thanks.

Linda

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You might give that a try… if all else fails, a re-install will work. Another option is to Call HP.. i’m not sure if they’ve joined the standard of charging for technical support, but you might give it a try..

The reinstall process shouldn’t be that painstaking. You’ll want to make sure it’s not running, then:

Start | Settings | Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs
Select the Fax software | Click on Uninstall.

Then simply re-install it, and you should be up and running!

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Once again, thank you! Did manage to delete all files (.dcx and .pcx) in the faxes folder via Explorer, with the HP program turned off. Wil try your suggestion to call HP (once I check on fees, of course!) and, if they charge, will follow your directions for a reinstall instead. You do make it sound relatively straightforward!

This will be my weekend project! Thanks again.

Linda

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Don’t know about HP call charges, but I have found them to be usually helpfull and reasonably prompt at responding to emails via the support section of the website.

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Edited by IreneLinda on 10-Aug-01 20:32.

Thanks! Great suggestion – will check into their Web site for the answer!

PS Did try site, but our unit, an OfficeJet 500, seems to be too old for email support! Will try the uninstall and reinstall today. Need to do something because now the unit won’t retrieve faxes for viewing or printing which have come in via the computer! This is a new wrinkle since there was never a problem with this before. Now I’m wondering if I have deleted something I shouldn’t have when I got rid of all those .DCX and .PCX files from the HP faxes folder!

Help! Now I’ve really done it! Uninstalled software as per instructions in HP manual and cannot reinstall it. I insert CD, the screen requesting Windows to search for drivers comes up, I click Next, as requested – and get an illegal operation notice! Something about page faults caused by Msgsrv32 and Kernel 32 and so on. Can anyone here help or do I need to go to HP?

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