Does anyone Hate SilverFast as much as I do?

<p>I have hated SilverFast and LaserSoft forever. I am on my third scanner using this stuff and when it works it works well but when it does not it can make me crazy.<br>

I got an automated 'upgrade' notice when I tried to scan this AM. So I downloaded and installed the upgrade, right? Wrong. I tried to. This was a simple upgrade from 6.6.1 to 6.6.2r2. Should have been a breeze. It was not a breeze. It made my scanner (Epson V750) incapable of doing a scan (Twain, Photoshop CS3). It does about 5% of the scan and stope.<br>

I tried uninstalling and installing from scratch. No good. The "Uninstall" routine does not really uninstall it. The TWAIN component, when reinstalled, has all the same problems and the photoshop plug in component does not accept my serial number.<br>

To add insult to injury, the support number was answered by a live human being who spoke only German, no English.<br>

I really, really hate these guys. I paid for the SilverFast Ai 6.6 and I just cannot get it to work. Again. I am beside myself.<br>

Who wants to suggest a better or merely different software for me to use with my V750?</p>

 

<p>VueScan.</p>

<p>(Perhaps I should say "Vuescan?" because, although I use Vuescan with my scanners, including an Epson, I haven't used the V750.)</p>

<p>Vuescan.</p>

<p>However if you were having an issue with Vuescan and asking for advice I'd tell you to install the old version from your old install file. If you have that for Silverfast you may try that.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>First, have you tried contacting Silverfast support? I seem to recall having a similar problem a couple of years ago, either after an update or re-install. Silverfast provided the solution, and no there have been problems since. (And, no, I don't remember what the solution was.)</p>

<p>Also, what OS are you using? If Windows, rather than use the Silverfast uninstall routine, delete the program in Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs (in XP), or Programs and Features (in Vista). Then, do a search of your hard drive for files related to the software and delete those. That should give you a complete uninstall.</p>

<p>D.O.: Vuescan.</p>

<p>Get the "Pro" license, which allows you to use all features, and is free upgradeable for, well, infinity or until Ed Hamrick packs it in, whichever comes first.</p>

<p>When installing, download the excutable, to a folder with the version name. Repeat this exercise with each upgrade. The executable name never changes, so a folder structure is needed. Resist the urge to simply rename the file, I've found in the past this corrupts it somehow.</p>

<p>If you install a new version, and then discover a bug has been introduced (it happens occasionally, but the author is very approachable/receptive, albeit very busy), you can revert to any one of your saved versions.</p>

<p>Vuescan does nothing to your system files or registry, it installs like an old-fashioned DOS program, in a single directory at c:\. Instally any version is the same process, and it overwrites whatever was previously used. The only caveat when juggling version:</p>

<p>It is possible to save ini files with your customizations. While it generally works ok using an ini from an earlier version, it may sometimes backfire, if new features have been introduced, and the older ini can't really cope with them. Bottom line, it's a good idea to periodically set everthing to defaults, and then restore your preferred settings manually.</p>

<p>I'd strongly recommend you look into Vuescan's raw file concept:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/html/vuesc14.htm#topic11">http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/html/vuesc14.htm#topic11</a></p>

<p>Been using Silverfast for years. Never had a problem on any scanner. Now using an Epson V700 and Minolta Scan Dual IV for most of my work without any issue.</p>

<p>Vuescan, the professional version is really so much better than anything out there.</p>

<p>I was never able to correctly scan a negative film with Vuescan. I tried almost all the tricks and tutorial published here and all over the Internet. Never reached a good and realistic color balance with it. <br>

With SilverFast and his Negafix everything is easy and straightforward. And never had problems with it and my Epson V750 Pro.<br>

That's my opinion.<br>

- Marco</p>

<p>FWIW, while Vuescan gives me easy to color balance results scanning color negative film with the Coolscan V, with the Scan Elite 5400 it was very difficult to get neutral results.</p>

<p>I like Silverfast (SF) and run it on two scanners, an Epson V750 and Nikon 5000ED with OS-X 10.5.8 and CS4. The upgrade to 6.6.2r2 hasn't been a problem for me. I suspect it's not SF but your operating system and/or drivers. And the suggestion to contact them is excellent. They're often slow in responding but they have always solved my problems.</p>

<p>I use Vuescan.</p>

<p>If you are even thinking of using Silverfast, read this thread: <a href="../digital-darkroom-forum/00TQDf">http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00TQDf</a></p>

<p>Note the date and that I have still not gotten my problem fixed, even after paying for two complete copies of Ai (not small change). I actually tried to get my money back, but they did every dance they could not to. That company is *not* on my recommended list.</p>

<p>I know nothing of Silverfast but your problem sounds very similar to one I had with Photoshop. I did something (not quite sure what ) and it got corrupted. I uninstalled it in the usual way (Windows XP) but could not get it to re-install. Eventually I contacted a software forum and was told that I had to modify the registry to completely clear the Photoshop files. I downloaded a small program from Photoshop that was designed to do just this. Once the registry was clear then the installation program worked fine.</p>

<p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=440043">Peter Lerman</a>: since you dislike the silverfast software and I am getting a 4890 epson scanner with that software missing , I pay for the postage to send me that Disk:</p>

<p>Silver Fast came with my Epson V750 scanner and with a printed manual wich is rare these days, but I never got used to it. That's because the Epson scan was much more intuitive and fitted my needs(ocasional scanning). I tried some of the fancy features of Silver-fast, but my computer would crash. This was 6 years ago. I hope things have gotten better by now.</p>

<p>Peter, I am brand new to it but already willing to join the club - bought a scanner to digitize my negatives (nothing special - family stuff) and upgraded to AI8. Wow - even less user friendly than 6 - tried to download the manual - from like 3 places and computers - freezes. Habve been waiting for SF to come back to me on my already 1 week old service request. The SRD preview and commands - totally confusing and the default useless - it wipes out the whole picture. The website a total disaster - the videos only cover v6 and explain the obvious. Clearly I am annoyed but paying several hundred bucks for this (excluding the Plustek scanner) I feel I should get a bit more fo rmy money.<br>

BTW, does anyone have a complete manual for SF AI Studio v.8?<br>

Obviously they (SF) have a problem with the pdf on their site (not their line of business I understand - they are into imaging, not simple things like pdf ing a document.</p>

<p>Count me in...</p>