ajose

Does your printer plug into a scanner that plugs into your parallel port? Some printers and scanners don't like to do that. i.e. Canon BJC5100. We ran into that same problem with a Logitech Scanner that plugs into the parallel port. The printer then plugs into the scanner. If you have a scenario like that, then you need to get another parallel card, or buy a parallel switcher or simply unplug one to plug in the other when you use it.

...there's got to be a way to blame Bill Gates for this

My paralel connection is more complex than just that... :-)))))

From the paralel port goes to a switch which comutes between 'WebCam' / 'Scanner/Printer' and 'Paralel port'

From the 1st, it goes to another switch which comutes between 'WebCam' and 'Scanner/Printer'

(in fact the printer is connected through the scanner and the HP DeskJet 500C I had always worked well and the OKI 4W Plus I have now also (they are just unidirectional and do not send data to teh computer).

From the 2nd it goes to another switch in which I can have to diferent item connected to the paralel port (right now I just have the cables, nothing connected to them).

Its effective and when this was setup, I couldn't connect USB devices as my preious computer didn't had it.
The one I have now already has it but I still have to find the time to make the changes.... :-)))

And as to the hardware of the paralel port one should not blame Bill for it.... In fact the hardware there was already there, defined by IBM engeneers.... :-))))

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