I don't usually post here, being a Windows user but my
PC has a firewire i/f and I have an expensive Nikon
slide scanner with a firewire interface.
The PC is still running a Novatech M/B bundle from 2011
originally supplied with Win 7 Pro (32+64). I only
installed the 32 bit image because of the need to run
Nikon scan. Now it is running Win 10 Pro/32, but that
turns into a pumpkin in October.
The Firewire I/F is now deleted from new M/B's and
Windows 11 apparently does not even support the
legacy firewire driver so that means either linux
(help!) or a Mac mini with the adapter chain to get
a firewire I/F but I can no longer see this accessory
on the apple website. Has is definitely been dropped?
I don't usually post here, being a Windows user but my
PC has a firewire i/f and I have an expensive Nikon
slide scanner with a firewire interface.
The PC is still running a Novatech M/B bundle from 2011
originally supplied with Win 7 Pro (32+64). I only
installed the 32 bit image because of the need to run
Nikon scan. Now it is running Win 10 Pro/32, but that
turns into a pumpkin in October.
The Firewire I/F is now deleted from new M/B's and
Windows 11 apparently does not even support the
legacy firewire driver so that means either linux
(help!) or a Mac mini with the adapter chain to get
a firewire I/F but I can no longer see this accessory
on the apple website. Has is definitely been dropped?
On 18 Apr 2025 at 11:07:38 BST, "Andrew" <Andrew97d@btinternet.com> wrote:
I don't usually post here, being a Windows user but my
PC has a firewire i/f and I have an expensive Nikon
slide scanner with a firewire interface.
The PC is still running a Novatech M/B bundle from 2011
originally supplied with Win 7 Pro (32+64). I only
installed the 32 bit image because of the need to run
Nikon scan. Now it is running Win 10 Pro/32, but that
turns into a pumpkin in October.
The Firewire I/F is now deleted from new M/B's and
Windows 11 apparently does not even support the
legacy firewire driver so that means either linux
(help!) or a Mac mini with the adapter chain to get
a firewire I/F but I can no longer see this accessory
on the apple website. Has is definitely been dropped?
Do I take it that you have a working setup now but feel the need to just have the one PC for all purposes? I had this issue when the software I used for our
slide scanner here, was not slated for any update past Snow Leopard (IIRC). The solution was to take the working setup and put it all in a box (this was an original type Mac Mini), and leave it entirely untouched except as and when
we wanted to scan some slides. So that setup sits on a shelf.
A bit irritating I know but, I reckon, the simplest way. Then buy yourself the
latest PC/whatever model you want for future purposes.
On 18/04/2025 11:36, TimS wrote:
On 18 Apr 2025 at 11:07:38 BST, "Andrew" <Andrew97d@btinternet.com>
wrote:
I don't usually post here, being a Windows user but my
PC has a firewire i/f and I have an expensive Nikon
slide scanner with a firewire interface.
The PC is still running a Novatech M/B bundle from 2011
originally supplied with Win 7 Pro (32+64). I only
installed the 32 bit image because of the need to run
Nikon scan. Now it is running Win 10 Pro/32, but that
turns into a pumpkin in October.
The Firewire I/F is now deleted from new M/B's and
Windows 11 apparently does not even support the
legacy firewire driver so that means either linux
(help!) or a Mac mini with the adapter chain to get
a firewire I/F but I can no longer see this accessory
on the apple website. Has is definitely been dropped?
Do I take it that you have a working setup now but feel the need to
just have
the one PC for all purposes? I had this issue when the software I used
for our
slide scanner here, was not slated for any update past Snow Leopard
(IIRC).
The solution was to take the working setup and put it all in a box
(this was
an original type Mac Mini), and leave it entirely untouched except as
and when
we wanted to scan some slides. So that setup sits on a shelf.
A bit irritating I know but, I reckon, the simplest way. Then buy
yourself the
latest PC/whatever model you want for future purposes.
