Unable to monitor LPT1?

[ANTant]

Hello all. I have a Windows XP Media Center SP1 (all updates) with HP
DeskJet 450 printer connected with parallel connection. The printer can
print fine, but the ToolBox software cannot monitor the printer status
like ink cartridge amounts.

I tried fiddling with bidirectional, ECP, EPP, etc. in BIOS but that
didn't help. Here's what is more interesting. The old EPSON Color Stylus
880 printer with the parallel conncection on the same Toshiba Satellite
P15-S470 can monitor just fine.

I am at a loss why this doesn't work correctly with the HP printer.
Note that there are two HP printer connections (LPT1 and IRDA) and then
the Epson one (LPT1 as well).

Thank you in advance.
--
"Ever watch ants just crawling around? They walk in that single straight line, a long, a long, long
mile of ants. Sometimes they will walk over and pick up their dead friends and carry those around.
I'm pretty sure it's because they can get in the carpool lane and pass up that line." --Ellen
DeGeneres
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[Simon Elliott]

I tried fiddling with bidirectional, ECP, EPP, etc. in BIOS but that
didn't help. Here's what is more interesting. The old EPSON Color
Stylus 880 printer with the parallel conncection on the same Toshiba
Satellite P15-S470 can monitor just fine.

I've usally found that problems of this nature have been due to the
printer cable. Even if you used the same cable for both printers, it
could be that the HP printer is a bit more fussy.

 

[ANTant]

I've usally found that problems of this nature have been due to the
printer cable. Even if you used the same cable for both printers, it
could be that the HP printer is a bit more fussy.

So, how do I determine if it is good or not? I know the cable is a bit
old.
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"At high tide the fish eat ants; at low tide the ants eat fish." --Thai Proverb
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[George E. Cawthon]

So, how do I determine if it is good or not? I know the cable is a bit
old.

It is the printer driver. Your printer is old and hp didn't
update all the printer drivers for XP. I have an hp970, it
works fine but the ink monitor won't on XP. The problem was
widely discussed when XP came out. The hp ink monitor is
really a wild estimate anyway, so neither of us has lost much.

 

[ANTant]

I tried fiddling with bidirectional, ECP, EPP, etc. in BIOS but that

It is the printer driver. Your printer is old and hp didn't
update all the printer drivers for XP. I have an hp970, it
works fine but the ink monitor won't on XP. The problem was
widely discussed when XP came out. The hp ink monitor is
really a wild estimate anyway, so neither of us has lost much.

Interesting. When did the printer come out? I asked my father, who bought
this printer, and he said he bought it less than a year ago. So no newer
drivers will fix this. That sucks.

What else is limited from this HP's outdated driver?
--
"At high tide the fish eat ants; at low tide the ants eat fish." --Thai Proverb
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