Nikon Coolscan 8000 purchase

<p>Hello,<br>

I am going to check out of a Nikon Coolscan 8000 that is for sale locally.<br>

The owner is selling it "as is" since he is not able to get his computer to recognize it.<br>

He is asking in the $300 ball park which seems like a steal to me. <br>

I am going to check out the scanner tomorrow, but I was hoping to get the opinions of 8000 owners here on how common this computer recognition issue is.<br>

I know I am taking a risk, but is the problem fixable? <br>

Also, are there any checks I can perform without a computer to see if the scanner is at least functional?<br>

How much of a risk is this?<br>

Thanks a lot!</p>

<p>One possibility is that the seller can't get his computer to recognise the scanner because the original Nikon driver is 32-bit only and the seller may now use a 64-bit operating system. If that's the case, there is help out there to DIY a 64-bit driver:<br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00Ryck">

Unoffical Vista X64 driver of LS-8000ED/9000ED for Nikon Scan 4.03</a><br>

<a href="http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00ZXCz">

Updated: Unoffical Vista X64 driver of LS-8000ED/9000ED for Nikon Scan 4.03</a></p>

 

<p>Or maybe the scanner's mechanics/electronics are actually faulty, in which case $300 might not be such a steal after all. I guess you'll be able to determine more when you see the scanner and speak to the seller on site.<p>

<p>Try vuescan; no Nikon driver required. If you've got a laptop with firewire, you might be able to test the scanner at the seller's house. </p>

Yeah... I realized that I still have first laptop...an ancient dell Inspiron which has a FireWire port. And it's still running 32

bit windows xp.

 

I installed vuescsn om it....let's see.

<p>If I was going to check a second-hand Nikon scanner I would have performed a throughout installation of the Nikon driver and scanner software, preferably from the Nikon site, on my laptop. I am speaking from experience of having bought another brand quality scanner (Konica Minolta). For some reason the third parties software didn't work - the Vuescan malfunctioned and couldn't control the scanner while the SilverFast crashed my PC straightaway every time I tried to run it; however, a fresh installation of the KM software from their now retired web site worked like a charm. </p>

<p>Hopefully your risk will pay off. It isn't only having the machine up and running, it is also what happens when the hardware fails. Do you have anyone to fix it? Good luck.</p>

<p>The CoolScan 8000 is a Firewire 400 machine. It is very fussy about which host card is used. Avoid using a virtual XP environment if you can, because control of I/O devices is not fully supported, and you won't have your best software (e.g., Photoshop) for printing. Vuescan and Silverfast will drive the printer from Windows 7/64, but only if you have a compatible card. I resurrected my 8000 for use with an Win7 laptop.</p>

<p>Use Windows' "Legacy" drivers for Firewire cards. The current drivers are optimized for peer-to-peer communication, not I/O control. The card should have a Texas Instruments controller chip.</p>

<p>My LS-8000 worked perfectly when my Dell desktop had a Firewire connector and I was running XP and the NikonScan 4.3 software. When I got a new desktop which was running Win 7 and put a Firewire card in it was a no go. I finally went on Fleabay and got an IBM laptop with a Firewire connector and running XP. It has now become an integral part of the scanner itself</p>

<blockquote>

<p>He is asking in the $300 ball park which seems like a steal to me.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Assuming it works, that is indeed a steal. But hopefully it's not literally stolen goods :)</p>

<p>I have possession of the scanner...and now comes the tricky part. Testing it out!! <br>

The good thing was it does power on properly (blinking lights in the beginning followed by solid green). The owner also demonstrated that it accepts the holder and I saw it beautifully slide in and out. <br>

So fingers crossed.<br>

I just purchased a new FireWire PCI card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124107<br>

Only thing missing is a 6 pin FireWire cable, which I am going to pick up at Radioshack today. <br>

Ed: I am going to use it on my Windows 8 Desktop after the install the PCI card. <br>

Thanks all!<br>

Avi</p>

<p>Experiment # 1 was a failure. <br /> Windows 8+Vuescan+6 pin FireWire Cable: Nikon Coolscan not recognized. <br /> I am not giving up though. I am going to go vintage and try this using a 6 pin-4 pin cable on my Windows XP laptop that has an ancient FireWire card. <br /> Are there Beep/Flash codes available for the Coolscan? Currently what I am seeing is when I turn the scanner on (after connecting it to the comp), it flashes continuously for a minute or so and then its solid green.<br>

Nikon Scan is a no go as it refuses to install on Win 8. <br>

<br /> Thanks.<br /> Avi</p>

<p>If all this fails try a Mac. I always have the impression the Nikon scanners work best with a Mac. I have an old G4 Power PC, and old MacBook and now a new MacBook Pro. The Nikon 9000 ED works like a charm with all these computers. The newer ones need Vuescan. For the MacBook Pro (OSX 10.10) I need two adaptor cables: one from Thunderbolt -> Fireware 800 and a second one from Firewire 800 -> Firewire 400. No problems whatsoever.</p>

