ECP printer port (LPT1) question

cyberratcyberrat
edited December 2004 in Hardware
my daughters new printer was not working so she deleted the ECP printer port (LPT1) from the device manager :eek: thinking it would reinstall like other items like dvd and cd rom drives do well it did'nt now the question is how do i get it back? :confused: shes running windows 98

Comments

  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited December 2004
    Is there a Add Hardware function in the Control Panel or a search for added Hardware. Its been forever since I have used 98.
  • cyberratcyberrat
    edited December 2004
    ah yes there is i will have her give it a try when she get back from here class
    dont know why i did not think of that
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited December 2004
    Actually, depending on the printer you might have to play with BIOS printer port mode settings ALSO. The older computers with 98 on them can have SPP (standard Print Port, not a two-way port), EPP (enhanced parallel port), and ECP options. Depending on the driver and cable used (parallel cables exist that are not two-way capable) the port might have to be set to SPP and widnows told not to spool print jobs-- rather they might have to be sent directly to the printer. With a modern printer, to print in parallel print mode you might need an IEEE1284 compatible cable or an HP compatible cable and not just a "normal (one-way)" printer cable. So, if the printer does not work after restarting widnows and uninstalling the printer drivers for the printer and relaoding them, or the printer drivers cannot detect the printer, then try a premium parallel printer cable which meets IEEE1284 standards. Belkin (among others) makes them, Circuit City and Staples and Office Depot sell them.

    LPT port base drivers should be autoreloaded at boot (from a restart for fastest results, from a cold boot for slightly slower results, and longest is typically to add\remove hardware, accessed from within Control Panel) unless they are corrupted. But the wrong parallel cable is most common culprit with that problem. Yes, Mom and one of my brothers both have 98 boxes STILL.
  • cyberratcyberrat
    edited December 2004
    add hardware worked great that port is back
    thanks for all the help :thumbsup:
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