Scott Hompland

I think I finally figured it out after extensive investigations why my Coolscan 4000 is not functioning. My previous post had to do with not having the necessary FireWire port on my Dell computer. I inserted a new firewire port to my computer twice and still non-functional. It turns out according ro the investigation that a common problem is failure of the firewire chip within the scanner itself. Now I am looking for some place that can remove the old and replace a new chip on the motherboard of my scanner. Nikon evidently does not perform this repair. Do any of the UHH folks know who can do this kind of work on the motherboard of my scanner.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Is the FireWire interface device soldered in or socketed? Btw, before i’d assume a bad FireWire HW interface on the scanner (assuming you have already swapped the cable), I would think it’s much more likely a driver or ASPI issue. Remember that you need both a functioning FireWire driver AND the specific scanner driver (which may also require an ASPI) that is compatible with your OS to function. I still keep an old XP machine to run a Polaroid Coolscan scanner with a SCSI interface. Even though I can get a Win7/Win 10 driver for my SCSI interface bd and a SW package to work with the scanner, I cannot locate an appropriate ASPI for Windows 10.

Scott Hompland

According to what I can research the IC chip is soldered. We have ordered a new cable and will try it first before delving into the complex world of replacement of chips on the motherboard. We have spent 2 weeks downloading every possible driver that I read about. It is interesting, when you turn on the scanner when not connected to Windows computer the self testing proceeds normally but when I connect to the computer, the computer does not recognize the device. I have disconnected all other multifunctional devices with scanners but still the Nikon 4000 is not recognized. This exact problem was outlined in some of the research. I am in contact with a Facebook group that is specific for users of Nikon 4000 Coolscan ED as unbelievably specific as that seems. I would love to know a definitive way to isolate the problem to the chip or not. Thanks for your input. I am always open to ideas. I suppose if I could find an XP machine I could try to connect and see if that clarifies the issue.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

What driver are you using for the Coolscan? Is it Windows 10 compatible? Same question for the FireWire interface board? Check control panel for each to see what driver is loaded and if it shows that the device is functioning (no “x” beside it) and then if it is enabled. Then Google the driver to see if it is compatible with the version of Windows you are running. If not, then try to run in compatibility mode in Windows.

Edit: have you read these?

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/60767651

https://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/nikon_coolscan_4000_ed.htmle

Scott Hompland

All good suggestions. We have downloaded Vuescan among others without luck. The FireWire card you mention in your download is the second card that I put in to add a FireWire to the computer and again no luck. When we hook up the scanner to the computer the device manager does not recognize it at all not even as unknown device. Hopefully it is a cable problem and when the new cable comes maybe that will be the answer. If not then I have to conclude that most likely it is as so many others have experienced a bad FireWire chip preventing recognizition of the scanner. I know of some companies that have the ability to change out the problem chips but don't know if it is worth it financially. Do you like your cannon scanner?

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

It’s actually a Polaroid Scanner, and it is excellent, but SLOW - a couple of minutes per slide. I tried everything to get it to run under Widows, but now it is hooked to an old XP machine with an Adaptec SCSI card. When I use it, I scan to its internal hard drive and then move the image over my network to a Win 10 machine. Frankly, more and more, I just use my Epson V600. Btw, somewhere I have a PCMCIA FireWire card for a laptop that has a PCMCIA slot that I can send you if you have an older XP laptop to use it with.

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

I have heard that retrofitting a new computer with a Firewire port is often a problem, and I'm not sure how well Win 10 handles Firewire. I have kept my old Dell workstation with integrated Firewire running Win 7 offline to use my 4000. I suggest making sure your present Firewire port will actually run another Firewire device you know works before attempting to repair something that may not be broken. And I'm pretty sure that repairing that old technology, if even feasible (which I doubt) will cost more than buying a new Plustek film scanner with better specs than the 4000.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Have you used the 4000ED successfully previously, maybe on an older computer or on this one while it was running an earlier version of Windows?

If it's worked in the past, what have you changed? What version of Windows are you using now?

You don't need to go all the way back to a Windows XP system to find compatibility. I originally used my 4000ED with Win 2000 Pro, then with XP Pro, but moved on from those years ago. (I skipped Win ME, avoided Win 8 like the plague and have been putting off a Win 10 "upgrade".)

Same as kymarto, I've used Nikon 4000ED via a PC that's still running Win 7. The computer already had Firewire connectivity. The old Nikon software won't work (I used that with Win 2000 and, I think, Win XP). With Win 7 modern Vuescan software worked fine with the 4000ED for my most recent purposes. If I were planning to do some max resolution scans with the 4000ED, I'd probably upgrade to Silverfast AI software... but that's rather pricey.

Scott Hompland

Answers: the last time that I successfully used the Nikon 4000 scanner was 15 years ago with a Windows 7 IS. The scanner ran great but life happened and I began accumulating slides but never tried to scan them in. Suddenly I get the bug to scan all the slides in and discover that the new computer does not have FireWire port. I fix that problem (twice) by inserting a FireWire cards and these are recognized by my computer now updated to Windows 10. After multiple drivers tried, multiple FireWire cards my computer will not recognize when I connect the scanner suggesting to me that my computer is not recognizing the scanner in the device manager. Others report this is either a bad cable or FireWire chip on the motherboard (evidently a common problem) with Nikon 4000 scanners. The cable will be replaced this week. I am afraid it is the card (pessimistic view). If this is the case the chip which runs the firewire is replaceable but probably $$$$ and beyond my skill set. I am starting to look at other options. Thanks for all the suggestions and I am not yet ready to admit defeat.Thanks

jldodge

I have had my Coolscan 9000 repaired twice by gleb@shtengel.com. He does not charge for advice and uses Paypal for any payments. Email him ... I was pleasantly surprised and very thankful as I was in the middle of a massive scanning project.

Nigel7 Loc: Worcestershire. UK.

Scott Hompland

Scott Hompland

Thanks to all regarding the recommendation to send the nikon 4000 scanner to Gleb. He replaced the chips on the motherboard in just a few hours. I highly recommend this guy with the PhD in physics for complicated hardware repairs.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Thanks for reporting back. I assume it works now?

Scott Hompland

Absolutely. Gleb was great to talk with before during and after the repair. Best of all, you don't pay until you get the scanner back and make sure that it works. Thanks again