🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sun, 05 Nov 2000 13:46:21 GMT, in <comp.os.ms-windows.setup.win3x>, "Jef"
<jan.smith@pandora.be> wrote:
 >
 > Hi,
 > 
 > I have to install a HP640C on a 386DX/40 with windows 3.11 (long time no
 > see)
 > 
 > The problem when installing the driver is:
 > - the installation program did not find the printer on lpt1 (or the other
 > parallel ports LPT1 to lpt3).
 > I checked the ports in windows, seem to be ok
    [snip]

Install (if it is not already) the "Generic / Text Only" printer driver and
point it to that same parallal port.  Then try a "simple" print job, such as
"DIR Z > LPT1:" from a DOS Box.  Does that work?  If so, the port is OK, and
Windows _can_ find it (those can be two different things); so you'll likely
just have to explicitly tell the HP printer driver what port to use, instead
of letting it try to find it automagically.

 > - a second problem is that bidirectional communication is not working. 
 > This prevents getting status info from the printer.
    [snip]

No surprise, considering the age of the system (and the port in particular).
What that driver is referring to as "bidirectional communication" is a
feature generally found only on newer EPP/ECP-enebled parallel ports.  Tell
the driver that the port is a "Standard Parallel Port", and see if that
helps.

Also, how much memory is in this system?  While the printer driver itself
probably does not require all that much (tho' HP's drivers do tend to get
"ambitious" -- sometimes "overly ambitious"), the install/setup routine
could well be VERY hungry.

-- Jay T. Blocksom
   ----------------------------
   Appropriate Technology, Inc.
   approtek[at]rcn.com

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