Thanks, Yes I have just the one Windows PC that I only use for emails newsgroups and browsing, plus online banking and all the other online financial stuff, and occasional scanning and using Lightroom 3.6 (it's
Win 10 Pro/32 with 4Gb ram).
The power supply is now 18 years old and the M/B upgrade was done
in 2011 so the WD blue 500Gb hard disk dates back to 2011 too.
It wont last for ever :-(, and I suspect it is on borrowed time
now. The demise of Win10 is prompting some new hardware but the
lack of firewire is a stumbling block.
You'd think that with amazing devices like the RPi 2040 chip
someone would have made up a firewire to USB3 converter box, but
I guess there is no (sizeable) demand.
I think a 'new' micro PC that can run Win11 will do all internet-
connected stuff, or possibly a tablet, then disconnect the existing
Win10 M/c and only use it for scanning. It was hoping to see the
back of the mini tower though, its a space-hog.
You'd think that with amazing devices like the RPi 2040 chip
someone would have made up a firewire to USB3 converter box, but
I guess there is no (sizeable) demand.
I think a 'new' micro PC that can run Win11 will do all internet-
connected stuff, or possibly a tablet, then disconnect the existing
Win10 M/c and only use it for scanning. It was hoping to see the
back of the mini tower though, its a space-hog.
On 18/04/2025 21:13, Andrew wrote:
On 18/04/2025 11:36, TimS wrote:
On 18 Apr 2025 at 11:07:38 BST, "Andrew" <Andrew97d@btinternet.com>
wrote:
I don't usually post here, being a Windows user but my
PC has a firewire i/f and I have an expensive Nikon
slide scanner with a firewire interface.
The PC is still running a Novatech M/B bundle from 2011
originally supplied with Win 7 Pro (32+64). I only
installed the 32 bit image because of the need to run
Nikon scan. Now it is running Win 10 Pro/32, but that
turns into a pumpkin in October.
The Firewire I/F is now deleted from new M/B's and
Windows 11 apparently does not even support the
legacy firewire driver so that means either linux
(help!) or a Mac mini with the adapter chain to get
a firewire I/F but I can no longer see this accessory
on the apple website. Has is definitely been dropped?
Do I take it that you have a working setup now but feel the need to
just have
the one PC for all purposes? I had this issue when the software I
used for our
slide scanner here, was not slated for any update past Snow Leopard
(IIRC).
The solution was to take the working setup and put it all in a box
(this was
an original type Mac Mini), and leave it entirely untouched except as
and when
we wanted to scan some slides. So that setup sits on a shelf.
A bit irritating I know but, I reckon, the simplest way. Then buy
yourself the
latest PC/whatever model you want for future purposes.
Thanks, Yes I have just the one Windows PC that I only use for emails
newsgroups and browsing, plus online banking and all the other online
financial stuff, and occasional scanning and using Lightroom 3.6 (it's
Win 10 Pro/32 with 4Gb ram).
The power supply is now 18 years old and the M/B upgrade was done
in 2011 so the WD blue 500Gb hard disk dates back to 2011 too.
It wont last for ever :-(, and I suspect it is on borrowed time
now. The demise of Win10 is prompting some new hardware but the
lack of firewire is a stumbling block.
You'd think that with amazing devices like the RPi 2040 chip
someone would have made up a firewire to USB3 converter box, but
I guess there is no (sizeable) demand.
I think a 'new' micro PC that can run Win11 will do all internet-
connected stuff, or possibly a tablet, then disconnect the existing
Win10 M/c and only use it for scanning. It was hoping to see the
back of the mini tower though, its a space-hog.
There's no "tower" with an Apple iMac! ;-)
https://www.apple.com/uk/imac/
On 18/04/2025 21:29, David wrote:
On 18/04/2025 21:13, Andrew wrote:But no longer a firewire interface either :-)
On 18/04/2025 11:36, TimS wrote:
On 18 Apr 2025 at 11:07:38 BST, "Andrew" <Andrew97d@btinternet.com>
wrote:
I don't usually post here, being a Windows user but my
PC has a firewire i/f and I have an expensive Nikon
slide scanner with a firewire interface.
