LPT port problems

Terryl

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Yes you read it right, an LPT port. (What the heck is an LPT port???)

I had to move to a new computer on one setup, the old one is slowly dying out, all programs were transferred using Laplink pro and that went flawlessly.

(The new PC has an SSD drive and man is it fast)

Now, here is the problem, the old PC did not have a LPT port, so I installed a PCIe LPT port card, it worked flawlessly till the swap to the new PC, all drivers were installed correctly in the new PC, and the port shows up in hardware manager, and has the correct LPT port assignment.......BUT the problem is the the Parallel port key for the design software** is not being detected.

I have done everything I can think of to get this to work, if I swap the card and key back to the old PC it works fine, the new and old PC's are Dell's but different models, I have updated all drivers and hardware drivers to the latest and greatest with no luck.

I have ordered a LPT port tester to use with some port testing software I have downloaded but it will take a few days for it to get here.

Anyone know a good way to test this port without hardware attached????? (the BIG question)

**The reason behind the addition of a parallel port, it needs one for the software key.


Stumped and banging my head against the wall.....:confused-doh:-wow
 
A

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Yes you read it right, an LPT port. (What the heck is an LPT port???)

I had to move to a new computer on one setup, the old one is slowly dying out, all programs were transferred using Laplink pro and that went flawlessly.

(The new PC has an SSD drive and man is it fast)

Now, here is the problem, the old PC did not have a LPT port, so I installed a PCIe LPT port card, it worked flawlessly till the swap to the new PC, all drivers were installed correctly in the new PC, and the port shows up in hardware manager, and has the correct LPT port assignment.......BUT the problem is the the Parallel port key for the design software** is not being detected.

I have done everything I can think of to get this to work, if I swap the card and key back to the old PC it works fine, the new and old PC's are Dell's but different models, I have updated all drivers and hardware drivers to the latest and greatest with no luck.

I have ordered a LPT port tester to use with some port testing software I have downloaded but it will take a few days for it to get here.

Anyone know a good way to test this port without hardware attached????? (the BIG question)

**The reason behind the addition of a parallel port, it needs one for the software key.


Stumped and banging my head against the wall.....:confused-doh:-wow
Would it not be simpler to buy either an pcie lpt card or if your motherboard has the headers to plug in a socket.
 

2cvbloke

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Maybe you should fire off an email to the software company to see whether they have a fix for it or not...
 

Terryl

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Would it not be simpler to buy either an pcie lpt card or if your motherboard has the headers to plug in a socket.
It is a PCIe card, I moved it from the old PC to the new one and installed all drivers.
 

Terryl

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Maybe you should fire off an email to the software company to see whether they have a fix for it or not...
Spent 3 hrs online with them and the PCI board manufacture, no luck, I guess will wait out the arrival of the port tester, oh well.
 

Analoguesat

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See what com port its been assigned (if any) - something that old probably wont cope if its above 4 I had problems when I set my weather station up - the serial to usb patch cable had to be be reset as the COM assignment was about 7
 

Terryl

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They dont use COM ports but use LPT port numbers, and I know they went out with the cave bears, but the software my Sister uses for cabinet design came with a LPT port hardware key, She can upgrade to a USB key but not for $700 USD.

So I installed a PCIe LPT card in the old PC (replaced the first one that the software was originally on, that PC had a LPT port built in )(by the way this is the third computer) to make the key available, worked flawlessly, now many years later that replacment PC is slowly dying out, went out an got a new (refurbished) one and transferred the software to it, the transfer went flawlessly, the only thing that does not work is that the design software does not see the hardware key.

The PCIe card is showing up in the hardware manager as an LPT port, and I can change the LPT port number, but the design software does not see the key, and the company does not support the software anymore, they want you to buy their new stuff.( $9000 USD for new stuff)

I am going line by line through the registry comparing the installs, also checking the programs to see if something was missed or configured wrong, but that is very very time consuming.(went to bed around 3AM)

I have ordered a parallel port hardware interface jig, and have downloaded some LPT port com checking softeware, but was looking to others to see if they might have any ideas on a good way to look at the settings while I await the snail mail.
 

Terryl

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OK kids I got desperate and just googled "Cabinetware cant find the hardware key" and got lucky, found out I needed to update the "Sentinel Dirver" so looked that up, found the right version downloaded the driver up date and POOOOF it works, now for that bottle of scotch, thaks to all that helped out.

Terryl
 

TJExcalibur

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I remove all of the hdd's from the computers I am dumping. If I want any old data on the old drives I use Cyclone Micro to plug the drives into usb on my computer. Amazing what you find when going back years.
 
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