Epson 4990 in 2025 - Windows 11 Compatibility / Experience

hwy17 · Sep 22, 2025

Does anyone here still use a 4990? If you do, I'd be interested to know:

1. Do you run it on Windows 10/11 and does it require any special driver hacks to do so?
2. If you run it on Mac do you use the latest version of MacOS?
3. Is there an ideal version of Epson Scan for this scanner and how is it?
4. Does Epson Scan have any known deficiencies with this scanner that compromise it and make Silverfast or Vuescan obligatory?
5. In the Epson Scan app, is the infrared dust correction feature labelled as actual ICE brand technology? I believe the scanner has Infrared but I see that it doesn't have an ICE badge on it.

Thanks in advance if you're out there and willing to help!

Note: I do not have specific questions about scan quality or comparison to other scanners. I understand it's place in the market that regard. My intended use case is for digital sharing of medium format now and possibly large format in the future.

Hunter_Compton · Sep 22, 2025

I use a 4870 if that's close enough, since they're pretty similar other than maximum transparency size.

1. I run it on windows 11, no special drivers required. Just run the OG Epson scan and the drivers are on the Epson website.
2. I don't use mac.
3. I've always used the original Epson Scan software. It looks a bit like software designed for Windows 98, but otherwise operates fine. Just run it in professional mode.
4. Not that I'm aware of.
5. Yes, it has the option for both software based dust removal (not as useful) and infrared dust removal which is labeled as Digital ICE in the software.

MTGseattle · Sep 23, 2025

I run one on windows 10

I'm curious if any Mac people will chime in as I'm thinking about jumping the windows ship.

koraks · Sep 23, 2025

hwy17 said:
Does anyone here still use a 4990? If you do, I'd be interested to know:

Yes

hwy17 said:
1. Do you run it on Windows 10/11 and does it require any special driver hacks to do so?

Win10; I just installed the latest version of Epson Scan which I think is still available for download from Epson. No additional drivers, hacks etc.

hwy17 said:
2. If you run it on Mac do you use the latest version of MacOS?

Never, sorry.

hwy17 said:
3. Is there an ideal version of Epson Scan for this scanner and how is it?

Just use the latest that's specified to work with this scanner. I don't think the differences between the (later) versions were particularly big.

hwy17 said:
4. Does Epson Scan have any known deficiencies with this scanner that compromise it and make Silverfast or Vuescan obligatory?

Not to the best of my knowledge, and I've used Epson Scan with this scanner quite intensively for many years. It's quick, convenient and unlocks everything the scanner has to offer.

hwy17 said:
5. In the Epson Scan app, is the infrared dust correction feature labelled as actual ICE brand technology? I believe the scanner has Infrared but I see that it doesn't have an ICE badge on it.

It's called "DIGITAL ICE":

I vaguely recall that on the packaging (original box etc.) an ICE logo was shown, but man, that's been like 20 years or so...
I never use the ICE feature btw.

hwy17 · Sep 23, 2025

Thank you all. This is all great news.

brbo · Sep 23, 2025

Epson Scan will not run on macOS Catalina (10.15) or later. Epson Scan 2 does run, but 4990 is not supported and Epson Scan 2 is seriously dumbed down (and doesn't have ICE) anyway.

I'm afraid you will need to buy Vuescan or Silverfast to get the most out of 4990 on modern Macs.

loccdor · Sep 23, 2025

I have an Epson 4490 which is almost the same chronologically. The software works in Windows 10 in professional, unadjusted mode to scan to uncropped TIF. However I lost the ability in the software to preview the images before the scan one day, presumably after a Windows update. It still scans and I'm hobbling along with it, but have switched to a DSLR for most applications.

Hunter_Compton · Sep 23, 2025

Oh, I will add, that one quirk of the original Epson scan software running on windows 11, is that when you first boot it up in professional mode, it will hide most of the function buttons, and you need to hit the alt key to unhide them. Not sure exactly why that is, but it's a trivial inconvenience if you're aware of it.

hwy17 · Sep 23, 2025

Thanks for that tip about the professional mode that will save me a lot of time if I run into that quirk.

And thanks again, all of you. I've placed the order and if it's not DOA I'll be joining the old Epson club.

Agulliver · Sep 24, 2025

I am still running a 4490 which is a similar model. I've got it running with my desktop PC under Windows 7 (now not online) and a laptop running Windows 11. All works good, just install the latest version of Epson Scan. I can't say it's a rapid scanner, but it seems no slower than more modern ones.

I can't offer info on Mac OS because the only Mac I've ever used was a Color Classic over 30 years ago.

loccdor · Sep 24, 2025

By the latest version of Epson Scan are we talking about the one last updated in 2011?

brbo · Sep 24, 2025

david schaller · Sep 24, 2025

I’m still running my 4990 with Epson Scan on an older iMac.

hwy17 · Sep 27, 2025

It's still on the way and it includes the original holder set. Does anyone know how many frames I should cut my strips of 6x4.5 film into for the included 120 holder?

koraks · Sep 27, 2025

It doesn't really matter since you can just leave the film sticking out on either (or both) end(s) of the holder, then move the film strip to scan the remaining frame(s).

hwy17 · Sep 27, 2025

koraks said:
It doesn't really matter since you can just leave the film sticking out on either (or both) end(s) of the holder, then move the film strip to scan the remaining frame(s).

