🚀 go-pugleaf

When I use my Okidata OL-400 page printer under Windows 3.1, everything works
fine.  I can print from any Windows application -- Ventura, MS Write, you
name it.

If I shut down Windows, a quick mem/c lets me see that Windows does not leave
any handy-dandy printer drivers hanging around.  Nevertheless, if I now print
from DOS -- copy abc.txt lpt1: -- everything still works just great (I do
need to supply a trailing FF to get the last page out, but that's no
trouble).

*BUT* ... if I just boot DOS, without running Windows at all, I can't print
beans.  Any attempt to write to lpt1 hangs solid; interrupts are ignored.
The "Data Present" message does not appear on the printer (it still shows "On
Line") and the green LED doesn't blink.  So there's nothing leaving the
parallel port at all.

The documentation mentions *no* required setup.  The connectivity test
Okidata recommends is to "turn on your computer and printer" and run a
three-line BASIC program.  Yes, I even stooped so low as to do that.  Hangs
in plain DOS.  Works fine if Windows has been started and stopped.  Works
fine if Windows is running.

What is Windows doing for me, and what traces does it leave behind after it
has been terminated?  If I knew that, I ought to be able to find some way to
duplicate the effect in DOS.  After three days of busy signals at Okidata's
tech support, I finally got through to a fellow who had no idea whatsoever.

Thanks in advance for any ideas you have to offer.

-- 
Jonathan C. Rice  |   rice@zizania.cray.com  |  ...uunet!cray!rice