Supposedly, this driver should function with the 1212p scanner, with the power button. Whether or not it actually works under WinXP is another story, including the stability issue. I suspect that this is a modified Win2K driver, and as such, whether it will run correctly is anyone's guess. The person who posted the driver seems to be under the impression that it will work, which is certainly better than nothing.
I don't own the scanner that you are using, (I prefer MicroTek scanners), and so, when I saw that you were having a problem, I searched around the 'Net until I saw a possible solution. I also dug into the Agfa website, looking for updated software that could function with the beta driver in WinXP, and it didn't exist ... which I why I posted links to software that might function as a replacement with that scanner, considering that your budget is tight, and you probably can't afford to purchase higher-end graphics software.
Of course, software like this can be found on the 'Net for "free", but that's another story. Obtaining software in this method is definitely illegal, shouldn't be discussed over a public forum, and certainly requires a bit of extra-diligent searching. Having a broadband connection in a situation like this is also something of an asset.
As for ECP vs EPP ... here are a couple of links that might help you understand the differences between the two:
<A HREF="http
/www.micro-solutions.com/tech_support/more_tips/moretips7.html" target="_new">WHAT'S THIS EPP STUFF ALL ABOUT?</A>
<A HREF="http
/www.fapo.com/ecpmode.htm" target="_new">ECP Mode</A>
<A HREF="http
/www.beyondlogic.org/ecp/ecp.htm" target="_new">Interfacing the Extended Capabilities Port</A>
Personally, if I was in your predicament, I'd get another USB 2.0/Firewire/SCSI scanner ... one from a company that intends to support new versions of Windows as they are released, such as MicroTek, Canon, or Epson. (And from a company that still has a division devoted to desktop scanners.) I'd also do a little discreet Web hunting for decent graphics software. OR ... if either of those things sounds disturbing and/or expensive, I'd dual-boot WinME and WinXP, so I could continue to use my current hardware and software.
That's about all I can say on the subject. I hope it works out for you.
Toey
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