The PC is still running a Novatech M/B bundle from 2011
originally supplied with Win 7 Pro (32+64). I only
installed the 32 bit image because of the need to run
Nikon scan. Now it is running Win 10 Pro/32, but that
turns into a pumpkin in October.
The Firewire I/F is now deleted from new M/B's and
Windows 11 apparently does not even support the
legacy firewire driver so that means either linux
(help!) or a Mac mini with the adapter chain to get
a firewire I/F but I can no longer see this accessory
on the apple website. Has is definitely been dropped?
Do I take it that you have a working setup now but feel the need to
just have
the one PC for all purposes? I had this issue when the software I
used for our
slide scanner here, was not slated for any update past Snow Leopard
(IIRC).
The solution was to take the working setup and put it all in a box
(this was
an original type Mac Mini), and leave it entirely untouched except as
and when
we wanted to scan some slides. So that setup sits on a shelf.
A bit irritating I know but, I reckon, the simplest way. Then buy
yourself the
latest PC/whatever model you want for future purposes.
Thanks, Yes I have just the one Windows PC that I only use for emails
newsgroups and browsing, plus online banking and all the other online
financial stuff, and occasional scanning and using Lightroom 3.6 (it's
Win 10 Pro/32 with 4Gb ram).
The power supply is now 18 years old and the M/B upgrade was done
in 2011 so the WD blue 500Gb hard disk dates back to 2011 too.
It wont last for ever :-(, and I suspect it is on borrowed time
now. The demise of Win10 is prompting some new hardware but the
lack of firewire is a stumbling block.
You'd think that with amazing devices like the RPi 2040 chip
someone would have made up a firewire to USB3 converter box, but
I guess there is no (sizeable) demand.
I think a 'new' micro PC that can run Win11 will do all internet-
connected stuff, or possibly a tablet, then disconnect the existing
Win10 M/c and only use it for scanning. It was hoping to see the
back of the mini tower though, its a space-hog.
There's no "tower" with an Apple iMac! ;-)
https://www.apple.com/uk/imac/
Plus, .. I have a 32 inch IIyama IPS monitor (HDMI+DVI-D+?)
which I am very attached to (eyesight issues), so it means
a cpu box+mouse+keyboard upgrade can use it.
If I was going to go down the apple route (undecided),
then it could be a mac mini, assuming that it can use
the IIyama (2560*1440), but there are many ex-corporate
mini-pcs (typically HP) that can run W11.
The older Mac Mini is surely the most sensible choice if opting for an
Apple solution, due to its firewire capability and compactness as you
should be able to remotely log in to it thus avoiding the need for an additional monitor and keyboard.
Andrew <Andrew97d@btinternet.com> wrote:
I don't usually post here, being a Windows user but my
PC has a firewire i/f and I have an expensive Nikon
slide scanner with a firewire interface.
The PC is still running a Novatech M/B bundle from 2011
originally supplied with Win 7 Pro (32+64). I only
installed the 32 bit image because of the need to run
Nikon scan. Now it is running Win 10 Pro/32, but that
turns into a pumpkin in October.
The Firewire I/F is now deleted from new M/B's and
Windows 11 apparently does not even support the
legacy firewire driver so that means either linux
(help!) or a Mac mini with the adapter chain to get
a firewire I/F but I can no longer see this accessory
on the apple website. Has is definitely been dropped?
It seems so: https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/1alx0tm/apple_firewire_to_thunderbolt_discontinued/
The adapter is an LSI643 Firewire controller behind a Thunderbolt to PCIe bridge chip.
I've had success (back in MacOS ~10.11 days) getting the Apple driver to attach to an LSI643 PCIe card in an external Thunderbolt PCIe enclosure,
such as one of these:
https://egpu.io/best-egpu-buyers-guide/
but given they're $150+ it's not going to make it any cheaper.
