I'm sure now it isn't a Microsoft file (it's not in the filelist in the resource kit documentation), but it's very likely it has something to do with scanning indeed (STIMON.EXE is the still image monitor whatever that may be, and STICPL.CPL is a control panel dll for the still image icon).
Moreover, I've got a Canon scanner here (a Lite 30, to be exact) and I don't have that file on my system.
All I can suggest, if it doesn't work to download it and put it in c:\windows\system, and you can't find any definite solution with google (not even in the groups) is to contact Epson tech support. They might be able to tell you what to do.
And can it be that you used to have another scanner that somehow had this file registered for some purpose, and didn't use the official uninstall for the driver or the software that came with it? Or maybe you did the official uninstall and it didn't do a 100% job. Can you find a reference to stiaspi.dll in the registry? If so, it might make sense to simply delete it. Yes, it's risky, but if you know about scanreg /restore, it might not be TOO risky. Or you could try to contact tech support for your old scanner.
I'm rather sure that a brand new Epson scanner should be able to be installed under a freshly installed Windows 98, but there might be two things blocking:
- The system requirements could state that Windows 98 is not supported; you don't tell at all, it could just as well be Windows XP software only!
- Some remnants of other software in the registry.
Hope this helps.
Kees