LaserSoft Imaging

I am trying out Ai 6 demo using XP and a USB connection to the Minolta 5400 through Photoshop 5.5. (SFE-6.4.2r2b).

In Photoshop 5.5: Image>Import>Twain 32, and the Silver Fast Ai 6 screen shows up, and the scanner begins warming up but after the transport cycles through once-- I get an error message-- "Scanner setup: Remove Film Holder".

Konica/Minolta software works.

When I downloaded a new copy and installed it, the scanner cycled through and opened up the dialog boxes for Ai 6... ONCE. Then back to the error message.

I am about to run the TWAIN version (SFTWE-6.4.2r2b) with the installer to see if it makes any difference. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Dear NM Bill

please don't hesitate to contact support: http://www.silverfast.com/problemreport/en.html
How to help support staff to help you: http://www.silverfast.com/faq/1058/en.html

Please note that the purpose of the imaging forum is not to provide personal support. It is intended to serve as a platform for imaging professionals for exchange of experience and communicating ideas [ viewtopic.php?p=9763&highlight=9763 ].
Therefore LSI staff will only provide limited support in the forum.
Thank you in anticipation of your kind co-operation.

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

Well I e-mailed support, stated my problem clearly, pasted the log file at the bottom and they reply, ?did you remove the film holder??.

I mail back YES!

Then they reply, ?The error in Silverfast does also occur when you initialize the scanner with the Minolta software first ?
Can you please check which version of the Minolta software you are using???.

I think, maybe I should initialize with Minolta Dimage software then switch to Silverfast! So I let the Dimage screen appear after it initializes, close it, then open Silverfast. Ahhh, the dialog boxes finally show up and silverfast opens and I can play with all the adjustments ? dpi, bit size, b/w or color etc.. OK great I?ll do a prescan, big mistake, something was really out of sync, my scanner chokes through a film transport cycle and then my XP-OS locks up totally. luckly it didn?t hurt my scanner.

So I write back again, resent everything with careful detail and another .log file attached.

They noticed I have used an Epson scanner and a Umax scanner from my log file, and reply ?Do you have the Umax- and the Epson scanners connected at the same time?
Try running only the Minolta, with no other scanner connected.?

Absolutely not, I reply, You think they would give me a little credit!

I pride myself on getting things to work and I usually have good success at it. I am used to having to tweak this buggy Windows product.

I am just short of taking the scanner apart to test the switch on the door? but it works using the default Minolta software and it tells me if the film holder really is in the scanner.

If I paid $200 dollars for the product key, I doubt if it would work any better!

Dear Bill

I ran a search for the email address you are using for "NM Bill" and didn't get any result from our (LSI AG) trouble ticket system. From this and the notion of "$200" I take it that you are an US customer.
Therefore you trouble should be attended by LSI Inc. (USA). As you feel my neglected by my American colleagues, I shall gladly try if I can help you out anyhow.

First, SilverFast 6, Windows XP, Photoshop 5.5, and the Minolta 5400 do present a working combination:
https://www.silverfast.com/product/Minolta/434/en.html

Second, there are known issues with Windows not being able to use two or more image acquisition devices at the same time. More information can be fond in the Microsoft knowledgebase:
# You Cannot Simultaneously Use Multiple USB Scanners in Windows XP
[ http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;324756 ]
# Some Devices Are Not Recognized When You Use Multiple IEEE 1394 (FireWire) Devices
[ http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;830987 ]
# An IEEE 1394 device drive may stop working when you turn on another IEEE device in Windows XP
[ http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... -us;894956 ]

Therefore, you have been asked for good reason to please try to disconnect and check if SilverFast is able to find your scanner if it is attached as the only scanner.
Possibly problematic devices include printers with scanner units, webcams, and digital cameras with webcam functionality.

However, if the Minolta software Dimagescan already is able to connect to the 5400, it is correctly installed. For the sake of Dimagescan.
It can quite likely be that SilverFast needs a different version of the driver that the scanner manufacturer's does, while that (using less of the scanner's features) is quite happy with an older version. For this reason SilverFast should usually be installed after the scanner manufacturer's software is installed - e.g. if you choose to install that at all.
From my technical knowledge though, there is no problem with having installed both, Dimagescan and SilverFast simultaneously.

Also, LSI tester didn't experience drivers incompabilities between Microtek and Minolta, so in summary: The thing should work.

Thus back to where you started. The error message is "remove the film holder".
To reproduce this error message: put film holder into scanner, turn scanner on, start SilverFast.
To get rid of the error message: remove the film holder and click okay.

SilverFast starts up, soft-firmware is flashed to the scanner. As soon as SF is completely startup up and the scanner's LED is no longer flashing, you can insert the holder.
Prescanning, scanning, everything else worked fine in a test I just executed (with SF_Launcher 2.1.1, XP pro SP2, slide holder).

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

Thanks for the Reply Sonny!

I finally heard from the local team, they said ?Dear Sir,

I tried to replicate this problem here, using the latest Minolta software and SIlverfast version, but was unfortunately unsuccessful. From the symptoms you are describing, it sounds like something is interfering the communication between Silverfast and the scanner. This might be software for one of the other scanners, which could still be running n the background, or a USB hub not working correctly, for example.

I am afraid I cannot do any further troubleshooting on this, since the problem seems to be isolated to your particular configuration. You might want to consider reloading your operating system, and installing software for the Minolta before installing anything else.?

Which is what I?m about to do!

I have tried everything except that!

From what I?ve seen I like your software, I haven?t got to use it yet but I?ve played with the controls.

Well I?m off to empty my hard drive... Should of bought an Apple not a Dell.

THANKS AGAIN SONNY!

Dear Bill

best of luck!

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

Well, I hate to blame Dell, I found I had to update my BIOS on my XPS, that fixed a bug that has been a pain for the last year. The fan would run at high speed after Suspend / Wake Up, also I downloaded the USB controller update.

But it didn't fix the "Scanner Setup; Please Remove Film Holder" problem.

I can't get the film holder in the machine once I turn it on, it needs to be initiated.

If I find the fix I'll post it!