ScanExpress A3 USB on Windows 7

We've just moved our company secretary over from XP to Windows 7.  Pretty much all of the printers and devices she was accessing had Windows 7 drivers, but one that didnt was her Mustek Scan Express A3 USB flatbed scanner.

The download only provides Vista drivers:

http://www.mustek.com/product_resources/drivers/scanner/usbport/a3usb/win-vis...
(amusingly, step 5 of the instructions tell you to "Get off the internet" :-))

However, installing these drivers via web.exe (and rebooting) doesnt work.  After rebooting, an icon appears in the system tray, but the scanner is still not correctly recognised by Win7.  It shows up in the devices page, but as an unknown device with no driver.

The fix is to change the compatibility settings for web.exe to:

1.  Windows Vista
2.  Run as Administrator.

Then reinstall the driver (by running web.exe) and you should get a warning this time about installing an unvalidated driver.  If you accept and reboot, the next time you plug the device in Windows will *finally* install the drivers.

The little tray icon still shows scanner as not detected, but I can successfully scan (using the standard TWAIN interface) from programs such as Paint Shop Pro.
Sorted, and secretary will no doubt be pleased.

Kindle pain...

I've just finished playing DeadSpace 2 (cracking game) and thought I'd check out the associated book that came out recently "Dead Space Martyr".

Quick search and splendid, the publishers Macmillan have created a Kindle version.  But oh, wait a minute, whats this - not available in UK.  WTF?  So, I'm stuck with buying the paperback version and breaking my rule of digital-only books.

Bugger it, I think I'll just give the whole thing a miss.  Their loss...