Keep trying to install driver for my CanoScan 9950F so I can scan straight out of Photoshop CS4. I *think* it was working until my Php preferences got corrupted and I had to remove the pref file and now even when I reinstall the driver it doesn't show up as an import option. I have to use Canon's Photostudio Program to make a scan and then open it in Php, a kind of annoyance. I've checked around the web and I see all kinds of similar problems with this scanner. Is there a simple solution?

Many people speak highly of VueScan but you might want to wait for other suggestions before spending the money. Still, if all else fails...

You indicated you had reinstalled the driver, but was this the driver that came with the scanner or the latest driver which you downloaded from the Canon Download Site? I'm not certain which of the three downloads contains the TWAIN driver which you need to communicate with Photoshop, but reinstalling all three should not do any harm.

Vuescan is an excellent product but it would not enable you to scan directly from Photoshop, or any other TWAIN compliant application for that matter.

Thanks. Used my old disk that came with the scanner that was working before and had tried a few things downloaded from Canon but not from that particular page, either it's a different area or they redesigned the site. Tried those, one even says it fixes the problem, but they lie! Worth a try, one is an uninstaller, which is nice to have. Also tried connecting the scanner via Firewire with a 400/800 adapter, no go.

It just occurred to me, we may be attacking the wrong end of the problem. When you launch Photoshop and try to scan a document, does Photoshop even see the TWAIN drivers for your scanner? If you try to scan something through Photoshop exactly what happens. Have you tried scanning through another TWAIN compliant application such as GraphicConverter or Acrobat Pro? If other apps can see the TWAIN driver and communicate with it, then the problem would be in Photoshop.

Back on the original tack, this is a long shot, but you might try uninstalling the drivers using the uninstaller and then once again installing the software. You might also search your system for cache or preference files related to the CanonScan 9950-F and deleting those as well. Sometimes a bollixed up cache or preference file can cause strange problems.