How to send a fax using Windows XP?

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How to send a fax using Windows XP?

Marcia

5:56 pm on Aug 18, 2009 (gmt 0)

I'd like to scan a document and send it via fax. I believe there's a way to do it in Windows. How is it done?

And can there be a "record" to document the fax transmission, like there is with a regular fax machine?

Robert Charlton

2:33 am on Aug 19, 2009 (gmt 0)

Marcia - I've used WinFax Pro ever since Windows 95 (when the program was made by Delrina), so I've never set up the utility included in Windows... but my O'Reilly "XP in a Nutshell" book identifies that utility as 'FAX Console'.

The first Google result for [fax console windows xp] is a Microsoft article on setting it up....

Faxing in Windows XP [microsoft.com]

As the article points out, the fax service isn't automatically installed in Windows XP and you need to use Add Programs to make it appear. I'm not sure that you need to go back to your original installation disk to do this, but you might.

I'd love to know if it's good, and would particularly appreciate a comparison from someone who's used both WinFax and the XP utility. I'm considering dumping Norton Internet Security, and I think it's hard to uninstall only one Symantec program.

kaled

9:48 am on Aug 19, 2009 (gmt 0)

Scanning is easy but you may need to resize the document to 96dpi or thereabouts ready for printing (so that it comes out the right size). You can probably test this by printing the image on your normal printer.

As mentioned above, install the fax service then print the newly scanned image using the fax "printer".

I've never tried sending a scanned image, but I have sent documents and it's painless.

Kaled.

coopster

3:21 pm on Aug 19, 2009 (gmt 0)

I'd love to know if it's good, and would particularly appreciate a comparison from someone who's used both WinFax and the XP utility.

I remember WinFax! But that was way back while working for a corporation that purchased the software. I've long since moved to the Windows built-in fax capability and it works just fine. Once installed you will find you can print directly to fax otherwise you can work with queued faxes and sent faxes by clicking ...

All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Fax

... where you will find you can also set up cover pages and send faxes. I haven't used it in awhile now but if I remember correctly there is a fax wizard process.

I don't see any reason why you couldn't install it yourself and test right now. I cannot see any reason you would have any fax conflict. If so, just uninstall the Windows Fax component again.