Dot Matrix and Lpt1 Problem, WEIRD PLZ READ

[confusedtekguy]

Using Epson LQ-570e on a win2k sp4 machine, with an intel motherboard and integrated lpt1. It is a local printer and is NOT shared. Printer used to work fine for 2 years, all of a sudden it stops and doesnt work on any computers in the office. We get a new, identical printer and try to print on different machines and same story... Plug and play would recognize the printer, install latest drivers(downloaded from epson.com) but when it comes to print a test page is comes up with an error that it could not print to lpt1. I tried printing to lpt1 from command prompt by typing in: dir > lpt1, same message(on 3 different comps).
We go out and get another printer Okidata 320 turbo. Try it on 3 different lpt1 ports of 3 differnt machines - SAME THING. We are running completely uptodate virus protection - McAfee that updates itself every time you turn on the PC, and has ondemand scan, so it's not a virus. Here's what I tried:
LPT1 properties from device manager: Port never use an iterrupt, Plug&Play enabled.
Printer Properties: Port > lpt1, Advanced > Print directly to printer.
BIOS: Parrallel port configs tried: parrallel port enabled, parralel port auto. Config: Bidirectional, EPI, and the other one - EPC something.
After playing with BIOS, flashed BIOS and loaded uptodate BIOS from intel.com.

I'M OUT OF IDEAS PLEASE HELP!!!

P.S. We did get the Okidata 320 to work because it has a USB interface, so the printer WORKS!!! But LPT doesnt on the 3 comps that we tried!

 

[edfair]

Can you get a MSDOS boot disk and retry the dir > lpt?
And all the tests you are making are on the same cable?

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[confusedtekguy]

We switched cables a few times, ran to store and even got new ones, still no luck. And I havent tried printing from MS-DOS bootable disk, but still, to have same problem on all the comps is VERY weird. I've even unpluged the test comps from the network and tested as a single workstation! When I tried on XP laptop, it just kept spiting out garbage as if the driver didnt match, even though I downloaded an Epson driver from their website.

 

[edfair]

How about trying it with MSDOS after taking it to total power off. Pull the plug for a minute before you bring it back up.
Should run fine with the printer port as SPP if that is a choice.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[confusedtekguy]

Thanks Ed will try that on Monday, what happens if it does print from MSDOS? That still doesnt help my windows problem :-(

 

[UncleRick]

Try giving the port an interrupt. 7 in the old days.

What changed from when it worked to when it stopped?

Can you disable the antivirus programm? I have seen that stop printers(usually Norton though).

Has lpt1 been captured for a network port?

If it is an older printer then the BIOS setting SPP is good. For many of the newer printer you need to use EPP or ECP as they provide by-directional support. The users manual should say which is approperate if the model is newer. older model just assume it is set to SPP which is a unidirectional buffered port.

Make sure you are using an IEEE1284 cable. IMO Cheap cables suck.

good luck,