You would need a USB PCI card and WIN98SE.
Not worth it IMHO.

hi,

maybe a USB-to-LPT cable is what you are looking for ? Look here for example.

Alternatively you can buy an USB controller and install it in the pc so you can hook up the USB printer to that.

Hope this helps.

 

 

Rijko

The USB (Printer) to Parallel (PC) cable is exactly what I'm looking for.  Do you know of a distributor in the US?

 

Thanks to both of you for your replies.

The USB controller on the XMT5 590 aka 90Mhz Pentium 1 system is
USB 1.0 not USB 1.1 compatable.

This is a hardware issue that cannot be fixed.
Any USB solution is going to REQUIRE USB 1.1 hardware and WIN98SE software or its NOT EVER GOING TO WORK.

Upgrading to an Optiplex GX1 with WIN98SE would solve this.

No, sorry but most computer shops have them.

I would buy one close to where you live and involve the salesguy in the buy. Make clear what you want and make sure you can return the cable if it does not work.

Good luck.

 

 

---

@Mystified1 wrote:

Rijko

The USB (Printer) to Parallel (PC) cable is exactly what I'm looking for.  Do you know of a distributor in the US?

Thanks to both of you for your replies.

---

If its an HP printer you should get an HP USB to Parallel Adaptor or they will Pass the buck when it doesnt work.

http://www.pcconnection.com/ProductDetail?sku=470314&SourceID=k15505

Others make generic versions of such things.

http://www.nextag.com/usb-to-parallel-printer-adapter/search-html

However I again  stress that WIN98SE and USB 1.1 or better ports are required.

Your system does not have USB 1.1 Compliant ports.

Various communication errors may occur, including device initialization and device not found errors.

Some Dell computers do not provide enough voltage from the USB ports to power some USB devices.

Dell recommends purchasing a powered USB hub to provide the USB devices with enough power to operate correctly. A USB keyboard with built in hub is not a solution and can worsen this problem.

The 430HX chipset has several problems including PCI 2.1 spec and USB 1.0 not 1.1 Spec.

Plugging in a PCI 2.2 card will likely make the system DEAD until the card is removed.

 

Hi Speedstep,

i advised to go for the USB (printer) to LPT (laptop) cable, or a USB controller.

Mystified looks interested in the cable.

Neither uses the onboard USB port, so repeating the warning may not be necessary.

Best regards.

 

Using the cable in the picture above with WIN95 and or the onboard USB 1.0 ports is VERY UNLIKELY to work.

If he can find an OHCI USB 1.1 pci controller then with WIN98SE it might work.
One using the OPTI Chipset.

Newer USB 2.0 cards are PCI 2.2 and will HANG his system.

Hi,

I'm very appreciative of all the information you have provided. I've decided to use a parallel printer  with the Optiplex Win 98 and use the USB printer on a Win 98 system.  Actually, I've recently purchased a Dimension 4700 with XP and I'm upgrading my church's computer (Optiplex) with my old XPS T500 Win 98SE.  I've inherited the Optiplex and will use it for word processing. 

 

Thanks again for your time and research.