I went ahead and removed OmniPage from my computer, uninstalled the Dell printer/scanner and reinstalled it. During the installation process, I got a window saying the OCR software was being installed; I can't remember if I got that message when I originally installed the printer/scanner software but I think maybe I didn't. In any event, the abbyy software in now installed and working correctly.

The rest of this is just my venting.

Instead of spending two hours talking to five different Dell "techs", and getting disconnected each time right in the middle, I should have brought my case to CNET forums. Actually, I should have known from prior experience that I should have originally done what I just did, i.e, uninstall and reinstall. I did use the Dell installation CD without having uninstalled the prior installation, and got a message to the effect that it would be installing only what was not already there.

More griping. The Dell "techs" would not give me a case number, though they claimed they would at some point. I presume that would have enabled me to get back in contact with the same rep or at least with a rep who had access to what had alread gone on, so as to save me having to start from scratch each time. Dell's award winning website. What a crock!!