Not working Parallel Printer/USB converter cable for XPS 600

SIIG card arrived today. Installed it without too much trouble. Device Manager says  device is working properly. Card shows up under Multifunction Adapters and Ports (Com&LP). Is that OK? There is a difference in the I/O resources shown for the card in these two places. Does that matter?

Installed the Win XP driver for my HP OfficeJet. Install failed several times but finally seemed to be OK.

The bottom line.

1- Communication between the PC and the OJ always fails during boot. I have to close the OJ app and then reopen it. This usually works.

2- Printing always works.

3- Scanning usually works, but sometimes the PC/OJ communication fails during this operation.

4- Copying (controlled from the PC) usually fails. The copy is either incomplete or the PC/OJ communication fails.

5- So far, faxing (inbound or outbound) hasn't worked. I never hear the fax tones.

There are a few tweaks I can try in the Ports info of Device Manager. If that doesn't work, I'll repeat the entire process (install card and OJ SW). If that doesn't work, the card goes back to Buy.com and I'll buy a new USB-based OJ. (My wife has offered to get me one for Valentines Day:smileyvery-happy:)

Anybody have any ideas as to what the trouble is? When the PC/OJ comm fails there is a msg saying that the cable may be bad. I'd hate to try a new one unless it's returnable.

Hi, markojo;

Boy... that really is a lot of work for a silly little parallel port, huh!  It's too bad that didn't work out for you.  I checked my device manager, and mine also shows up in both locations (multifunction adapters, and ports).  As long as it's not showing any conflicts, it should be fine.  I'm not sure why some things would work with your printer, but not others... if you know the port is functioning normally, and you got a new cable, then it almost sounds like a driver problem (especially since there were multiple installation issues).  Well, at least the wife is willing to get you a new OJ... and thankfully, USB installations are usually painless.  So hopefully that will be the end of this issue for you.

How about you, Ed... any progress?

Jeff

Jeff (and Markojo too...)


Well: I gave up. I bought a parallel printer card from CompUSA (SKU 279726), and installed it as easily as I did the parallel/serial card a couple of weeks ago. Installed drivers, and then booted up again to a now familiar blue screen with "IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" warning.

Tried several times to get into configuration to check IRQ settings but all I could do was mess with SET-UP and see that the card slot wsa populated by the card OK. In the process of checking out the SETUP I must have upset the beast and computer failed to bootup properly, hung up with a blank screen, so had to Recover using Norton Ghost installation CDROM. and my backed up system and data files on second drive. That worked flawlessly: for once (at least recently) I was happy to have a Norton product. Ghost worked nicely. ( I used t be a fan, but in last couple of years have had lots of bother with their Internet Security product hogging memory: went to trend micro PC-cillin instead..). I ditched the Ghost that came with the computer becaue I resent the hand-tying to their subscription strategy after 15 days. Insteas, I had bought a new copy/licence on Amazon, which had meant re-backing upo the entire system again onto the second drive. No matter..

So: bottom line: I give up. Lovely venerable Xerox printer will be kept in storage for nostalgia's sake or until I fell like trying again. In the meantime innocent PCI Card goes back to CompUSA. i blame the failure on my own amateur skills and Dell. As I cursed my XPS a few times, I realized that this is my 5th Dell (or 8th if one counts work computers), and the first time I have been a tad disappointed with them.....

But I AM grateful for the advise you and others have extended me on this topic!!

regards

Ed

Hi, Ed;

Well, that's a bummer... I'm sorry to hear that one didn't work for you either.  And I don't think you have yourself to blame at all; I'm wondering if there isn't some kind of hardware or software conflict on your system that is causing the trouble.  Installing something like that is supposed to be a no-brainer in a new system; other than installing the drivers, there really shouldn't be anything else that you need to do.

I know you have already given up, but I did a quick Google search for the error you are getting and came up with many results:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL&btnG=Google+Search

One of the most common causes mentioned are memory problems.  So if you ever get any other IRQ errors when installing another piece of hardware or software, you may want to keep that in mind.  Some people also report getting that error when running Zone Alarm, so it could be as simple as something installed on your system that is hogging resources that it shouldn't be.

As for Ghost; I just bought it about a month ago, along with a second internal hard drive.  I now do automated nightly backups, and I've been very happy with it so far.  I've never been good at doing regular system back-ups, so it's nice to finally have that peace of mind.  I'm glad to hear that it worked well for you, I still plan on testing it by doing a full system restore to the previous night just so I can be sure it will work correctly.  Although I agree that Symantec's programs can be resource hogs sometimes, I have generally been very happy with them.  I currently have Norton Internet Security on my system, and (on this new system at least) it really doesn't take up any resources at all.  Along with that, my Ghost is running.. as well as PcAnywhere.  I have been using Norton and other Symantec programs for years, and (at least for now) I have no reason to use anything else.

Well, I'm sorry we couldn't end this thread with two success stories... it was nice chatting with you guys, and I'll see you around the forums!

Jeff

1. I first went into add/remove programs and deleted my modem.
2. Shut my computer down.
3. Disconnected all the cables from the back of my computer.
4. Set the case down flat so that I could work on it.
5. Opened the case, taking the proper static precautions.
6. Removed my sound card first and set it aside on a piece of paper.
7. Removed my PCI modem card and then reinstalled my sound card.
8. Closed the case and set it back in its normal place.
9. After hooking all the cables back up, I then powered the computer back up.
10. Shut my computer down again.
11. Disconnected all the cables from the back of my computer again.
12. Set the case down flat so that I could work on it once more.
13. Opened the case, again taking the proper static precautions.
14. Removed my sound card first and set it aside on a piece of paper.
15. Followed the directions that came with my new parallel port card.
16. Installed the new parallel port card and then reinstalled my sound card.
17. Closed the case and set it back in its normal place.
18. Reconnect all the cables adding the parallel printer cable to the new parallel card port.
19. ***Note - Other end of parallel cable is already connected to my HP LaserJet 2100***
20. **Note - Printer is powered on, ready for computer to be turned on**
21. Turn computer on.

The computer recognized the card and my printer.  I didn't have to do anything else.  It installed perfectly!

I hope that this information will help others who still need a parallel port connection.  I did this on my XPS 400.  I would think that it would also work on the XPS 600.

Sincerely,

Hogwarts Alumni