VueScan stopped working as soon as I paid the $50!!!!

[TDMedia]

I feel raped.

As a last ditch effort to get my HP ScanJet 3970 working (it has NEVER
EVER worked consistently in all the time I've owned it) I decided to
test a version of VueScan 8.3.03 software. This was the big fix
everybody at another newsgroup recommended.

For a few days, most of the features of VueScan worked OK. Notably
non-functional was the PREVIEW feature, but I assumed that was because
I was using a trial version.

Anyway, needing to get some scanning done FAST, I plunked down $50 to
register the program, assuming all its features would now work. Well,
as soon as I tried to run the program again after registering it, not
only did I find the PREVIEW function not working, but the whole program
stopped working altogether. I can't even get it past the point where
the screen reads "Warm up bulb to scan."

The Hamrick website seems to make it too hard for anybody to want to
submit a question or complaint. But they made sure to note that the
$50 is non-refundable.

I am absolutely fed up with things that don't work and companies that
do not take responsibility for their products. This was $50 I could
not afford to waste at this time.

Does anybody have any experience with Hamrick? And do you think I can
expect a response to the e-mail I sent them tonight? If not, can
anybody walk me through some kind of solution here?

Thank you.

TM

 

[tom]

Does anybody have any experience with Hamrick? And do you think I can

expect a response to the e-mail I sent them tonight? If not, can
anybody walk me through some kind of solution here?

Just another guy here....but from what you describe (scanner never
working reliably, can't scan with any OTHER program) I'm not so sure
that VueScan is the culprit. Maybe the scanner just decided to quit
cooperating once again?

I will mention that the preview DOES work in evaluation mode so things
were not all they should have been even at that point.

Sorry, I'm short on "solutions" at this point other than to suggest a
replacement scanner which VueScan *will* probably work with (if you
choose semi-carefully <g>) and I do think it is good software. Sure
seems to work nicely for me.

Sorry I don't have more to offer.

 

[Maris V. Lidaka Sr.]

Yes, Ed will probably respond reasonably quickly.

From the website, in the "Supported Scanners" section, for the hp ScanJet
3970:

"You need to first install the HP software before VueScan will work with
these scanners. VueScan uses HP-supplied libraries to talk to these
scanners, and these libraries get installed when you install the HP scanner
software."

Did you do that?

Maris

 

[TDMedia]

I realize that it seems I went after bad money with good, but I swear
the scanner was working fine with VueScan until the very first time I
tried to run it after registering it. It's got to have something to do
with a change that occurred during the registration process.

 

[One4All]

Too late, now, but if you had an Epson scanner with Epson Scan, you'd
be sleeping at night. It's incredible how people pile one mistake on
another, esp. in the computer world. Just go with the driver that comes
with your scanner. If it doesn't work, deal with the scanner maker.
Avoid third-party "solutions."

 

[Ralf R. Radermacher]

Just go with the driver that comes
with your scanner. If it doesn't work, deal with the scanner maker.
Avoid third-party "solutions."

Anyone to second my nomination of the above for the grand prize for the
biggest nonsense uttered in this newsgroup in a very long time?

Ralf

 

[TDMedia]

You need to first install the HP software before VueScan will work with
these scanners. VueScan uses HP-supplied libraries to talk to these
scanners, and these libraries get installed when you install the HP
scanner
software. Did you do that?<<<<

Yes. I've been running HP's software since I installed the scanner.

 

[Peter]

Anyone to second my nomination of the above for the grand prize for
the biggest nonsense uttered in this newsgroup in a very long time?

Yes, seconded.

Some years ago I bought a PIE Primefilm 1800u, a machine of admitted limited
resolution. Using the supplied scanning software the results were
completely unusable for B&W negatives, returning (apparently randomly)
images which were almost black, almost white or grossly posterized. I dealt
with the scanner supplier who readily replaced the scanner. There was no
difference, from which I concluded that the software was the culprit.

