I purchased my Microtek ScanMaker 3800 many years ago. I still have the installation CD. Recently I purchased an HP laptop running Vista. My question: is it all right to plug in the scanner directly into the laptop first, with the USB cable, or do I need to run the CD first?

Run a search for the scanner software on the internet and download it then install it to your computer. (type in microtek scanmaker 3800 software) Then connect the scanner to your pc and turn it on.

Hi Lory,
Please use the below link, which has the exact software for the Microtek ScanMaker 3800 Flatbed scanner.

http://download.cnet.com/Microtek-ScanMaker-3800/3000-2118_4-66399.html

and Click on Download

Please check and revert back to us
Thanks for contacting Fixya
Regards,
Aysaam

You can download: ScanWizard 5 version 6.63 Here: ftp://microtek:[email protected]/microtek/pcfiles/drv_sw5_v6_63_ad.exe
Extract to folder on desktop. 1. Plug in your Scanner 2. Go to Control Panel (Windows 7 - 64 and 32 bit) 3. Go to Device Manager 4. Go to Imaging devices (or Other devices) 5. Find what windows have installed Right Click 6. Update Driver Software.. 7. Click - Browse my computer for driver software 8. Click - Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer 9. Click - Have Disk 10. Browse to your desktop or position where you extracted 6.63, point to "....drv_sw5_v6_63_ad\Disk1\Vista\AMD64\..." Pick any of INF files I picked first 11. You will see 4800 Scanner and USB 2.0 Scanner, I picked first 4800 then USB 2.0 and both works.
I managed before to do it with simple install but well, it works .. ;)

This driver covers many OS
Microtek ScanMaker 3840/3830/3800 ScanWizard 5 5.93 driver download

Please gave a vote, it will give me some satisfaction to know that am helping some one so I will keep on helping.
Thank you.

Check in the programs and see if it's there.You can test it from the properties menu.Right click it and follow the the on screen menu

This works for Windows 7 I think it works for vista too:
You can download: ScanWizard 5 version 6.63 Here: ftp://microtek:[email protected]/microtek/pcfiles/drv_sw5_v6_63_ad.exe
Extract to folder on desktop. 1. Plug in your Scanner 2. Go to Control Panel (Windows 7 - 64 and 32 bit) 3. Go to Device Manager 4. Go to Imaging devices (or Other devices) 5. Find what windows have installed Right Click 6. Update Driver Software.. 7. Click - Browse my computer for driver software 8. Click - Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer 9. Click - Have Disk 10. Browse to your desktop or position where you extracted 6.63, point to "....drv_sw5_v6_63_ad\Disk1\Vista\AMD64\..." Pick any of INF files I picked first 11. You will see 4800 Scanner and USB 2.0 Scanner, I picked first 4800 then USB 2.0 and both works.
I managed before to do it with simple install but well, it works .. ;)

Go to the manufacturers websites and download the driver from there.

You can download your driver HERE from MicroTek.

Click HERE to download your driver. Just select your operating system and follow the on screen promts. Windows Vista is not supported.

Please send me an installer for my microtek scanmaker 3840. this is my email address [email protected]... thanks