If you really, really want/need SCSI then get an Adaptec USB2/SCSI adapter. I ordered one directly from their web-site and it has worked out really well.

: I'm about to buy a Dell Dimension 2350 (Celeron, 1.8GHz, 60Mb HD, 520Mb SDRAM, Windows XP), together with the CanoScan FS4000US.

: I would like to use the scanner via SCSI-2, as I understood that this will decrease the scanning time significantly. I'm not a computer expert, so I'm a bit lost when it comes to SCSI cards/adapters/cables and other I/O stuff.

: I contacted Dell, and they told me that SCSI is NOT supported anymore on the homePC that I'm going to buy, as the demand for it is virtually 0 ?!? After insisting, he said "It may work, but this is a solution that hasn't been tested with our product group and you will not get any support on this".

: Does anyone know if (on the PC I will buy) I would be able to use the FS4000US scanner via SCSI-2 or not ? (I don't won't to buy a SCSI card if it's not going to work…). The I/O ports on the computer are : 6 USB 2.0 ports (2 front, 4 rear) ; 1 serial port ; 1 parallel port with ECP ; 2 PS/2 ports ; 1 RJ45 port.

: If I can use SCSI, what exactly do I need to buy : type of card ? cable ? adapter ? internal/external ? male/female plugs ? What comes with the scanner ? (I really don't know anything about I/O things).

: Since I buy the PC via a special agreement between Dell an my company, the flexibility is limited, and I cannot choose another operating system than Windows XP. But, from what I have read below, I understand that I should not expect compatibility problems between XP and the scanner. Right ? Any other advice on the PC system configuration is welcome (it's not ordered yet).

: Thanks for helping out !

: Nicolas Lietaer
: Oslo, Norway.