Parallel Port with XP

[Guest]

I have a Dell Inspiron 4100 Notebook, with Microsoft XP SP2.
I was told that I should not connect my printer's parallel port cable to the
computer while the computer is on, and if I do, I could damage the port.
Rather I should shut down, then connect it, and the reboot.
This is very inconvenient to do.
Is this really true?

 

[Steve N.]

I have a Dell Inspiron 4100 Notebook, with Microsoft XP SP2.
I was told that I should not connect my printer's parallel port cable to the
computer while the computer is on, and if I do, I could damage the port.
Rather I should shut down, then connect it, and the reboot.
This is very inconvenient to do.
Is this really true?

Yes it is true and make sure the printer is also off.

Sorry if it is very inconvenient for you but it's much less inconvenient
than having to replace your motherboard and/or printer because you fried
interface port(s) by plugging it in with power on..

Steve

 

[Guest]

That is NOT true. They want you to do it that way for instalation of drivers.

 

[T. Waters]

I have a Dell Inspiron 4100 Notebook, with Microsoft XP SP2.
I was told that I should not connect my printer's parallel port cable
to the computer while the computer is on, and if I do, I could damage
the port. Rather I should shut down, then connect it, and the reboot.
This is very inconvenient to do.
Is this really true?

I I don't believe the reference to a damaged port is true.
In general, with Windows Plug-and-Play feature, the feature works by
detecting new hardware upon booting up, not during use.
Have you had any problems with connecting the printer cable during use?
If it works for you, it should not be able to damage the computer,
particularly if the printer is not powered on at the time it is plugged in.

 

[Guest]

Thanks.
You say it's true.
jeridbohmann says it's not true.
What should I do????

 

[T. Waters]

I I don't believe the reference to a damaged port is true.
In general, with Windows Plug-and-Play feature, the feature works by
detecting new hardware upon booting up, not during use.
Have you had any problems with connecting the printer cable during
use?
If it works for you, it should not be able to damage the computer,
particularly if the printer is not powered on at the time it is
plugged in.

Per Steve's post, the note about not plugging in a powered-on printer is of
paramount importance. In my case, the printer is set to power off shortly
after a print job, so my assumption was that your printer would only be
turned on after the print job was sent.Your results may vary. Caution is
advised.

 

[T. Waters]

Steve is smarter.
Also, if your computer is set to always power itself automatically, you will
never plug in a powered-on printer, so weigh your risks and take your
chances.

 

[T. Waters]

that is, "power itself *OFF* automatically.

Steve is smarter.
Also, if your computer is set to always power itself automatically,
you will never plug in a powered-on printer, so weigh your risks and
take your chances.

 

[CWatters]

I have a Dell Inspiron 4100 Notebook, with Microsoft XP SP2.
I was told that I should not connect my printer's parallel port cable to the
computer while the computer is on, and if I do, I could damage the port.
Rather I should shut down, then connect it, and the reboot.
This is very inconvenient to do.
Is this really true?

If you are doing this several times a day you are more likely to damage the
port with static electricity and or physically wearing out the connectors.
The plating on some is quite thin.

Perhaps consider hooking your printer to your network using a printer
server.

 

[Tim Slattery]

I have a Dell Inspiron 4100 Notebook, with Microsoft XP SP2.
I was told that I should not connect my printer's parallel port cable to the
computer while the computer is on, and if I do, I could damage the port.
Rather I should shut down, then connect it, and the reboot.
This is very inconvenient to do.
Is this really true?

Yes it is. One of the advantages that USB has over the older parallel
and serial ports is the ability to hot-swap. That means to remove and
add devices while the machine is running. The parallel and serial
ports just aren't designed to do that.

 

[Steve N.]

Thanks.
You say it's true.
jeridbohmann says it's not true.
What should I do????

Beats me. It's your stuff, take the chance if you want to. I've seen
enough parallel ports and printers become damaged by doing this to know
it's true. I've also seen people do it an it not damage anything, but I
don't like taking chances and they just lucked out.

I've been working with digital electronics, building and maintaining
computers steadily since 1985, if that might count for anything. I
happen to know how parallel ports are made and work, they have no
buffering, short-circuit or overvoltage protection, they are basically
straight TTL input/output circuits.

Steve

 

[Steve N.]

Steve is smarter.

LOL! Thanks! Somedays I'm smarter than other days.

