Another Option to try, is to installl a virtual XP environment within your running Windows 8 system, then install the Scanner drivers into the XP environment.
Assuming you have some decent memory (say 2 - 3GB), Hard Disk space spare (say 8GB) and processor speed (3GHz+ and a Duo Core would be ideal), consider using an Oracle VirtualBox virtual package which is free to download from:
http://www.oracle.com/us/technologies/virtualization/virtualbox/overview/index.html
If you have not used a virtualbox environment before its as simple as:
Install VirtualBox, run virtualbox, select new to create new operating system, select operating system as Windows XP, set the size of virtual disk, memory etc. then associate a Windows XP ISO disk install Image to the virtual DVD drive within the new virtualbox win XP system (or just use a physical XP Install disk mounted in your local CD Drive) and then start up the new Windows 8 environment to invoke the the Win XP installation.
As the installation is virtual and basically only gets written a local file, all your current system / files will remain untouched and continue to function as normal.
Now to setup the Canon XP driver within the Virtual XP system you need:
- Locate and Download from the Oracle VirtualBox site the Extensions package.
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
- Run the downloaded Extensions package installation
- Start VirtualBox
- Select 'File>preferences>Extensions' and then select the 'Add Pacakge' icon located next to the 'Extension Packages' window. Install the VirtualBox extension pack that you previously downloaded from Oracle as above.
This is a MUST. This is what will allow the guest OS to communicate directly through the communication ports such as USB.
- WithIn VirtualBox Boot up your new XP guest OS
- From the Main VirtualBox Window menu bar select 'Devices>Install Guest Additions' to install additional system additions that will interact more efficiently with the Host and Guest Windows systems.
- From the main VirtualBox window menu bar select 'Devices>USB Devices' then select the respective port for the Scanner
- Now within the running XP system, download the Canon Scanner driver and perform the Scanner driver installation.
- if all went ok, test for scanner operation. If it does work then it will only operate within the virtual XP environment.