<p>Good luck,<br>

Ferdi.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"it flashes continuously for a minute or so and then its solid green."</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>That is normal and means it is powered up and O.K.</p>

<p>Status LED on Nikon 9000 ED (I guess it is similar on 8000):<br>

ON - No operation in progress. Film holders can be inserted or removed.<br>

BLINKS (about 1.5 x /s) Scanner busy. Do not turn scanner off or insert or remove film holders.<br>

FLICKERS (about 5 x /s) Hardware or communications error. Turn scanner off, wait for at least 5 s, and turn scanner on again.</p>

<p>Ferdi,<br>

Thanks so much for the input. I am going to observe the Status LEDs more carefully today, but I think I can rule out FLICKERS (5x/s)....which I guess is a good thing. <br>

As I mentioned earlier, I can see the BLINKS and then a SOLID green..<br>

I am encouraged by this. <br>

Time to try FireWire 400 with Windows XP+either Vuescan or Nikon Scan (I have both installed). <br>

Fingers crossed.<br>

Avi</p>

<p>Experiment # 2: Coolscan+6 pin-4 pin firewire cable+Windows XP 32 Bit=FAILURE. <br>

Same issue...lights come on fine, blinks and turns solid, but the computer refuses to recognize it. <br>

One last shot: I am going to try running a virtual machine with Windows XP through my Windows 8 desktop...if that does not work, then I am out of ideas.<br>

What a disappointment. </p>

<p>There's no reason to be out of ideas (money perhaps...). The solution is to buy a used Mac, which you may wish to dedicate to the scanning anyway since the file sizes are huge.<br>

I run an 8000 with an iMac that is about 7 years old and it runs fine. I gave up Nikon software long ago due to constant crashing and use Vuescan. I generally restart after plugging in the scanner or it may not be recognized. <br>

I haven't priced 8000s recently, but since you've saved many hundreds of $$s in the first place, I would try to get a hold of a used Mac and see if it works. If it does, you'll still be ahead.</p>

<p>You many have answered this, but didn't the sell demonstrate the scanner so you could see it was functioning?</p>

Hi Scott,

 

Thanks...that maybe worth a shot.

 

The seller sold the scanner as is and told me upfront that he could not get his computer to recognize the scanner. But he

did demonstrate that the scanner does indeed accept the holder and it slides in and out as it is supposed to.

 

I have tried both nikon scan and vuescan on win xp 32 bit. Neither works...maybe I will try your idea of restarting the

laptop after connecting the scanner...that maybe worth a shot,

 

Avi

<p>Avi,<br>

<br />Is the Coolscan showing up as an "unidentified device" on the IEEE1394 bus in "Devices and Printers"? If that's the case you could be halfway there - next step is to provide the correct driver. I had (and solved) a very similar issue when trying to tether my old Firewire digital back to Windows.</p>

<p>Hi Ray,<br>

That was actually going to be my next question. What is supposed to happen when you connect the Coolscan? <br>

In the IEEE1394 bus I don't see anything except an identification of the firewire PCI card itself. <br>

Basically, NOTHING happens when I connect the scanner and power it on. <br>

I did try testing my firewire card on my laptop with an old camcorder that has a 4 pin firewire port and as soon as I connect it and power it on, I get a windows menu option that pops up. <br>

I am going to try it on a mac. <br>

Thanks.<br>

Avi</p>

<p>You need a 6 pin -> 6 pin FireWire cable. I used my LS 9000 with my Win XP laptop, a PCMCIA FireWire card with a 6 pin -> 6 pin cable plus VueScan and never had any problems.<br>

When I tried to connect it to another PC with XP Pro and 6 pin -> 4 pin, the scanner was not detected.<br>

When switching to a Mac I just connected the 6 pin -> 6 pin to my external FireWire HD and it worked flawlessly.</p>

<p>Hi Jens,<br>

Yes...I am trying all permutations. I have a 6 pin to 6pin, but the issue is Laptop is Firewire 400. My desktop has a 6 pin card, but it runs Windows 8.<br>

So, I am truing to get Virtual Windows XP going on my desktop to test out the 6 pin-6 pin connection.<br>

Avi</p>

<p>FireWire 400 is the 6 pin -> 6 pin with the rounded edge. FireWire 800 is a rectangular plug with a notch.</p>

<blockquote>

 

<p>FireWire 400 is the 6 pin -> 6 pin with the rounded edge. FireWire 800 is a rectangular plug with a notch.</p>

 

</blockquote>

 

<p>Firewire 400 had another connector type as well - smaller and 4 pins - which routes data over the bus, but not power. </p>

 

<p>I have the 9000, but it too is a FW connect and the Nikon Scan software doesn't work on newer Mac OSX. Solution for me was I bought a G5 powermac running Tiger and Nikon Scan runs great. I've used Vue Scan, but I don't like it nearly as well as Nikon scan.</p>