4000t and SF5.5

[Seaman]

Hi there!

I wonder if it is possible to use this SF5.5 with my scanner without the ASPI layer. I'm using it under Windows XP and this OS doesn't like ASPI too much i'm afraid. It is driving me crazy, believe me!

TIA

[LSI_Flyvbjerg]

Sorry , but the 4000t is a SCSI scanner and SilverFast needs the ASPI library.

Did you download the latest ASPI drivers for XP from Adaptec ?

Eric.

[Seaman]

Yes, I did it. I've tried out with versions 4.6, 4.7 and 4.71 with no luck. I'm not saying I can't use this device with SF5.5 but I have to start it twice each time I want to scan some negatives/slides because the first time I start it SF doesn't detect the scanner, but the second is OK. I guess the main problem is XP and ASPI. Maybe a future version of SF that fits the WIA specs fixes this (or maybe ASPI v500000)

Thanks

[LSI_Flyvbjerg]

Do you need to start SilverFast twice always or just the first time after you have rebooted your system ?

Eric.

[Seaman]

Well, I have to start it twice only the first time after rebooting. Once the device is detected (second start) everything works fine, so I can close SF after doing some work with it, work in another program, start it againg but this time works fine. One thing I didn't mention is that sometimes, randomly, when I start SF for the first time the computer reboots (I've disabled BSOD in XP). I'm a bit confused since I can't say if it is the OS crashing, the ASPI layer, or the program itself. Maybe I'll enable BSOD's in order to have more info and try to isolate the problem.

Thanks

[LSI_Flyvbjerg]

The effect that you have to start SF twice after a reboot sounds "normal". If SF doesn?t find any scanner, it lets ASPI research for SCSI devices. This the same function as can be done in the device manager, were you can look for newly switched on devices.
I think, that your scanner is switched off, when you boot your PC. If the scanner would have been switched on, SF should find the scanner at the first start.

It sounds strange that your PC reboots sometimes, when SF starts. I have never heard about that.

Eric.

[Seaman]

Actually, I've tried several ways.

- Booting with the scanner off, detecting it in the device manager, then starting SF;
- Booting with the scanner on, so it is detected during booting, then starting SF;
- Booting with the scanner off, then starting SF to see if it was able to detect/initialize the scanner by itself.

As you can see I've tried all possible ways without any luck. The first two ways didn't make any difference as they are equivalent. So, randomly, starting SF ended with the computer reebooting. Of course, the third way never gave any problem as SF didn't detect any device attached so it didn't started at all (it gave the error code and stopped).

By the way, I've contacted Microtek's support here at Spain and sended the device to their 'boxes'. At this time we, the technician and myself, are considering changing the machine for a new one (maybe the newer 4000tf) as they think the device is broken and will be hard to repair. Maybe this will be the end to all my troubles with SCSI&ASPI and XP as the 4000tf is USB/FireWire.

I'm sorry for all the worries because at the end the problem seems to be in the scanner not the SF. If your are interested I'll tell you how the story ends.

Thank you for your time.

[LSI_Flyvbjerg]

Of course, we always like to know, when a problem is solved ... and how.

Eric.