Is there a way to connect a SCSI cable and its scanner to USB or FireWire to a recent PC or laptop?

You can only use usb to scsi adapter check this link for some models:
USB to SCSI

there are some Firewire to SCSI and USB to SCSI adapters that should work- check www.hamrick.com. Ed Hamrick has written Vuescan scanning software that will work with the 2100XL, windows 7 and many of these adpters

Of course it does. I'm using both a Minolta Dimage IV and Minolta Dimage Elite 5400 Mk 1 (firewire and usb). Here's my latest driver:

; sonyscanners.inf -- Sony (Konica Minolta) Film Drivers
;
;
; Beta driver for Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating
; systems for all known Sony film scanners.
[Version]
Signature="$CHICAGO$"
Class=Image
ClassGUID={6bdd1fc6-810f-11d0-bec7-08002be2092f}
Provider=%Provider%
DriverVer=2/19/2011,3.0
[Manufacturer]
%Mfg%=Models,ntamd64
[Models]
; USB and SCSI scanners
"Minolta Scan Dual II" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0638&Pid_026a
"Minolta Scan Dual III" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0686&Pid_400d
"Minolta Scan Dual IV" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_132b&Pid_000a
"Minolta Scan Elite 5400 2" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_132b&Pid_0012
"Minolta Scan Elite 5400" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0686&Pid_400e
"Minolta Scan Elite II" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0686&Pid_4004
"Minolta SC-110" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0638&Pid_0a15
"Minolta SC-215" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0638&Pid_0a16
"Minolta QuickScan 35" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2880___________
"Minolta Scan Dual" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2882___________
"Minolta Scan Multi" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2883___________
"Minolta Scan Speed" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2884___________
"Minolta Scan Elite" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2885___________
"Minolta Scan Elite 5400 Firewire" = SBP2Scanner,SBP2\MINOLTA&DS_Elite5400&CmdSetId104d8
[Models.ntamd64]
; USB and SCSI scanners
"Minolta Scan Dual II" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0638&Pid_026a
"Minolta Scan Dual III" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0686&Pid_400d
"Minolta Scan Dual IV" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_132b&Pid_000a
"Minolta Scan Elite 5400 2" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_132b&Pid_0012
"Minolta Scan Elite 5400" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0686&Pid_400e
"Minolta Scan Elite II" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0686&Pid_4004
"Minolta SC-110" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0638&Pid_0a15
"Minolta SC-215" = USBScanner,USB\Vid_0638&Pid_0a16
"Minolta QuickScan 35" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2880___________
"Minolta Scan Dual" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2882___________
"Minolta Scan Multi" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2883___________
"Minolta Scan Speed" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2884___________
"Minolta Scan Elite" = SCSIScanner,SCSI\ScannerMINOLTA_#2885___________
"Minolta Scan Elite 5400 Firewire" = SBP2Scanner,SBP2\MINOLTA&DS_Elite5400&CmdSetId104d8
[USBScanner]
Include=sti.inf
Needs=STI.USBSection
SubClass=StillImage
DeviceType=1
DeviceSubType=1
Capabilities=0
[USBScanner.Services]
Include=sti.inf
Needs=STI.USBSection.Services
[SCSIScanner]
Include=sti.inf
Needs=STI.SCSISection
SubClass=StillImage
DeviceType=1
DeviceSubType=1
Capabilities=0
[SCSIScanner.Services]
Include=sti.inf
Needs=STI.SCSISection.Services
[SBP2Scanner]
Include=sti.inf
Needs=STI.SBP2Section
SubClass=StillImage
DeviceType=1
DeviceSubType=2
Capabilities=0
[SBP2Scanner.Services]
Include=sti.inf
Needs=STI.SBP2Section.Services
[Strings]
Provider="Sony (Konica Minolta)"
Mfg="Sony (Konica Minolta)"

You need a Firewire/ SCSI adapter. Mine is a Belkin F5U541. Then simply connect a SCSI cable from the scanner to the adapter & a Firewire cable from the adapter to your Mac. I'm using my old Umax Astra 2400S w/ a G5 iMac running OSX 10.6.7. I had to upgrade my old copy of VueScan, however, to run on Snow Leopard

yes please try at www.p-ips.eu

I just told someone else this solution...KILL the SCSI junk...I had nothing but trouble with it with my Mac....I got a Ratoc Firewire to UltraSCSI Converter...to solve the regular SCSI to ultra SCSI problem...I also bought an adapter....It works great...no need for a SCSI card...or a driver...you just plug directly into your firewire port! If anyone can help me with my TA adapter startup problem...I'll be thrilled! Carole

The scanner uses a "twain" driver, try searching for that, it may be one of the files you already downloaded. Just look in the download u got.Also try going to add hardware, select the scanner there and poit it to the downloaded file when uit asks if you have a disk that came with it. Download the drivers to your desktop, rt click and open a folder on the desktop, and drag all of the drivers and the Twain one especially, into the folder.

my pc does not have a 50pin connector. so i need (i Guess) a converter that will go from the 50 pin to a usb on my pc?
thanks.

If you look carefully at the cable, you will notice it is a firewire cable (IEEE1394), not USB. You will need a firewire interface on your computer to use the Nikon scanner. It will not work with a USB port.

Install previous version Insight (5.0)...