The command line shell within WindowsXP onward is not "real DOS"....I am pretty sure. That could be causing the problem right there.


Also, you could probably pick up an old computer (or laptop even, so its easy to stow away) just about anywhere and actually run DOS on it, or even boot dos off a flash disk or something on a system that does have a parallel interface.

Seems like a whole lot of work to keep using an ancient printer....how old IS that thing? :eek:

Don't know.

I already have an old computer. It works fine and prints fine. The goal is to get the new one to work.

It's a whole lot of work because it needs a knowledgeable person who understands the ports and the parallel card and can talk me through it. Once I find that person, I'm sure it won't be any work at all.

The printer is a wide format Epson 1520. I'm not spending $1200. for it's replacement.............but, thanks for your help.............

I don't see any "DOS print emulator". There is a "DOS emulator" for running DOS programs and such. I can already run my DOS programs under the DOS shell. That's not my issue.

Something seems to be a miss because this is a very rare instance where all of the above comments are correct, if you don't get it working I will call my old partner and find out exactly how its done because I know he is using the same tech, however I do revert back to making it a network printer IIRC I never had a problem after I did that.

Are you using a router for your internet?

Negative.

This is still unresolved?

It appears you have no means of telling what the parallel card’s setting are. It also appears there is no software to use to identify or control what settings the card uses.

Therefore i suggest you get a parallel printer card that isn't a POS. Get one of these and put the problem to rest:

http://www.google.com/products?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4DGUS_enUS314US314&q=siig%20parallel%20port&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wf

Siig makes a great line of product…

Btw the error you reported indicates that the OS can’t find the device name (PRN or lpt1)

Yep, that's the issue.

I'll see what Dell has to say about it.......otherwise, I'll get that other parallel card and go forward from there.

Thanks for your help.

I discussed the situation with Dell and they agree that there is no possibility of going into the BIOS to reconfigure the IRQ settings.

Furthermore, SIIG also agrees that the computer motherboard would need to be reconfigured for the proper IRQ settings..........it cannot be done on the card. Therefore, the SIIG card would have the identical problem as the current StarTech card.

It does appear that it's impossible to print using an aftermarket parallel interface on a computer that never was originally equipped with one.

Onto the software..........DOStoUSB or Printfil.

Anybody use either one to print from the DOS shell?

At the present time, the printer works properly from Windows.

Buying a dell was your own fault....they are about as inconfigurable as a PC gets...aside from a MAC. A self-built PC would have all those configuration options available to you in the BIOS....making life much easier for your situation.

Thanks.........I appreciate it.

My business is balancing of jet engines..........not design and assembly of computer components.

Is that what you do? I thought you were also a ship captain? I guess there's no reason not do do both. :)

So currently it does work with the StarTech card using DOStoUSB or Printfil?

Not to bypass the whole subject but for future compatability are you tied to the current printer as opposed to moving up to a USB/newer interface printer?

Brian - I vaguely remember IRQ headaches from back in the day...:D

I think you'd have to disable ACPI in XP in order to force set IRQ settings. This would require a re-install of the OS and you would lose the benefits ACPI provides. You would probably be ablt to assign IRQ 7 to the printer though.

How badly do you need to use this printer with this PC? Probably not worth the hassle, I think this will be a tough problem, may not have a viable solution.

Retired ferry boat captain.;)

I haven't yet purchased DOStoUSB or Printfil? Neither requires the StarTech card to my knowledge as that software doesn't require the parallel port. If you can print from Windows using the USB........supposedly, you can print from DOS.

I'd like some input from anyone who has tried either product.........??

I'd have already purchased a new printer if it didn't cost $1K. It's a wide format printer for my drawings.

Interesting. That terminology is over my head.........but, as soon as I hear the word "reinstall"...........I'm running away.

I don't believe there is a hardware solution..........but one of those software solutions might do the trick.

I wasn't trying to be (that) mean. :D Dells.....I've had too much unpleasantness in dealing with them over the years.

I am sure you have the abilities to build a PC....with about 10-15 mins of reading about the assembly process I am quite sure you could build one. Modern PC's require very few components anyways since most of it is built into the motherboard.

You'd need: Case, Power Supply, DVD-Burner of choice, Motherboard, RAM, CPU, Hard Drive, Graphics Card (optional), CPU Cooler.....maybe some fans. Throw it all together in an hour or so....and...you're set.

Then you'd have a computer with all BIOS options open and available for configuring as you need them.