Digital ICE Error Using Epson 4990 Scanner

[Bill Stice]

I am using an Epson 4990 scanner to scan 4 X 5 negatives and transparencies. I am using Silverfast AI software as the capture software. When using Digital ICE I get the following error "An error occurred at the start of the scanning process. Digital Ice needs a minimum image size of 128 X 128 pixels." I am scanning at 2400 ppi and 100% image size. If I turn off Digital Ice the scanner scans just fine except obviously the dust is in the image. If I crop a 2 X2 inch crop of the prescan and scan that crop with Digital Ice on I don't get the error. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

[Brian Vuillemenot]

I recently got a 4990, and the digital ice is working for me so far (using just the Epson scan as the capture software) at 300, 600, and 2400 dpi. However, when I do the preview scans I can't scan in the thumbnail mode. If I do so, I get a message that my computer doesn't have enough memory, even though that clearly is not the case. I have to scan in the regular mode. I spent about an hour on the phone with the Epson people trouble shooting, but we couldn't figure anything out, other than not to use the thumbnail mode. Take home message- perhaps there are still some bugs with Epson scanners and software. Anyone else having any issues like these?

[Lars Åke Vinberg]

Probably memory overflow in Silverfast - call Lasersoft support or try one of the scanner forums.

[Kirk Gittings]

Bill,

Make sure the SF is writing temporary files to a scratch disk with enough room and use SF in the stand alone mode from the desktop instead of as a PS plugin. That way it is not restricted by PS file size restrictions.

[David Roossien]

I've never heard of anyone getting ICE to work with 4x5 or larger. I tried it, then searched and read that it can't be done. Can anyone confirm that it IS possible? It would save a lot of time.

[Bill Stice]

Thanks to all of your for your answers and especially to Kirk. Kirk you were right on. As soon as I launched Silverfast stand alone it worked just fine. I scanned a 4 X 5 transparency at 2400 pixels per inch with no problem. Thanks again!

[Kirk Gittings]

It took me weeks of frustration to figure that out. Glad I could help.

[Dmitri Nesteruk]

Hmm, I'm using it standalone and still get this error.

[Kirk Gittings]

Make sure you are doing both of these things> the SF is writing temporary files to a scratch disk with enough room and use SF in the stand alone mode from the desktop instead of as a PS plugin. That way it is not restricted by PS file size restrictions. If you leave PS active make sure thatit is not hoging all the RAM by setting Ram allocation in PS to no more than 60%.

There are also new versions this month of both Epsonscan and SF availble. Update both because SF utilizes ES's twain connection even in the stand alone mode.

This next thing does not help the above mentioned problem, but it solves other problems........ But last but not least......every once in awhile when SF is acting screwy you have to go in and delete your SF
preferences to do a global reset of the program (it is the only way in SF to do a global reset). That is:

C drive>documents and settings>your identity>application data>lasersoft imaging>silverfast>then delete the whole PREFERENCES folder. Then reboot your computer. It seems like I have to do this every few months.

[mark cheadle]

Has anyone resolved the 4x5 size limit issue? trying to scan 8x10 @ 1200, fails every time.