Making lpt1 port bidirectional

[Guest]

I am wondering how to enable the lpt1 port to become bidirectional. I have
an hp dx2300 machine that is running XP. I've went into BIOS and changed the
parallel port settings (EPP, ECP, EPP + ECP, Normal) and each time I did that
I went into the properties for the lpt1 port, and then clicked on the port
tab, the "enable bidirectional support" is greyed out. Why is it always
greyed out? How can I get it not to be greyed out so I can put a check into
the box next to "enable bidirectional support"?

I need bidirectional support for one of my users that has gotten the new
dx2300 pc. I need to install a block on the parallel port for an
attendence/payroll program. This block provides additional functions inwhich
the user needs to perform their job. We have a program that can identify if
the block is connected to the parallel port, and when we run this program on
the new machines, it doesn't find the block. I contacted the vendor and they
said it should work on XP. It works fine on our old pcs running windows 2000.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,

dww

 

[Guest]

Enabling ECP should make the port configurable as bi-directional. I would
suspect something wrong physically with the port. (bent pin?)

 

[smlunatick]

I am wondering how to enable the lpt1 port to become bidirectional. I have
an hp dx2300 machine that is running XP. I've went into BIOS and changed the
parallel port settings (EPP, ECP, EPP + ECP, Normal) and each time I did that
I went into the properties for the lpt1 port, and then clicked on the port
tab, the "enable bidirectional support" is greyed out. Why is it always
greyed out? How can I get it not to be greyed out so I can put a check into
the box next to "enable bidirectional support"?

I need bidirectional support for one of my users that has gotten the new
dx2300 pc. I need to install a block on the parallel port for an
attendence/payroll program. This block provides additional functions inwhich
the user needs to perform their job. We have a program that can identify if
the block is connected to the parallel port, and when we run this program on
the new machines, it doesn't find the block. I contacted the vendor and they
said it should work on XP. It works fine on our old pcs running windows 2000.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,

dww

A few things:

1) Delete the LPT1 from Windows Xp Device Manager before going into
the BIOS to change the EPP mode. Let Xp re-drect the port on the next
reboot.

2) You are trying to install a speicialised Parallel security key
block onto this port. XP does not like to have other parallel port
devices than printers.

3) XP does not allow direct hardware access to the parallel port.
You need to a third party parallel port driver. Look for possible
solutions based for AutoCAD.

 

[Guest]

A few things:

1) Delete the LPT1 from Windows Xp Device Manager before going into
the BIOS to change the EPP mode. Let Xp re-drect the port on the next
reboot.

2) You are trying to install a speicialised Parallel security key
block onto this port. XP does not like to have other parallel port
devices than printers.

3) XP does not allow direct hardware access to the parallel port.
You need to a third party parallel port driver. Look for possible
solutions based for AutoCAD.

Thanks for your help smlunatick! This helped me out. I followed your first
step and I was able to enable bidirectional support.

Thanks