Minolta 5400 and Silverfast Problem

[Tait]

I have recently purchased a Minolta 5400 film scanner. Installed it
on a functioning Win2k machine running an AMD athalon processor and
756k ram. The Minolta is hooked up using a firewire card and asside
form my ipod is the only other device currently hooked up to the
computer. I have used the scanner and the minolta scanning software
for about a month and have never had any problems. I recently, based
on a lot of research and suggestions from groups like these, decided
to upgrade to Silverfast AI, which I purchased from the company and
received two days ago. I had tested and successfully used the demo
version of the software and decided that I love the control of the
software and parted with my hard earned cash to pay for it. I have
installed the version that came with the CD and even updated to the
latest version "revision 5" (as of 79/04) by downloading from
Silverfasts site.

The problem is: I can complete scans at most resolutions however, I
can not complete a scan at 5400 dpi! When I do the final scan, after
only scanning approximately 1/16th of the whole image, the scanner
stops moving the slide holder. Silverfast's software however
continues to scan and displays a grey box in the thumbnail image
preview, rather than the image that is supposed to be scanned.
Finally when it gets to about 98% complete the whole thing pauses
indefinitely. I've let it sit for 15 minutes hoping that if will
finish and display the full image, but it never does. Invariably i
must force quit photoshop and eject the slide holder.

Scanning at full resolution is really the only option for me, as I am
printing above 11 x 14", usually 20 x 16 or 24 x 20.

The minolta software still functions properly and can scan at full
resolution, however, I would much prefer to use the Silverfast
software 1. because I paid for it and 2. the color correction tools
are much more intuitive and comprehensive.

I have been on the phone with Silverfast's tech support all day and
they can't help me, they have forwarded my problem on to their R&D
team but who knows when I'll hear back from them.

Anyone have any ideas, or experienced problems like this? Any
direction or assistance would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks

 

[nikita]

Tait,

I don't have the Minolta so I've never experienced this. I've seen a
few similar things on Mac OS9 with older Polaroid Sprintscan 35 using
another thirdparty scannerapplication often mentioned in this Forum.
(Well, that wasn't only the freezing, but colors way off too.) So I
know the syndrome.


See if the TWAIN, Plugin or freestanding version makes any diffs. If
it could be the TWAIN screwing up from within Photoshop.

Does the demo still work at full rez after you installed the full
version?
If so, make a complete uninstall of the fullversion of Silver and the
demo. Try reinstall without using the latest update. .

Use the search engine to find anything related to Lasersoft and/or
Silverfast when uninstalling. Trash it! Silverfast has erlier been a
bit tricky when older versions had leftovers still on the computer. On
the Macs this is not a problem anymore according to my experince. I
guess that's fixed at the PC side too. It just took a complete
unistall before intalling any updates which were full versions not
just a patch.

I had firewireproblems with Nikons on Macs while it still worked
prefectly well on the PCs. The Silverfast uses a part of the NikonScan
driver for Nikonscanners and as a result both the NikonScan and
Silverfast refused to work with the Firewire. Still everything else
worked like videocam, other scanners, cardreaders etc. So the bug was
in the nikonscandriver. It all happened when I installed Panther mac
OSX on another partion while having Jaguar still on another. That's no
problem for Macs normally. You can have whatever you want of different
systems. Both stopped working the Nikonscanner. It worked perfect
before. So look for any thing where the "chemistry" could be upset in
the driverlevel.

Don't use the iPod hooked up at the same time, but I guess you already
tried without.... No newly installed iPod **acessories** with
drivers....mmm?

Check if you have any newly installed, or special,
Firewiredevicedrivers. It must be a driver freezing the Minolta
somehow. Made any system updates from Microsoft inbetween which could
slugged in any offending stuff, no new servicepacks.....?

I don't know if you would like to take risk and uninstalling of the
Minolta original software and see if there was any conflict between
them. Do you have any mirrorbackup of your system to fall back on
(DriveImage Northon Ghost etc)? Run any diskchecks (thirdparty too if
you have) to see if there are any corruptions anywhere. There are tons
of possible things to try in that area for the one who likes that.
Nowdays I just use good mirrors as full partion backups.

Does it "letgo" if you decrease the rez setting a *minimal* amount
from full rez?

As for the R&D department they've been giving me deep and good info
when I pushed it to those guys. It did take just a few days. The
normal support can answer everyday questions, the rest goes to the big
guys working under the hood. Let us hope that not everyone i R&D are
on vacation. Try contact Germany support directly too by e-mail.

I can't point you to what's wrong but as the demo worked you're
chances to solve the problem on your PCs are quite large.

Hope it soon will be fixed and you're up running again.

nikita


***See if the support could let you download a full version of the
*same versionnumber* as the Demo....or any slightly older to see if
that also works.***

 

[Tait]

Does the demo still work at full rez after you installed the full

version?
If so, make a complete uninstall of the fullversion of Silver and the
demo. Try reinstall without using the latest update. .

I did uninstalled the demo version before installing the full version.

I had firewireproblems with Nikons on Macs while it still worked
prefectly well on the PCs. The Silverfast uses a part of the NikonScan
driver for Nikonscanners and as a result both the NikonScan and
Silverfast refused to work with the Firewire. Still everything else
worked like videocam, other scanners, cardreaders etc. So the bug was
in the nikonscandriver. It all happened when I installed Panther mac
OSX on another partion while having Jaguar still on another. That's no
problem for Macs normally. You can have whatever you want of different
systems. Both stopped working the Nikonscanner. It worked perfect
before. So look for any thing where the "chemistry" could be upset in
the driverlevel.

Unfortunately I don't know enough to determine what might cause
conflicts like this.

Don't use the iPod hooked up at the same time, but I guess you already
tried without.... No newly installed iPod **acessories** with
drivers....mmm?

Nope. In fact it wasn't ever plugged in while I was having this
problem.

Check if you have any newly installed, or special,
Firewiredevicedrivers. It must be a driver freezing the Minolta
somehow. Made any system updates from Microsoft inbetween which could
slugged in any offending stuff, no new servicepacks.....?

The last I have is 4, but that's a good thought. I'll check it out.

I don't know if you would like to take risk and uninstalling of the
Minolta original software and see if there was any conflict between
them. Do you have any mirrorbackup of your system to fall back on
(DriveImage Northon Ghost etc)? Run any diskchecks (thirdparty too if
you have) to see if there are any corruptions anywhere. There are tons
of possible things to try in that area for the one who likes that.

When I was on with Silverfast Tech support I uninstalled the Minolta
software but no dice.

Does it "letgo" if you decrease the rez setting a *minimal* amount
from full rez?

Oddly enough it does. it will do a full and complete scan, that looks
beautiful at a lower resolution, but not at the max 5400.
Unfortunately the closest step down in resolution is about half (close
to 2700).


thanks for the suggestions. I'm trying them out now and will get back
to you guys to report how this gets resolved.