[filmscanners] Problems with Minolta Scan Dual II

["Preston Earle" <PEarle@triad.rr.com>]

I have been using a Minolta Scan Dual II for several years. Some time
ago I began having difficulty getting the scanner to accept the film
holder and begin a scan. When working properly, the holder is inserted
in the scanner until it "catches" on the internal drive mechanism, which
starts the scanning process. Initially, occasionally the scanner would
not "catch" the holder, but rather the holder would continue to push
into the scanner and there would be slight resistance and clicking
sound, like gears not meshing properly, but nothing "caught" the holder.
If I reinserted the holder, it might "catch" the second time. Over time
the problem got worse (harder to get to "catch"). I began trying several
things (closing and reopening the software, turning the scanner off and
back on, jiggling the scanner door, reciting various incantations, etc.)
and the scanner would eventually "catch" the holder and begin scanning.
Once it started scanning, I didn't have any problem with subsequent
scans. I never could determine just what it was that made the scanner
"catch" the holder.

Now, nothing I have tried will get the scanner to "catch", so it is
useless. Has anyone else has this problem or a suggestion on a solution?
I don't think it is a software issue, since the same thing happens with
Vuescan and the Minolta software (on WinXP Home). It seems like there is
microswitch that isn't working properly, but I hate to start
disassembling the scanner, considering my level of mechanical and
electrical expertise.

I posted this problem on the comp.periphs.scanners newsgroup a couple of
weeks ago, and the only suggestion I got was to push the holder harder
into the scanner until it "catches", but that didn't seem to be
applicable since I can easily push the holder past the supposed start
point.

Is there a  Minolta or other service center that handles filmscanners? I
couldn't locate one through Google, and the KonicaMinolta site doesn't
seem to know about filmscanners.

Preston Earle
PEarle@triad.rr.com


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