Thread

Please offer advice for *yet more* Canon scanner/driver problems

· Troubleshooting · 9 posts · Sep 15, 2004 — Sep 17, 2004 View original thread ↗

#1 Wed, 15 Sep 2004 - 10:05

Hi

Once again, I'm wrestling with a Canon Lide 30 Scanner.

I had loads of problems getting my own up and running a couple of years ago. Eventually, it worked.

Then I had to go through the same thing at work with our Powerbook.

Now, having done a fresh install of Panther (the Powerbook was playing up), it looks like I've got to do it all again. I've installed the Scangear driver three times (full uninstall each time) and PS Elements still isn't seeing it. I can see the files in all the right places - the 'import' folder in PS's 'plug-ins folder' - but it just isn't working.

Please can someone offer advice? To be honest, I can't remeber what I've done in the past to finally sort it out, but I'm just sick and tired of having to cope with Canon's driver issues.

What is the bare-minimum installation? Can I simply drag a file to PS's plug-in folder? I don't want to have to use Canon's own app - we need to import from PS Elements. I know it works, because we've sussed it before - it's just so hit-and-miss.

I have a youth centre full of kids tearing the place up because we can't do any work. Save me!!

Many thanks
12" 1Ghz Powerbook, 10.3.5, 768MB RAM, latest Canon drivers

#2 Wed, 15 Sep 2004 - 12:18

Can't you just use some 3rd party scan software?

#3 Wed, 15 Sep 2004 - 12:24

I have one of these scanners and my Dad has the LiDE 20 I believe, and neither of us have had any problems with the drivers. It makes me wonder whether you are doing something wrong, or if there is something on your systems that is messing things up. I use Photoshop for my scanning and my Dad uses the included scanning software.

#4 Wed, 15 Sep 2004 - 18:48

I'm afraid there have been a number of problems reported here before. Here are a couple of links:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread....ghlight=lide+30

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread....ghlight=lide+30

The thing is, scanning from PSE worked fine before I reinstalled everything. So I know it CAN work. I just can't identify the reason for the whole process being so hit-and-miss. I've repaired permissions; done multiple uninstallations/reinstallations...

It really is one of those computer-based processes that seems to have a personality, complete with mood swings.

I really do agree with the last post in the second link above - if the scanner wasn't small, USB powered and capable of great scans, I'd have chucked the thing away by now. How can something be so unpredictable?

#5 Thu, 16 Sep 2004 - 00:47

Quote:

Originally posted by drissa:
I'm afraid there have been a number of problems reported here before. Here are a couple of links:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread....ghlight=lide+30

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread....ghlight=lide+30

Actually those are the same link. I'm not sure what to tell you. I'm just saying that my father and I have never had any problems and I also have a friend who uses the same scanner without problems as well. That doesn't make your problem any less real, but it does tell you that the software can, in fact, work without a hitch in many cases.

#6 Thu, 16 Sep 2004 - 08:18

Apologies for the double link. I was born without a face or brain, which can make these things difficult sometimes.

I can also confirm (to myself...) that the scanner CAN work well - I have one working fine at home. However, it has to be accepted that there have been quite a few problems with the drivers for this product.

I'll continue the battle. Thanks for the replies.

#7 Thu, 16 Sep 2004 - 18:07

I thought Canon's scanners had some of the best OSX drivers available? Everyone disses HP, but is Canon any better when it comes to their scanners and drivers?

Just curious...

Noah

#8 Thu, 16 Sep 2004 - 21:32

are you installing the most recent driver from Canon, or from CD? just in the last week my LiDE 80 quit working - any app that tried to scan would crash - but downloading a slightly newer driver from Canon fixed the problem.

As far as bare minimum install, I haven't used PSE, but for Graphic Converter, just need the single ScanGear file in the plug-ins folder

#9 Fri, 17 Sep 2004 - 01:47

Quote:

Originally posted by im_noahselby:
I thought Canon's scanners had some of the best OSX drivers available? Everyone disses HP, but is Canon any better when it comes to their scanners and drivers?

Just curious...

Noah

Canon certainly has the best OS X printer drivers available - no doubt. Scanner drives for all scanners I have used seems to be fairly basic, still.