Canon 5600F: Software Load and "Preparing Scan" = Very Slow

[Aylarja]

I am currently testing the latest demo version of SilverFast SE on my Canon CanoScan 5600F under Windows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit. When the software loads (either as a standalone application or as a Photoshop Elements plug-in) it takes about two to three minutes to load. Once it loads, if I click the Prescan button, the "Prepare Scan..." message appears, but nothing seems to happen for about two to three minutes. I love the features of this program as I learn to use them, but this delay in load and prescanning is making the program impractical to use. What might I try to correct this behavior? Thanks.

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

Dear Aylarja,

Please make sur you connect the scanner directly to an USB2.0 port.
Do not use a hub, extension cord or USB1.1 port.

kind regards,
Arne Ketelhohn.

[Aylarja]

Arne,

Thank you for your reply. I double-checked to make sure that the USB cable was directly connected to the PC and not routed through a hub. All the ports on this PC are USB 2.0. For clarification, the delay is not in the data transfer from the scanner, which happens with reasonable speed. Instead, the delay seems to be the program searching, detecting, confused by something - what, I am not certain. The native Canon software - which I uninstalled in order to test the SilverFast software - has no issues like this and is very responsive (but, of course, it lacks many of the features of SilverFast). Is there some logging mode that might give some clarification?

One other question I have about using SilverFast on the Canon 5600F: it supports 48 bit > 24 bit mode, and it supports 48 bit HDR mode (which I understand is really designed for use with your HDR software), but the standard 48-bit mode is grayed out in SilverFast. In the Canon software, full 48-bit mode has to be intentionally enabled within the software. But I am wondering why standard 48-bit mode does not appear to be supported in SilverFast on this scanner model?

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

Dear Aylarja,

by removing the manufacturer software you also removed the driver which is requiered for SilverFast to work.

48bit mode is only available in SilverFast Ai.

kind regards
Arne Ketelhohn

[Aylarja]

Arne,

I appreciate your reply. I think you are mistaken about the removal of the CanoScan software. This is the native Canon scanning utility only, and not the driver, which is a separate install. The driver is still installed, and SilverFast does work - but it works with very long delays at certain points in the load and scanning process. Please note that I removed the Canon scanning utility because the SilverFast support documentation warns of conflicts if two separate applications that control the scanner are installed, and in fact initially SilverFast was failing to load altogether. After I removed the Canon scanning utility, SilverFast would load. It was only then that I discovered the long lags on software load and during the prescan and scan process.

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

Dear customer,

The manufacturers scanutility also contains the driver we require.
In some cases the unsinstall might be unable to remove the driver if it is currently in use.
The manufacturers software should not cause a conflict as long as it is not loaded.


kind regards
Arne Ketelhohn.

[Aylarja]

Arne,

I have tried a number of things to see if I could eliminate the very long lag time for loading, prescanning, and scanning:

1) I unplugged all USB devices from my PC, except for the scanner and my USB mouse and keyboard; this made no difference
2) I uninstalled the standalone version of SilverFast then installed the TWAIN version of SilverFast; this made no difference
3) I uninstalled the TWAIN version of SilverFast, rebooted, reinstalled the Canon scanning utility, then installed the standalone version of SilverFast; this made no difference

These lags truly appear to be SilverFast performing some kind of system scan, perhaps to relocate the scanner, each and every time it performs one of these operations (load, prescan, or scan). Typically twice during these lag periods the scanner will make noises as though it is calibrating or initializing, so it is evident that some kind of communication is taking place between SilverFast and the scanner.

What further action can I take? Or what further information can I provide to you or your support team?

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

Dear customer,

the problem seems to be located in Canon's Windows 7 64bit drivers.
With the Windows 7 32bit drivers the Scanner is much more responsive and does not display such long waiting times.
Other Canon devices (e.g. the 4400) do not display such behavior).
Our developers are still looking into this issue but it is uncertain if we can fix this from our side.


kind regards
Arne Ketelhohn

[Aylarja]

Arne,

I am glad that LaserSoft engineers have determined the underlying problem, and I certainly hope they are able to come up with a fix for it. If it means anything, the Canon scanning utility does not exhibit any delays in interacting with the scanner. That would seem to indicate that there is not anything specific to 64-bit Windows 7 or the scanner itself that would create these delays. That is not to say that fixing it would necessarily be easy - that is not what I mean to imply. But it does suggest that whatever issues the driver creates can hopefully be overcome. I am willing to test any potential patches or fixes if I can be of help.

I realize that we have parallel discussions going on in email and via this forum thread. Hopefully this is not causing confusion.

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

Dear Aylarja,

thank you for your understanding.
If wee need to test a plug-in I will contact you by e-mail.

kind regards
Arne Ketelhohn.

[OrangeRocket]

I am wondering whether this matter was resolved by using the 32 bit Canon driver with Windows 7. I have a simliar problem, but have clocked the delay at 35 seconds with the 32 bit driver (do not have a 64 bit machine). When I called Canon support they suggested I must have been crazy.

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

This issue only occured on Windows 7 64bit systems with the 64 bit drivers.

The 32bit drivers never displayed such issues in our testcenter.


kind regards,
Arne Ketelhohn.

[Aylarja]

SilverFast Support,

Has there been any forward movement on the issue with the 64-bit Canon 5600F drivers for Windows 7 and SilverFast SE? Past posts seem to indicate that LaserSoft views this as a problem with Canon's drivers, and perhaps not something that LaserSoft can do anything about; is this still LaserSoft's position? If so, has LaserSoft made any effort to work with Canon to resolve the driver issue? Or is this considered an unresolvable issue?

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

Dear Aylarja,

unfortunately we have no news on this issue yet.

kind regards,
Arne Ketelhohn

[Aylarja]

Following up yet again: is there any word on a possible resolution of the problem with SilverFast working with the 64-bit drivers for the Canon 5600F?