Find an old scanner for old PC

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Question: I have an old computer. It’s a Pentium 133 MHz with 32 megabytes of RAM. I would like to add a flatbed scanner. None of the newer models will work with my computer, since I don’t have a USB port or a 166 MHz machine, so I will have to buy a used scanner with older software. That is OK with me, but I need to know what model numbers I should be considering, since most older model retailers do not seem to know whether their scanners will work with my machine. Is their any way you could help tell me a few model numbers that will work with an older computer? Obviously, scanners did once work with older machines.

Thanks for any ideas you can offer. – Harry

Answer: Finding equipment for older computers is a bit of a task. Nevertheless, I’ve found one new scanner that will work with your computer. It’s the Umax Astra 2000P. It has a parallel port interface and will work just fine with your 32MB of memory and 133 MHz Pentium processor. It also has a variety of scanner software titles that will work with your machine, though you might want to avoid Adobe PhotoDeluxe as it is a memory pig.

You could upgrade your memory to make this a little easier to bear. That will make your computer’s response to your scanner faster. It will also boost other computing tasks. A guide to upgrading memory is available on this website at ram upgrade faqs. If you want to find a second-hand scanner, consider these models:

  • Epson ES-1000C or ES 1200C
  • HP Scanjet or HP Scanjet Plus
  • Microtek Scanmaker III, Scanmaker II, or Scanmaker V300 or V310

To see more Microtek products, go to www.microtekusa.com and click “Product Support” and then “Discontinued Products”. Given that you have a first-generation Pentium, you might also want to look at a scanner that has a SCSI interface. Back in the early Pentium days, scanners would ship with a card that would slot inside the computer. SCSI (when you’re asking salespeople about it, it’s pronounced “scuzzy”) was a way to give a external peripherals fast access to the guts of PC. Some early computers were already SCSI compliant and had a connector on the machine that was ready for a SCSI device. So how did I figure all this out? It took a little detective work, but it’s worth relating what I did because anyone with older equipment can use the technique to find compatible second-hand equipment.

The best way to find out about old peripherals is to go to a company’s products Web page and first find out what is current. Then go to its support Web page – which usually lists all products – and check out the products that aren’t new. That will give you older model numbers to work with. Typically, the site will also have product spec sheets, usually linked to the support pages-that will include minimum system requirements. On Hewlett Packard’s Web site, for example, they have a section about classic scanners at their site. This is good place to start your scanner search if you’re keen on an HP scanner.

So let’s say you now know what to buy, how do you get your hands on the model you want? Well, out-of-date equipment isn’t normally available for purchase on a company’s Web site, but their shopping area often will have links to vendors who carry their brands. These vendors occasionally will have access to older products. Their customer service departments are often willing to help you source the out-of-production model you are looking for. Why? Because people return to buy new products when they get good service of any sort. Sometimes, you’ll need upgrades and/or extras for your old machine and they can provide them.

Probably the best source of older equipment is auction sites. One of my favorites is Onsale.com. It merged with Egghead.com a little while back ago. It offers a great selection of refurbished equipment as well as new products. You’ll often see products for sale on the site that are one or two generations old at very affordable prices. The other place to source this kind of product is consumer-to-consumer on-line auction houses. eBay is a site where you can contact people who want to sell their old gear. When I checked last, there were about a dozen scanners for sale. Most were older models and they were priced at under $100.

Here’s how eBay works. After a free sign-up, you locate an item in the site’s listings using product categories or their site search engine. Then you bid a price that you think the seller will agree too. Often, they will post their minimum acceptable price. Check back frequently to see if you’ve been outbid and up your price if you’re willing. The system has an optional e-mail alert that can be activated to report how the bidding is going. If you win the auction, you then arrange for the seller to ship the goods to you – at your cost. You can pay with a money order or check or use an on-line third-party payment service such as www.paypal.com.

You can tell how credible the seller is by checking their ratings. People who have dealt with the seller before, rate them after a transaction is completed. A report card of ratings is kept on-line for each seller so that prospective buyers can see a snapshot of the sales behavior of the person they are considering doing business with. Sellers are motivated to give good service because they want high ratings from buyers. Yahoo also has an auction site.