Need a scanner workaround... :-|

[Scott]

Hi, everyone -

Well, our desktop computer is going the way of beta video.  The kids have their own laptop now (with Windows 7), I have a laptop (Vista), and the wife has a laptop (XP Pro).  The desktop is unreliable, pops up the BSOD constantly, and is in pieces more often than not.  I have the network set up now such that the desktop is peripheral; it's no longer needed for anything, except for scanning.

That's the rub: I have two scanners I use - one will do up to 5x4, the other up to 8x10.  I still plan on shooting 5x7, so the Scanjet isn't my first scanning choice.  The Duoscan is ancient - it's got a SCSI interface.

Ok, so I looked into a PCMCIA-SCSI adapter, and that might be doable, 'cept for the fact that all our computers are now ExpressCard.  So, what's that leave me as options for scanning 5x7 on a laptop?  Keeping the desktop is not gonna happen.  I'd sell the two scanners I have to finance a new scanner, but (a) they're not worth the postage to anyone, and (b) I can't find a cheap flatbed that'll do anything above MF film.

Help!

Scott

[Mike Kovacs]

Does it have firewire?  I use a firewire to scsi converter for my Nikon Coolscan III on my iMac

[Scott]

Ooooh - that's an idea!  I'll look into that, Mike.  Thanks!

[jake]

Can you install Linux on the desktop? Then you could keep the scanners attached to the desktop and run everything through VueScan. There are VueScan versions available for several different Linux packages. And Ubuntu seems to love older PC stuff. I had it zipping along on a 10+ year old desktop with no compatibility issues whatsoever. Made it hard to give it away. Someone has to have gotten the driver situation figured out for those scanners too. Ubuntu is free too.

[Scott]

Jorn, I tried Ubuntu on the desktop at one point.  Either I was too green to set it up (entirely possible), or it didn't like the jungle of fragmented and bad sectors on the drive (also possible).  I'll look into that, too, since those firewire-to-SCSI adapters are over a hundred bucks.  Can't justify that at all...

[jake]

You don't need much HD space, so sticking a new (small cheap) one in might also be in budget.

[LarryD]

I would go with a new hard drive in it and maybe check the fans.. I had one that was doing the BSOD and it was more of a dirty slow CPU cooler than anything. Also I will give you a link to a free app that may fix up your hard drive.

http://www.glaryutilities.com/

Also for the Hard drive download this it has 2 programs in it and they will amaze you.

Get PC check up and speed it up.

http://www.microsmartsllc.com/

[jamesmck]

Get PC check up and speed it up.
http://www.microsmartsllc.com/

Larry - Have you run their free scan?  Used their software?  I am always wary of stuff like this in the absence of a personal recommendation.  Thanks.  BTW, my Vista machine is slower than molasses.

James

[LarryD]

Get PC check up and speed it up.
http://www.microsmartsllc.com/

Larry - Have you run their free scan?  Used their software?  I am always wary of stuff like this in the absence of a personal recommendation.  Thanks.  BTW, my Vista machine is slower than molasses.

James

I have used them for 3 years now always upgraded and never had any problem