Steve

 

[Guest]

Everyone is bringing up good points. If you are doing this 2-3 times a day,
find a different way. Parallel was not meant for that. If this is a one time
shot or a once a week kind of thing your fine. If you are going to do this
multiple times a day I would advise against it. Otherwise you'll be fine
(however notice everyone did say make sure the printer is turned off...follow
that one for sure!)

 

[Steve N.]

Yes it is. One of the advantages that USB has over the older parallel
and serial ports is the ability to hot-swap. That means to remove and
add devices while the machine is running. The parallel and serial
ports just aren't designed to do that.

Yes, serial ports aren't really designed to be hot swapable in the same
sense that we think of it today but they have sufficient internal
bufferring to prevent physical damage to them from doing so and if you
can re-initialize a serial port completely while powered it can be done
(depending on the system, the OS, the application and the device), I've
done it in the past but prefer not to.

Steve

 

[Steve N.]

I I don't believe the reference to a damaged port is true.

It is true T.W. I've seen more people break parallel ports and printers
hooking them up hot than I can remember.

In general, with Windows Plug-and-Play feature, the feature works by
detecting new hardware upon booting up, not during use.

It doesn't really have anything to do with PnP, it has to do with how
the electronics are designed.

Have you had any problems with connecting the printer cable during use?
If it works for you, it should not be able to damage the computer,
particularly if the printer is not powered on at the time it is plugged in.

Sorry, I have to disagree. Parallel connections are not hot swapable in
any way, PC and printer should both be off.

Steve

 

[R. McCarty]

Also the Parallel port mode is a factor, especially the bidirectional
and ECP modes.

 

[Guest]

T Waters writes: "I don't believe the reference to a damaged port is true"
Then he says Steve is smarter. ALP...9 years of hardware and I do it all the
time and not once has anything happened. Not saying it couldn't...just saying
it's okay to do as long as your not doing it 2-3 times a day. Pins will wear
out then. However once a week or whatever....your fine.

 

[Steve N.]

T Waters writes: "I don't believe the reference to a damaged port is true"
Then he says Steve is smarter. ALP...9 years of hardware and I do it all the
time and not once has anything happened. Not saying it couldn't...just saying
it's okay to do as long as your not doing it 2-3 times a day. Pins will wear
out then. However once a week or whatever....your fine.

I'm sorry if what T.W. say may have offended you. I don't think I'm
smarter than you, heck I just now "met" you, you could be another
Einstien for all I know. I will say (and not intending to be boasting,
just informational) that I've got 20+ years of PC experience and 30+
years of electronics experience including 25+ years of digital
electronics under my belt. It doesn't mean I'm any smarter but I have
seen a lot more and maybe I know about some stuff you don't. That's not
smarter, just different knowledge. I may not be a super-duper expert but
I do know what I've seen. You have been lucky, IMO. I've seen people do
it a lot of times and get away with it, too, but that doesn't make it a
good practice and if it isn't a good practice it isn't good advice, no
offense intended at all either.

The main issue I'm concerned about isn't pins wearing out but is that
parallel port and printer inteface use TTL circuits which are static
sensitive devices and it doesn't take much to crater `em. All it takes
is one itty bitty spark that you can't even see while you're connecting
that cable between the two hot devices, or a short between pins or pins
and shell with even one device hot and those teensy-weensie little
buggers that take the hit are so much burnt up silicon and metal oxides.
Maybe it'll happen and maybe it won't, but if it does that
port/interface is dead.

Steve

 

[Steve N.]

If you are doing this several times a day you are more likely to damage the
port with static electricity

Or electric charges other than static. Having power on one or the other
or both devices increases the chance of an electrical discharge into
those unbuffered static sensitive circuits.

and or physically wearing out the connectors.
The plating on some is quite thin.

Perhaps consider hooking your printer to your network using a printer
server.

Or getting a USB to Parallel adaptor, probably quite a bit cheaper.

Steve

 

[Jerry Schwartz]

The possibility of hardware damage is real, but small. The problem is that a
good part of the odds come from the design of the specific hardware, so some
combinations of printer / computer would never be damaged and others might.

In other words, if you've already done it a hundred times with no problems
then you're probably safe for another hundred times. If you've damaged your
computer or the printer, you're likely to do it again.

--
Regards,

Jerry Schwartz
http://www.writebynight.com
e-card JerryS https://ecardfile.com/