So I'd guess your options are:
1. Keep your existing Windows machine, maybe look at Windows 10 LTSC so it keeps getting updates (you're not supposed to have LTSC on the consumer licence but maybe there's a hack). Or just keep it running W10 and move
your other stuff to a new machine.
1b. Some new Windows hardware with a Firewire PCIe card and W10 LTSC as above.
2. Buy a 2011/2012 Mac Mini with integral Firewire for about £50. Either run W10 on it or an unsupported recent MacOS via OCLP. Or you could run
the most recent stock MacOS it supports (10.13 for the 2011, 10.15 for
the 2012) but get no updates.
3. Use the Thunderbolt option to a new Mac, either the official adapter or an external dock and PCIe card. May need Vuescan if the Nikon software
won't support a modern MacOS.
4. Any PC, a PCIe FW card, Linux and Vuescan
I've seen a number of old pro scanners for sale (Firewire, SCSI) and often they come with a 'free' Mac to drive them. Dedicating an old machine to driving them seems to be the way to go.
Theo
Two cards here, just to show it can be done.
PCI Express, for modern motherboard insertion.
https://www.startech.com/en-us/search?search_term=pci%20express%20firewire%20card
The first one is single-chip ("Texas Instruments - XIO2213B")
The second one is cheaper and Firewire 400 ("Texas Instruments - TSB82AA2" plus Asmedia 1083 PCIe-PCI Bridge).
It uses a PCI Express 1.1 x1 lane at 250MB/sec for the 50MB/sec Firewire transfer. The
PCI immediary bus can support about 110MB/sec when a certain burst size is used. It's unclear
what the third chip is for.
Look for similar items, from a cheaper source.
Here is evidence that W11 works with Firewire.
The VIA motherboard controller didn't seem to work, but
a PCI card that I bought years ago but never used,
it got installed in a PC for the first time today (Test Machine, W11).
It took *4 hours* to get this shit working. The Firewire
enclosures, I could barely get one of them sober enough
to use for this. Power supply bad on one, firmware bad on
another, molex connector had a loose wire. But it works in this picture.
Andrew <Andrew97d@btinternet.com> wrote:
You'd think that with amazing devices like the RPi 2040 chip
someone would have made up a firewire to USB3 converter box, but
I guess there is no (sizeable) demand.
The protocols are too different so it's not possible to convert them. Firewire uses DMA, ie accessing the system memory, which USB doesn't allow. You'd have more success converting Firewire to PCIe - which is what FW PCIe cards do. Or Thunderbolt, which is where we came in.
I think a 'new' micro PC that can run Win11 will do all internet-
connected stuff, or possibly a tablet, then disconnect the existing
Win10 M/c and only use it for scanning. It was hoping to see the
back of the mini tower though, its a space-hog.
From the list in my other post, you could look at getting a 2012 or earlier Mac Mini and installing W10 (or W7) on it. Replace the original HDD with a 2.5" SATA SSD. I'd not be too worried about power supply ageing as Apple's PSUs are usually very solid. Then that's your small Firewire box that you wheel out when needed. Enable remote desktop and you can control it from
your main machine as and when you need it without needing a monitor on it.
Theo
On Apr 19, 2025, Theo wrote
(in article <Erc*d4naA@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>):
Andrew <Andrew97d@btinternet.com> wrote:
You'd think that with amazing devices like the RPi 2040 chip
someone would have made up a firewire to USB3 converter box, but
I guess there is no (sizeable) demand.
The protocols are too different so it's not possible to convert them. Firewire uses DMA, ie accessing the system memory, which USB doesn't allow. You'd have more success converting Firewire to PCIe - which is what FW PCIe cards do. Or Thunderbolt, which is where we came in.
