The Minolta 5400 II is dead

[gbealnz]

Well, it won't calibrate and connect to Vuescan anyway, and right now I am stumped. It has become a decent sized paper-weight unfortunately.

I've had it a while and had good success with it, except it suffered a couple of "white lines" horizontally across the scanned frame(s). Evidently dust on the sensor or similar, and a simple "blow it out fix". I eventually worked out how to remove the plastic lid and gave it a careful blow out with a puffer lens-cleaning style blower.

Not much change, but I felt better. It nagged at me though and I thought I'd have another go. This time when I replaced the lid and fired it up, it started to do what I assume is the calibration routine but never got finished. I tried a number of times, but still no go, and I suspect I might have pinched slightly a connector or wires running from the connector near the front section, they are close to a locating foot that helps keep it all together.

Bottom line is it won't go and I am back to digital, until I work out what to do with this one. What a way to spend New Years Day!!!
Could be worse of course.

What to do? Any experts out there?
Gary

 

[bmattock]

Sorry to hear it. Hope your 2016 is better!

 

[gbealnz]

Thank you BM, and if that's as bad as I get, then it's not all that bad huh?
I am looking to sell it as-is locally, so will see what happens from there.
If someone has an idea in the meantime, I will try to rectify the problem.
Gary

 

[zuikologist]

Happy new year !

Is there an internal fuse that has blown or a ribbon connector/microswitch somewhere on the plastic lid that is not seated properly and stops the start up ?

 

[gbealnz]

Zuiko,
Happy New Year as well, thank you.
No, nothing like that I am afraid.
It powers up, and seems to start the "sequence" but never completes it.
First time round, no issues. This time though, well you know what it is and isn't doing.
Appreciate the help though.
Gary

 

[Merlijn53]

There is a firm in Germany that services these scanners. Forgot the name, but someone here or google will know.
Frank

 

[_goodtimez]

Sad to hear that a piece of equipment you counted on has given up.
I think this is called programmed obsolescence.

 

[gbealnz]

GoodTimes,
Nope, not planned I feel, more just a wire off or crimped through my own silliness. Hopefully I can get it fixed, or sell it to someone here who can fix it and use it.
A nice scanner too.
Gary

 

[Ronald M]

Thats ok. My MK software no longer works. Vuescan is garbage. Silverfast is way to expensive to risk on an old scanner.

 

[bmattock]

Vuescan is garbage.

Interesting comment. I've been a fan for over a decade, and I'm far from alone in liking it. Certainly everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but you seem to be making a statement of objective fact. Care to back that up?

 

[yossi]

Well, it won't calibrate and connect to Vuescan anyway, and right now I am stumped. It has become a decent sized paper-weight unfortunately.

I've had it a while and had good success with it, except it suffered a couple of "white lines" horizontally across the scanned frame(s). Evidently dust on the sensor or similar, and a simple "blow it out fix". I eventually worked out how to remove the plastic lid and gave it a careful blow out with a puffer lens-cleaning style blower.

Not much change, but I felt better. It nagged at me though and I thought I'd have another go. This time when I replaced the lid and fired it up, it started to do what I assume is the calibration routine but never got finished. I tried a number of times, but still no go, and I suspect I might have pinched slightly a connector or wires running from the connector near the front section, they are close to a locating foot that helps keep it all together.

Bottom line is it won't go and I am back to digital, until I work out what to do with this one. What a way to spend New Years Day!!!
Could be worse of course.

What to do? Any experts out there?
Gary

Me no expert but just another Minolta 5400 (not 5400 II) user.

Maybe one more thing you could try before you dispose the scanner off:

1. Uninstall vuescan completely.
2. Install original KM Dimage scanning software (still available at KM product support site. Click this link and check Agreed to download) and yes, it does install in Windows 10 the last time I check.
3. Reinstall vuescan (trial version would also do) but don't fire up (invoke is the term?) the application.
4. Turn on the scanner and invoke KM scanning software and it should perform self-test on startup.

If self-test successful, celebrate. Else, confirmed to be hardware issue.

 

[gbealnz]

Thank you Yossi.
I just tried the link you sent, but it will not work. I am using a Mac but if I was able to download it, then I could put the KM software onto my old Win7 PC, just to try it.
Could you try the link again please, PM me if you want.
Regards
Gary

 

[yossi]

Thank you Yossi.
I just tried the link you sent, but it will not work. I am using a Mac but if I was able to download it, then I could put the KM software onto my old Win7 PC, just to try it.
Could you try the link again please, PM me if you want.
Regards
Gary

Sorry for the broken link.

Basically I download it from KM scanner support site. Below is the main page and from which you just click on "scanner driver" and then choose the OS & language before you download:

http://www.konicaminoltasupport.com/Software.3312.0.html

Hope it works this time.

Best,
yossi