I tried Silverfast and Vuescan with the scanner and they both gave entirely
satisfactory results. I still use the scanner from time to time when I want
a quick scan and don't need a high resolution image.

Peter

 

[Don]

I feel raped.

That seems to be the (duped) "VueSCAM" users' anthem... :-(

For a few days, most of the features of VueScan worked OK. Notably
non-functional was the PREVIEW feature, but I assumed that was because
I was using a trial version.

No, as can be read in this group VueScan is notoriously buggy and
unreliable (see quotes in a parallel message from other frustrated
users).

Anyway, needing to get some scanning done FAST, I plunked down $50 to
register the program, assuming all its features would now work. Well,
as soon as I tried to run the program again after registering it, not
only did I find the PREVIEW function not working, but the whole program
stopped working altogether.

There are a couple of things to try.

First of all, delete (or rename) the Vuescan.ini file and then
restart. This will create a new Vuescan.ini and is the equivalent of
re-installing Vuescan. Since it pretended to work initially, I have a
feeling you twiddled some settings and that caused it to die, so
deleting the "ini" file will reset everything and get you back to
square one.

Failing that, ask someone to send you an older version of the program.
Messages asking for older versions of Vuescan where "this of that"
still pretended to work are a regular staple here as duped and
desperate Vuescan users try to salvage what they can.

The Hamrick website seems to make it too hard for anybody to want to
submit a question or complaint.

Weird as it may sound but you should be happy about that! The author
has a tendency to shout obscenities at users who dare to complain! If
you're lucky he'll only tell you "if you don't like it, don't use it".
Having made sure he pocketed the money first...

But they made sure to note that the
$50 is non-refundable.

Yup! That's why many call it "VueSCAM"!

Don.

 

[TDMedia]

Well, I'm going to give the company a chance to fix this before I trash
them. I've got to tell you, I've been steaming about this all night
and all day today, though.

 

[rafe b]

Well, I'm going to give the company a chance to fix this before I trash
them. I've got to tell you, I've been steaming about this all night
and all day today, though.

I have no complaints from Hamrick's service.
He's generally been very responsive.

It is what it is: a one man show, with a strange
user interface. But it works on lots of different
scanners and is cheap and "lightweight." I don't
use it much but it's been useful at times as a backup
and as a sanity check on my existing scanners.

Eg., when I first fired up my Epson 4990, the
Epson driver seemed to be whacked out. That
was eventually cleared up -- but in the interim,
I had Vuescan to fall back on, and I could at
least determine that the scanner itself was OK.

Now that I've got the Epson driver working
properly, I prefer it over Vuescan.


rafe b
www.terrapinphoto.com

 

[Roger S.]

From the first post:
"As a last ditch effort to get my HP ScanJet 3970 working (it has NEVER
EVER worked consistently in all the time I've owned it)

That strikes me as a sign that your problems may go beyond the scanner
software.

 

[Tropical Treat]

Maybe even to the cable used to connect the computer and scanner or the
proximity of "plugback" transformers and flouro desk lamps. But these
mechanical issues are often overlooked in the whitch hunt for dud software
developers, hell bent on ripping into all their customers - both of them!

 

[Maris V. Lidaka Sr.]

Despite the Wisdom of Don, me too.

Maris

Yes, seconded.

 

[Maris V. Lidaka Sr.]

Breathe deeply and count to 10 - steaming won't solve the problem. Look
into the hardware - including the cable and its connections as "Tropical
Treat" suggests.

Maris

 

[Evo2Me]

Well, I'm going to give the company a chance to fix this before I trash
them. I've got to tell you, I've been steaming about this all night
and all day today, though.

But you did go to the Support page as I advised in another group? I
gave you the e-mail address to contact, too.

It would be nice if you would calm down a bit; although I can
understand your anger, it rarely helps to put things into perspective.
First of all, Ed Hamrick is developing the program continuously and
alone, TMK he doesn't employ anyone else for customer care and
support. Hence, it can take a bit for him to call back.