I think a 'new' micro PC that can run Win11 will do all internet- connected stuff, or possibly a tablet, then disconnect the existing
Win10 M/c and only use it for scanning. It was hoping to see the
back of the mini tower though, its a space-hog.
From the list in my other post, you could look at getting a 2012 or earlier Mac Mini and installing W10 (or W7) on it. Replace the original HDD with a 2.5" SATA SSD. I'd not be too worried about power supply ageing as Apple's PSUs are usually very solid. Then that's your small Firewire box that you wheel out when needed. Enable remote desktop and you can control it from your main machine as and when you need it without needing a monitor on it.
Theo
I have an old Mac mini 2012 available, cheap; the drive died and I was going to put a replacement drive in it, but that project got delayed. I also have a Win7 and a Win10 install, with full licenses, available. It wouldn’t be difficult to put a SSD (256 GB is as small as I would go with Mac or Windows, 512 GB would be much better, 1 TB is probably overkill; I had planned on putting a pair of 2 TB SSDs into it and installing a version of WinServer, probably 2016 or 2019, I don’t have licenses for later versions, and replacing my existing ADDS server, that thing’s nearly 20 years old and shows it.) It’s got an i7 and maxed RAM.
On Apr 21, 2025, WolfFan wrote
I have an old Mac mini 2012 available, cheap; the drive died and I was going >> to put a replacement drive in it, but that project got delayed. I also have a
Win7 and a Win10 install, with full licenses, available. It wouldn’t be
difficult to put a SSD (256 GB is as small as I would go with Mac or Windows,
512 GB would be much better, 1 TB is probably overkill; I had planned on
putting a pair of 2 TB SSDs into it and installing a version of WinServer, >> probably 2016 or 2019, I don’t have licenses for later versions, and
replacing my existing ADDS server, that thing’s nearly 20 years old and
shows it.) It’s got an i7 and maxed RAM.
ooh, just checked... no Firewire ports on the 2012. An adapter would be required. which brings us back to the original problem. Sorry, it looks as though deploying a mini won’t solve the problem.
On 2025-04-21, WolfFan<akwolffan@zoho.com> wrote:
On Apr 21, 2025, WolfFan wrote
I have an old Mac mini 2012 available, cheap; the drive died and I was going
to put a replacement drive in it, but that project got delayed. I also have a
Win7 and a Win10 install, with full licenses, available. It wouldn’t be difficult to put a SSD (256 GB is as small as I would go with Mac or Windows,
512 GB would be much better, 1 TB is probably overkill; I had planned on putting a pair of 2 TB SSDs into it and installing a version of WinServer,
probably 2016 or 2019, I don’t have licenses for later versions, and replacing my existing ADDS server, that thing’s nearly 20 years old and shows it.) It’s got an i7 and maxed RAM.
ooh, just checked... no Firewire ports on the 2012. An adapter would be required. which brings us back to the original problem. Sorry, it looks as though deploying a mini won’t solve the problem.
I thought Apple didn't drop the FW port on the Mac Mini until 2014? My original Mac Mini - the one with a G4 processor - had a FW400 port. But
I disposed of it years ago and I doubt it would be much use anyway!
On Apr 21, 2025, Alan B wrote
(in article<vu5cdb$25p6n$1@alanrichardbarker.eternal-september.org>):
On 2025-04-21, WolfFan<akwolffan@zoho.com> wrote:
ooh, just checked... no Firewire ports on the 2012. An adapter would be required. which brings us back to the original problem. Sorry, it looks as
though deploying a mini won’t solve the problem.
I thought Apple didn't drop the FW port on the Mac Mini until 2014? My original Mac Mini - the one with a G4 processor - had a FW400 port. But
I disposed of it years ago and I doubt it would be much use anyway!
There’s a single Firewire 800 port, won’t work with Firewire 400 without an adapter. I should have specified ’no Firewire 400 ports’.
I never used the 800 port on my mini. The 400 ports on my eMac get a workout when I turn the eMac on.
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