> > Ok, I don't think I can help Mousie, but HardWare I know. Go back into the CMOS SETUP where you changed to the DEFAULT settings. Look for a section that reads something like INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS. When you find it go into it and look for the following:
> >
> > 1) LPT PORT
> > 2) PARALLEL PORT
> > or
> > 3) PRINTER PORT
> >
> > If you don't have INTEGRATED PERIPHERALS just go through each section looking for one of the above.
> > When you have found the section you're looking for you first want to make sure the printer port is turned on. There should be an ENABLE/DISABLE toggle. Next make sure the port is set at address 378h. If an IRQ or INTERRUPT is registered it should be at 7. Sometimes it doesn't let you control that. Next see if there is a place to change the mode. This, if present, will toggle between the following:
> >
> > 1)NORMAL
> > 2)SPP
> > 3)ECP
> > 4)EPP
> > 5)ECP/EPP
> >
> > Set it for ECP/EPP. This is the speed that the data is transferred from the port to the printer. ECP/EPP is recommended, and sometimes necessary, for todays high speed printers to print correctly. If you set the machine to default settings the port was probably set back to NORMAL, if not disabled all together. Now save the changes and reboot the machine. When Windows comes up you will probably see it detect a new port. Sometimes it doesn't actually show this but most times it will. When Windows is completely up try printing. If this doesn't work I'd find someone close who works on computers and have him/her run a loop back test on the port to make sure it's still working.
> >
> > Drac
>
>
> Heh. Thanks Drac. Ditto all the above, that definitely ought to get you back on track Chris.

[starts sobbing]

> You may have a printer selection for BIDIRECTIONAL in your CMOS menu where all the SPP (standard parallel port), ECP (higher-speed printer), and EPP (for slower zip drives) stuff is located. At least, that's what I've been assuming all those acronyms meant.

Assuminthat's what they meant, well, it's better than I can do.
I don't have any of those immediately visible. Not an LPT Port or ECP/EPP to be found. It's a few years old-- five, maybe six-- has anything relevant changed?

> Once you get your printer working and other parts of your system to your liking, Chris, I recommend you write down all your CMOS settings for future reference or problems (such as when your battery runs out and wipes the settings). Writing the settings is actually a good policy for pretty well any PC.
>
To my liking? I settle for functional anymore, but it still seems like sound adivce.

> It's funny. What with Plug 'n Play, Auto-Detect Peripheral compatibilities on Pentium boards, etc., installing new hardware components was supposed to get *easier* for users. Instead, you can now put in a new video or sound card and experience the total gratification of IRQ conflicts, and having to constantly reboot the computer 5 times until for some magical reason Windows "gets it" and installs the component correctly.

My policy's pretty similar-- if at first you don't succeed, whack the biggest box a few times and try, try again and again and again.... Even though it only works well for a few days-- weeks, if I'm lucky.
; -)


> I hate not knowing why it "worked" *that* time and not the others.

I settle for it working at all.

> In the good-bad old days of card jumper settings, we could reset the CMOS to our heart's delight and never lost the printer port connection. Of course, you might later lose the paper with the jumper settings on it and then you're in trouble, but that's another story.

I'll put it somewhere I won't forget it. That's what happened to Atlantis, y'know. And the installation disks for the printer. And Hoffa, can't forget him. At least I won't have to worry about finding it again....

Chr"com...puuuuu.....ter"is