LaserSoft Imaging

Hello,
**New install - Epson V750 Pro on laptop with Win XP Pro SP2, 2.0 GHz Centrino and 2GB memory.**
Now my problem...
WHETHER FROM EPSON-SUPPLIED LASERSOFT CD OR FROM NEW (6.5.5r3(Epson)) DOWNLOAD FROM LASERSOFT:
Ai seems to install fine, whether I choose Photoshop/stand-alone or TWAIN.
If I start Launcher, gets to "Searching Devices" and immediately closes the Launcher.
If I start Photoshop CS3, gets to "Searching Devices" and immediately closes CS3.
If I start PS Elements 5.0, gets to same point (if it's even found in 5.0) and closes Elements.
I never get an error message.
I've uninstalled. I've deleted Prefs folder. I've edited registry to remove leftovers. I've uninstalled/reinstalled with NO other USB/Firewire devices connected. I've uninstalled/reinstalled with NO other programs running--heck, I've even deleted the minor stuff from the systray. I've uninstalled the Epson software itself, and reinstalled with both the scanning software that came with the device and I've uninstalled and tried it all with the latest Epson upgrade. I've reinstalled and uninstalled and reinstalled in every conceivable configuration, but always get same results--Ai never gets past the "Searching Devices" portion of the opening splash screen.
I've contacted LaserSoft Support and got a usual, "delete the Prefs folder" and sent them the SF_Logfile, and all they said was to try not using other USB devices. I replied back and haven't heard back from them--that was two days ago.
One of the MAIN reasons I bought this scanner was for the full version of SF Ai!
Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance!
Sincerely,
MikeZ

Does sound like a device driver conflict or other hardware problem. Swap out the USB cable. Does device manager see the scanner as installed correctly ? take a look in device manager and also in the bios entries and see if some of the other built in devices are working off the usb controller. The other thing to look for is how the bios is set up for the USB controller - compatibility modes and such. Another test to run is to download a demo copy of v**s**n and see if there are issues. If there still are, you may have 1) driver conflicts, 2) bios issues, 3) bad scanner or it also could be a corrupted Twain interface. If i remember correctly, you can delete any directory with TWAIN32, TWUNK, TWAIN and it will be rebuilt as needed. Do you have other devices that use the twain interface ? THey will be shown as sub directories in the above. They could be the source of the issue.

Can you try it on another PC even in demo mode ? If the problem persists i would return the scanner.

just some quick ideas.

Hi,

I apologize for not mentioning that:
1) the scanner is immediately recognized by XP and is quickly installed
2) the scanner works like a charm using the Epson Scan utility
3) the scanner appears in Photoshop CS3, Elements 5.0, Paintshop Pro XI, PhotoImpact Pro XI
3) there are no conflicts in Device Manager

In Device Manager, the scanner appears under "Imaging Devices," along with the built-in PC camera (built into the LCD frame, and which is always off).

The only other USB devices being used are "mass storage" (hard drives that I have tried SF Ai while they're plugged in and while unplugged).

Any other ideas?

Regards,

MikeZ

try disabling the PC camera in device manager. delete the twain, twain32, twunk files, and re-boot . The only other thing i can think of is that the software generally wants the scanner to be the only device on a root USB port ( not off of a hub) on the PC. If SF is using Epson's twain driver and Epson's software works all the time and SF does not, then they need a detailed bug report with your exact hardware configuration - maybe an expanded view of device manager might give them a clue ?

Funny, i originally bought SF ( V3?) because their sofware worked on my scanner and the manufacturer's software was displaying issues like you are seeing.

Well I'll be...

I disabled the built-in PC camera (which isn't on unless you start it), and tried SF Ai and IT WORKED!!! Entered my Serial Number and it was accepted after inserting the original CD.

Then I deleted the twain_32 directory (but to the Recycle Bin...just in case) and did a search for TWAIN and TWUNK, but no directories were found for those two.

Rebooted and tried SF Ai again, and it worked, both as a stand-alone and in PS CS3 (it's not found in PS Elements 5.0, but I'll work on that).

Restored the deleted twain_32 directory and tried SF Ai again and it still works.

Hard to believe all of this trouble (a full week of frustration for me!) was due to an innocuous, dormant, built-in PC camera!!!!!!

THANK YOU for your help. I _REALLY_ appreciate it!!!!!!

Sincere Regards,

MikeZ

:D Glad it was finally figured out. USB scanners/software can be really fickle beasts. Happy scanning !

Dear Mike

what support staff will have informed you about, and seems to have been the case here, is also put down in our FAQ:
http://www.silverfast.com/faq/1002/en.h ... e_scanners

So the issue basically boils down to uncooperative drivers and a operating system that cannot rectify such problems.
SilverFast, as an application layer software, has no option influencing the other layers. It needs to postulate that communication on that layers already perform free of troubles.

Best regards
Sonny Noack
- Manager Technical Support, LaserSoft Imaging AG -