Microtek Artixscan 2500f disassembly for cleaning?

[al olson]

Yup, Ken, that looks like the instructions.

It does not have to be that detailed, though. Use Windows Explorer to check the files in the directory. The directory should be something like Microtek/ScanWizardPro/data.

Note the files that exist before you follow their procedure. After you have gone through the procedure, examine that directory again. In my case, all of the files are removed. But it pays to verify.

This simplifies the procedure to: (1) Use Windows Explorer to examine the Microtek/ScanWizardPro/data (or something similar) directory; (2) Delete all the files in the directory; (3) Exit Windows Explorer; (4) Start Photoshop or the scanning software.

I find this process much simpler to accomplish.

Good luck! I believe this will work for you.

[Gene McCluney]

Yup, Ken, that looks like the instructions.

It does not have to be that detailed, though. Use Windows Explorer to check the files in the directory. The directory should be something like Microtek/ScanWizardPro/data.

.

Good luck! I believe this will work for you.

I would like to mention, as I am the original poster. I use a Macintosh, so this information is really of no help to me. However I can go to the Microtek website and see if they have info for Macintosh using OS 10.3.9

[Ken Lee]

I would like to mention, as I am the original poster. I use a Macintosh, so this information is really of no help to me. However I can go to the Microtek website and see if they have info for Macintosh using OS 10.3.9

All is not lost. These files are merely in a different location on the Mac. The question is, what are the files (the ones we are supposed to delete) actually called ?

A quick search on the Mac (Spotlight makes this instantaneous) reveals the following folder under Library>Preferences>Microtek Preferences.

In that folder, there are a number of files. One is called User Settings. Another is called Microtek Scanner Prefs v1.1. plus number of files called Microtek Dialog PrefBB, Microtek Dialog Pref1BB, ScanWizardProf Preferences 00, BB, and 1BB.

There is another folder, under this one, called Extra Resources, which contains a file called User Settings

Al Olson: Which one of these match the ones you're supposed to delete from a Windows installation ?

[Gene McCluney]

So what if all this doesn't do the trick? My original question is...how do you get the darned thing open to clean the innards?

[Ken Lee]

Perhaps a physical cleaning should be the last option. There is a reason why these things are sealed. It's not a lawn mower or weed trimmer that we can just fiddle with.

Since there appears to be a genuine fix for the problem - and someone else has already found it to work - why not give it a try ?

I intend to , but Valentine's day is coming - I can't work on this any further for a day or so.

I have a Windows machine as well as a Mac, and perhaps I can find the files, if we don't hear from Al.

[al olson]

Hi Ken,

I have not looked for instructions on the Microtek support site for Macs, but certainly they must have instructions for the Mac. I would look there first, or talk to tech support.

Just guessing, for configuration control I would expect that the Mac files to have names similar to those under Windows.

My Microtek/ScanWizardPro/data directory contains the following file names:
NFull1F (no suffix)
Untitled1.1FB
Untitled1.1FNB
Untitled1.1FNW
So I would look at the Mac folders that Ken mentioned to see if there are files in there with similar names. Deleting these files gets rid of the striping. Dust would be another problem.

It is my hope, Gene, that this will work for you so you won't have to take the bloody thing apart. They seem to be sealed up pretty good, so I would expect that they were probably assembled in a clean room.

I can't even frame my photos without redoing them several times to get all the dust out. Think of how much dust you will get inside by assembling it yourself. Any dust motes that dwell inside the scanner seem to attract electrostatically up to the glass. It's a PITA.

[Gene McCluney]

It is my hope, Gene, that this will work for you so you won't have to take the bloody thing apart. They seem to be sealed up pretty good, so I would expect that they were probably assembled in a clean room.

I can't even frame my photos without redoing them several times to get all the dust out. Think of how much dust you will get inside by assembling it yourself. Any dust motes that dwell inside the scanner seem to attract electrostatically up to the glass. It's a PITA.

Oh, come on...sealed up??? There are ventilation holes all around the sides and back of the scanner, and there is a gaping hole where the film tray slides in. It is about as sealed up as a coffee filter.

[Henry Ambrose]

Unless this is very different from the Agfa 2500 unit it does come apart. Have you flipped it over to see if there are screw holes on the bottom? Or maybe its at the lid hinges? I know I took mine apart but I can't remember the details - its been along while.

You really should throw out the prefs and try the switch back and forth from reflective to transparent and even scan a reflective piece. Especially the switching back and forth -- I vividly remember mine going wacky and this fixing it. You have tried this?

Shoot a couple of snaps and post them -- maybe seeing your scanner will wake up my memory of how it comes apart.

[Gene McCluney]

Unless this is very different from the Agfa 2500 unit it does come apart. Have you flipped it over to see if there are screw holes on the bottom? Or maybe its at the lid hinges? I know I took mine apart but I can't remember the details - its been along while.

You really should throw out the prefs and try the switch back and forth from reflective to transparent and even scan a reflective piece. Especially the switching back and forth -- I vividly remember mine going wacky and this fixing it. You have tried this?

Shoot a couple of snaps and post them -- maybe seeing your scanner will wake up my memory of how it comes apart.

Yes, I believe the Artixscan 2500f is mechanically the same as the Agfa 2500, except the Artixscan has firewire as well as SCSI.

I have tried flipping back and forth between reflective to transparent many times. I only get the lines with scanning LF negs on the glass plate and it doesn't matter what mode I am scanning in, or what resolution i use.. I do not get lines with scanning 4x5 negs in the 4x5 carrier.

I have turned this thing over in every direction (huh?) and even took off the springy feet to look underneath for screws...nope. There are NO SCREWS visible anywhere on the top, bottom, or sides of the case. Here is an image from the Microtek website illustrating the whole scanner package.

[Ken Lee]

My Microtek/ScanWizardPro/data directory contains the following file names:
NFull1F (no suffix)
Untitled1.1FB
Untitled1.1FNB
Untitled1.1FNW
So I would look at the Mac folders that Ken mentioned to see if there are files in there with similar names. Deleting these files gets rid of the striping. Dust would be another problem.

Al, you're a real gentleman. Thanks for the info.

If removing some of the files will correct the problem, then why not just delete all the folders, and re-install the &*%$! software from scratch ?