Is my epson 4870 dead??

[paulr]

Out of the blue, it won't start up properly.

It comes on, the green light starts blinking, the blue light comes on for a second, and then silence and blinking. the computer won't recogize it.

If I start the scanner without the firewire cable plugged in, the scanner starts up normally ... more mechanical noises, etc., and it comes to rest with the green light on continuously.

But if I connect the cable at that point the computer won't recognize it.

Same thing with a different firewire cable and a different port. Other firewire devices are working.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Paul

[Amund BLix Aaeng]

I had the same problem in august. I reinstalled the driver and it has been fine since.

[Ted Harris]

I always look for the simplest, cheapet solutions first. It could be that the Firewire connection is dead on the scanner. That happened to me about 6 months ago on my 4800 printer. Try using the USB connection (do I recall correctly that the 4870 has both) and see if that works.

[paulr]

ugh. still dead. reinstalled the driver and tried usb.

[Ted Harris]

Can't think of anything else simple, well one more. You might try downloading the software from Epson's website and installing from the download jus tto insure that there was no corruption in what you had ... unlikely but worth a try. Barring that you can try Epson tech support but my understanding is that wht you get in the consumer division (which handles scanners and all but the wide format printers) is not very useful. I'd still do that before spending $$ on a new scanner.

[Ralph Barker]

Are you sure the software is looking for the device on the correct port, Paul? Not sure if you're on a PC or a Mac, so the procedures would be different.

[Joseph O'Neil]

Do you have automatic Windows update on? I had a similar problem a few months ago with a totally different printer/scanner combo. Had to uninstall the darned thing, and re-install from fresh, rebooting the machine in between.

Still dunno what happened - all I coudl trace it too was somethign int eh Win XP auto update FUBARED me good. also, do you have any anti-virus software or firewall software with auto updates going? You get some security update that blocks some vulnerable port, and lo and behold, that's the same obscure port the driver for you printer/scanner uses.

joe

[paulr]

Sorry ... forgot to mention it's a mac, OSX 10.4.3.

I downloaded the driver from the epson site and reinstalled (i don't even think it has to be installed in the first place ... the os just recognizes the thing). no help.

i'm afraid it might be the scanner. it's about time, since the warranty recently expired. It could be an excuse to get one of the new epsons, but the reviews haven't been all that exciting. :(

[Keith S. Walklet]

Mine wigged out just about a year after I bought it. After following all the steps outlined here, I had Epson on the phone thinking it might be a warranty issue. But after much fussing, I traced it to the cord connecting the lid to the base having coming slightly unplugged. Made sure that connection was secure and it was back to normal. I had a cat at that point and suspect he may have stepped on the connection.

[jnantz]

paul -

did you try unplugging the scanner from the wall- let it sit unplugged for 10-20 mins, then plug it back in. when you plug, go to your "about this mac" screen and see if your scanner is recognized by your computer as being plugged in.

[Jim Ewins]

paulr, I've been advised by Epson to completely uninstall my 4990 scanner and reinstall. I'm so backed up in the darkroom I havn't been able to get to it. It sure is PITA.

[Ted Harris]

Paul, as I noted in another thread, if you are interested in a new scanner and the 1800f appeals to you now would be the time to buy. Much to Microtek's chagrin they are going to have to discontinue the scanner very shortly. There is a bout a two month supply of scanners in the US now and when that is gone that will be it. The CCD array in the 1800f is unique to that machine and Microtek's supplier has stopped manufacturing the chip .... after months of searching they have been unable to source the array anywhere else. It is not a perfect scanner by any means but, IMO it is head and shoulders above any of the other under $1000 choices. No opinion yet on the Epson V750 but I will be surprised if it outperforms the 1800f.

[Ted Harris]

One more stupid thought. Have you run disk utilities to repair permissions?

[Keith S. Walklet]

One more thought...just in case...make sure there is nothing blocking the calibration section of the scanner. When the machine fires up, it runs through a series of calibration steps in the first inch or so of the scanner bed. If that area is covered up, it won't be able to self-calibrate and balk at operating.

[Ted Harris]

Keith ... had forgotten about that and it is also a possibility. Paul that is the skinny strip either at the top or the bottom of the scanning glass

[Neil Miller]

Paul - mine has done the same thing three times in the past year. On the first two occasions turning the scanner off, unplugging the firewire cable, turning the scanner back on and re-inserting the cable sorted it out. The third time this didn't work. I had been scanning negs and reverted back to reflective, but the green light wouldn't stop blinking and the cable trick wouldn't work. I had been scanning film flat on the glass with no holder, so just out of desperation I switched back to neg mode - no joy - then put in a neg holder: it suddenly started working again. I don't know why - perhaps the head needed something like the white patches on the holder to realign itself?

Regards,
Neil.