Explain.......

From the command line, you can type DIR >lpt1 (hit Enter) and if the printer is talking to DOS, it should send your current directory to the printer. If you get nothing, try DIR >lpt2 to see if the card is being reported to DOS as being on Lpt2. if not:

Troubleshooting, first move the card to a different slot.

Since this is an add-on card, you should then get a "New hardware found" window in XP as soon as you booted into it after changing the slot. Did you get one? If you did not, you have an IRQ conflict between the card and the original equipment. You may have some other device assigned to the usual LPT1 or LPT2 address. Your add-in card should be set to LPT2 by default, not to Lpt1, because these cards were originally designed as additions to an existing parellel port MB. Check your card documentation, and set the jumpers to LPT2 if it is not. Note the Irq you have assigned to the card via the card jumpers. Put it in the slot, boot, and see if you get the "New Hardware Found" window. if not:

Go into the BIOS, you are looking for a setting that allows you to "assign IRQ to legacy device" which means the motherboard will not attempt to assign it to another device, which is how it gets reported to Windows. Retrieve the IRQ you jotted down. Go into your BIOS, and see if you can find a screen that pertains to IRQ. You may find that the IRQ you are trying to use is set to "Auto", if it is, that's your problem, because MB IRQs get first shot over any add in cards, and it is probably assigning the IRQ you want to something else -change to "assign IRQ to legacy device". My guess is that is your most likely problem because it would cause the exact symptoms you describe.

Firstly, this card doesn't have any jumpers AFAIK. I can go to the device manager and change the port for the device.

I only have the single empty PCI slot. I cannot move it to another slot.

Epson has suggested to stay with LPT-1 and IRQ-7 for the printer. Don't know if this advice is mandatory or not.

I took a quick look in the BIOS........found the following:

System info
Standard CMOS features
Advanced BIOS features
Boot device configuration
Advanced chipset features
Integrated peripherals
Power Management Setup


Nothing that allows setting of an IRQ..........??

Can you change the port to LPT-2 or 3?



Then change the port on the printer.

I don't believe I can change the port on the printer.........??

If you can't change the port, then it is an automatic device expecting that you have a newer computer and will lock out the IRQ thru the BIOS (modern because jumpers have been eliminated, so everything is done thru BIOS settings) . Somewhere in the BIOS you should find the screen dealing with IRQ. Those menu options you posted take you to more detailed screens where you should find the settings. Most likely, in order

Integrated peripherals
Advanced BIOS features
Advanced chipset features


Possible but not probable

Power Management Setup

Did you perform the DOS command line test dir >lpt1 ? This should be done first before you muck around with the BIOS. Epson is telling you LPT1 / IRQ 7 because that is the default setting for the card. That is the IRQ you should 'assign to legacy device' in your BIOS.

If your BIOS screen gives you the model number of the motherboard, post it and I can help you more.

From the command prompt:

c:/dir>lpt1

"Cannot find the file specified"

c:/dir>lpt2

"Cannot find the file specified"



I don't want to screw up the BIOS........but I did see something about "legacy device" in the BIOS.

I checked it again. There is nothing in any of those sections dealing with the IRQ.

The BIOS does not give the model number of the motherboard. I'm sure it's just a DELL proprietary POS.

Epson just mentioned these values because they were standard for the old parallel ports in the computer. They've got nothing to do with the card. The card is third party.........got nothing to do with them.

The command doesn't look like you typed it right. at the C: prompt type:

DIR {SPACE} >lpt1 {ENTER}

Don't worry about the BIOS, you can't screw it up, there is a button to return everything back the way it was if things get hairy.

Use a network if you have one
 

Another option...

Connect the Epson printer to another PC on your home network that will work with it. Install any needed drivers and make it a shared printer.
Make note of the PC's machine name and the name you assigned to the printer when you shared it.

Now go to your new Dell computer and setup DOS to access the shared printer on the other computer. Let's assume the following names:
PC machine name the Epson is connected to = oldpc
Epson printer share name on oldpc = oldepson
(try to use names that DO NOT contain spaces and are under 8 characters long)

Open a DOS command prompt on your Dell and issue this command:
net use lpt1: \\oldpc\oldepson /persistent:yes

All your old DOS programs should now be able to print to the Epson now.
Here's a link to the guide on MicroSoft's support site:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314499

Tried it again with the space.......same result. Can't find the file.

Thanks Bill, but I really don't want to setup a network just to print from DOS. This machine should be able to perform that task.

Click the link below and download the dos print emulator for win xp. It's safe and open source. Please report back.

http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?groupname=dosbox&filename=DOSBox0.61-win32-installer.exe&use_mirror=heanet

If you want to go the paid route, this is a good choice.

http://www.printfil.com/english.htm