Do you still have the printer port installed? If yes or no, if there are any LPT ports listed in device manager, delete them then restart the computer.

Part of the problem may be a mis match between the configuration of the card and what the computer thinks is there.

by removing the devices installed software it may re-find the card and configure it properly.

Ideally you'll remove the card, remove any installed drivers, then restart the computer without the card installed. check for resources available for IO and IRQ. once you know what's available it's easy to configure the card to use the available resources. that is, on the big guess that the card is user configurable.

Of course I have the printer port installed. It's LPT-1 for the card.

Why would I delete it?

The card is user configurable for the port. It's not configurable for the IRQ. The SIIG card is also not configurable for IRQ...........that's the job of the computer.

If you don’t know what resources the computer is using without the card installed you’ll never likely figure out if the problem is due to the card or something else

What exactly can you configure on the card?

Under the PCI multifunction adaptor, properties, the following is listed:

I/O Range: DE00-DE07
I/O Range: DD00-DD07
IRQ: 16

I cannot change any of this data.


Under the ports, I can set the card to whatever port I choose.

On the card, itself, nothing is configurable on the hardware.

Checking back into the IRQ list, the following is of interest:

ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ARE ASSIGNED TO IRQ-16:

1) Intel G33/G31/P45 Express Chip Set
2) Intel ICH9 Family universal host controller
3) NVIDIA Geoforce 8300 GS
4) PCI multifunction I/O adaptor


How can that possibly work?

This is from the lpt port?

Do you have another computer to which you can connect the lpt port?

This is from the "device manager" under "multi-function adaptors".

The old computer has an onboard parallel interface. It works fine with the printer.

I'll point out that the fact the motherboards failed in the first place was that they were from dell.....

I have yet to have a motherboard fail, and I've had several of them running for 5+ years of 24/7 use.

__________________
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'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
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'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I have been trying to track this but what is the current objective, is the Startech card still in or is the SIIG card just a option of discussion?

Is it this ?

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/integration.workflowroductDisplayItem?IsBundle=false&GroupID=38&Code=30R6647&OID=:00000026:00000DFD:&cid=USPIYH30R6647&

Under the Control Panel ->Device Manager->Ports

What is listed?

__________________
1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

The Startech card is still in the machine. The SIIG card was an option but SIIG also says it's unlikely to work if the Startech card didn't work. They don't really know how to configure it.

The cable that you reference is a USB to parallel cable. It works fine and allows printing from Windows.

The current objective would be to get the computer to print from the DOS shell.

Under the device manager, the only thing listed under ports is the card:

PCI EPP/ECP parallel port (LPT-1)

I found this article.

http://geekswithblogs.net/dtotzke/articles/26204.aspx

It essentially turns the physically attached printer into a networked printer due to the awkward connectivity. Perhaps give that a try?

I can't try it here since we're all printing via IP but I can try this when I get home...

__________________
1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

It's a bit over my head and the potential for failure is significant based upon the comments.

I'm going to try the DOStoUSB software.

All done.

Installed and works as advertised.

One benefit that I had not realized:

The software works with the Canon........which does not have a DOS printer driver. This is excellent because I only need the letter size printer for my DOS printing tasks. I really don't need the large format Epson, but had to use it because it's got a DOS driver.

Best $20. I've spent in awhile.

6 pages 88 posts, dos2usb---->build new computer------>dos2usb yip this is mercedesshop

Glad it worked!

Thanks........should have just done it from the original post.......all of the remaining struggles were for naught.......nobody can get DOS to print via a parallel port on a Dell......and that includes Dell, StarTech, and Epson.