Then you and him have to find the problem: is it VS, may it be a
corrupt driver, or perhaps something simple as a broken cable? "It
doesn't work anymore" is not what I call a 'comprehensive report'.

Apart from two or three known trolls, who drove Mr Hamrick from
participating in theses Scanner groups, everyone using VS is quite
happy with its results. Rest assured, Vuescan wouldn't be around and
recommended anymore if it and its developer were frauds.

 

[TDMedia]

As a point of information, Ed Hamrick (I didn't realize it's just one
guy) did e-mail me back, suggesting that I try Vs. 8.3.31. I
downloaded the file, which is a .tgz (never heard of it) and could not
open it. I downloaded a program called PicoZip, which claimed it would
open the file. It unzipped it, but there doesn't seem to be an exe
file in the bundle. Now I'm stuck with two versions of VueScan AND a
version of PicoZip and I still can't scan anything. Isn't 8.3.31 for
Linux, anyway?

Regarding my somewhat vague reporting of the problem, truthfully, I
can't say anymore than "it doesn't work." I am just a regular user -
or a small notch above. I don't have the technical vocabulary to
elaborate. When I put a document on the scanner and follow VueScan's
instructions, my scanner starts to make its "scanning sound." The
bottom of the screen reads "Warm up lamp to scan." Then it's all over.
Nothing happens until I get an error message saying the program is not
responding.

Until I registered the program, it was working fine (except for the
aforementioned "Preview" feature). The very first attempt to scan
after I paid the dues failed, and none have succeeded since. It has to
be something that changed at that point in time.

 

[Wilfred]

As a point of information, Ed Hamrick (I didn't realize it's just one
guy) did e-mail me back, suggesting that I try Vs. 8.3.31. I
downloaded the file, which is a .tgz (never heard of it) and could not
open it. I downloaded a program called PicoZip, which claimed it would
open the file. It unzipped it, but there doesn't seem to be an exe
file in the bundle. Now I'm stuck with two versions of VueScan AND a
version of PicoZip and I still can't scan anything. Isn't 8.3.31 for
Linux, anyway?

You downloaded the wrong file. Go to http://www.hamrick.com/ - don't
look for "8.3.31" but for "I you're using Windows Click here" in the
right-hand blue rectangle. This will give you an .exe file for Windows.

 

[Don]

Well, I'm going to give the company a chance to fix this before I trash
them. I've got to tell you, I've been steaming about this all night
and all day today, though.

Do try the VueScan.ini thing I mentioned. It only takes a second...

Delete/rename VueScan.ini and then run VueScan again. This will create
a "virgin" VueScan.ini with all the initial defaults.

Since you were able to use the program for a while - as I say - I
suspect you might have changed some setting which caused it fail.

On the other hand, since we're talking about VueScan, it can be
anything... ;o)

Don.

 

[Don]

As a point of information, Ed Hamrick (I didn't realize it's just one
guy) did e-mail me back, suggesting that I try Vs. 8.3.31. I
downloaded the file, which is a .tgz (never heard of it)

That's a Unix version. You need to download the Windows version.

Isn't 8.3.31 for Linux, anyway?

The file with the *.tgz extension usually is, but version number
should be OS independent.

Until I registered the program, it was working fine (except for the
aforementioned "Preview" feature). The very first attempt to scan
after I paid the dues failed, and none have succeeded since. It has to
be something that changed at that point in time.

Yes, you paid the fee... After that VueScan self-destructs! ;o)

Seriously though, one other thing. I don't know how comfortable you
are with editing the registry but if you remove the VueScan key
(sometimes it's called VuePrint) and try the program again, it should
go back to "unregistered" mode. It may be interesting to see if it
still works in that mode.

You can then always re-enter your key at any time and thereby register
it again.

Don.