Thanks. I do like to keep my 35mm in whole rolls but this is my first time doing medium format and I struggled so bad getting a curly roll of expired Ektachrome 220 onto a Jobo 1500 reel that I had to cut it with 2/3rds of it on one spool and put the other 1/3rd on another spool.

hwy17 · Oct 5, 2025

My NOS 4990 Photo arrived and it is working!

What do you guys find is the sweet spot for DPI in Epson Scan? Just looking for a decent compromise with scan speed for digital sharing purposes. I'm using 1200 DPI right now.

koraks · Oct 6, 2025

hwy17 said:
What do you guys find is the sweet spot for DPI in Epson Scan?

There's a long thread about it; this link will take you to a recent post in it, I'd start reading from there: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...epson-v700-v750-v800-v850.155809/post-2926969
The thread focuses on the later models, but the insights apply to the 4990 just the same. I also present a few examples on the last page of the thread.
To cut a long story short, I scan at 2400dpi to get something like 99% of the achievable resolution if I feel I need to, or, like you, at 1200dpi if I'm doing a quick job and the output doesn't have to be as high in resolution. For online sharing, 1200dpi is just fine; you're doing great.

loccdor · Oct 6, 2025

I always use 2400 with the Epson.

xkaes · Oct 6, 2025

On a more general note, here's what AI says about Windoes 10 vs 11 on hardware compatibility -- pretty much exactly what I expected:

No, Windows 11 is not better than 10 for compatibility with older hardware; in fact, it has stricter hardware requirements, particularly for drivers and the Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0), making it less compatible with older systems than Windows 10. While many older devices can run Windows 11, older peripherals might not function due to stricter driver requirements, and installing Windows 11 on ineligible hardware risks future compatibility issues and lack of support.

Why Windows 11 is Less Compatible with Old Hardware

Stricter Hardware Requirements:
Windows 11 requires more modern hardware, including a specific processor type, Secure Boot, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0.

Driver Compatibility:
Windows 11 demands that hardware drivers use the Windows Driver Model (WDM), a system that can cause older peripherals or components with legacy drivers to stop working.
Risk of No Support:
Installing Windows 11 on a PC that doesn't meet its minimum system requirements means your device will not receive official support or security updates from Microsoft.

Why Windows 10 is Better for Old Hardware

Broader Driver Support:
Windows 10 supports older legacy drivers, which can make a wider range of old peripherals and components compatible.

Lower System Requirements:
Windows 10 is less demanding on system resources and has lower hardware prerequisites, allowing it to run more smoothly on older devices.
End of Support is Approaching:
While Windows 10 is still supported, its support will end in October 2025, so moving to Windows 11 (if hardware permits) will be necessary to receive future updates and security fixes.

What to Do for Older Hardware

Stay with Windows 10:
If your hardware is old or doesn't meet Windows 11's requirements, staying on Windows 10 is the best option for reliable compatibility.

Check Requirements:
Before upgrading, verify that your hardware meets the Windows 11 specifications, especially TPM 2.0 and processor compatibility.
Consider Alternatives (with caution):
For older, unsupported hardware, solutions like Tiny11 (a stripped-down version of Windows 11) might offer a way to run Windows 11 but come with risks and are not officially supported by Microsoft.

hwy17 · Oct 6, 2025

koraks said:
There's a long thread about it; this link will take you to a recent post in it, I'd start reading from there: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...epson-v700-v750-v800-v850.155809/post-2926969
The thread focuses on the later models, but the insights apply to the 4990 just the same. I also present a few examples on the last page of the thread.
To cut a long story short, I scan at 2400dpi to get something like 99% of the achievable resolution if I feel I need to, or, like you, at 1200dpi if I'm doing a quick job and the output doesn't have to be as high in resolution. For online sharing, 1200dpi is just fine; you're doing great.

loccdor said:
I always use 2400 with the Epson.

Thanks guys

koraks · Oct 7, 2025

xkaes said:
here's what AI says about Windoes 10 vs 11 on hardware compatibility

Which is a rather generic, unsurprising piece of verbose irrelevance IMO. Basically the only concrete thing it says refers to TPM2, for which there are several workarounds. Moreover, it's blatantly false in places:

xkaes said:
Installing Windows 11 on a PC that doesn't meet its minimum system requirements means your device will not receive official support or security updates from Microsoft.

Uh, no.

xkaes said:
Windows 10 supports older legacy drivers

This reads like a fundamental misunderstanding of the (backwards compatible!) changes in WDM.

I would not take this dribble seriously.

Posted from Win11 with an Epson 4990 and Minolta Scan Dual IV hooked up to it, both running their 15+ year old drivers. Without TPM2, and while receiving Windows updates just fine.

xkaes · Oct 7, 2025

Whatever. Like a lot of people, I'm still running three different computers and three different operating systems so that I can get all the hardware and software that I need to work. Try to get Adobe Acrobat v5 to run on Windows 10.

koraks · Oct 7, 2025

Sounds horribly inconvenient. But hey...whatever.

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