USB Parallel adapter--source for driver?

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gingerpeach123

Hi, all,

I am trying to connect my Epson Stylus Color 600 to a new HP Pavilion laptop
running Vista. Neither the laptop nor the QuickDock have a parallel printer
connection, so I bought a USB parallel adapter and tried to hook it up. The
laptop came with a driver for the printer, but when I plug everything in it
is only recognized as an "unknown USB device," and the list of ports I see
while trying to add the printer doesn't allow me to choose a USB port. Based
on some web searching, I am guessing that the missing link is a driver for
the USB parallel adapter itself. (I didn't realize I might need this when I
bought the adapter so I didn't look for one that came with software.) Anyway,
is there any reliable site from which a person can download USB parallel
driver software that works with Vista? Other ideas (short of scrapping the
printer) that I should try?

Thanks!
 
You would need to find out who made the USB to Parallel adapter and get the
Vista drivers from them. Check the package for a brand name or model number
and get creative with Google if necessary.
 
In message <[email protected]>
I am trying to connect my Epson Stylus Color 600 to a new HP Pavilion laptop
running Vista. Neither the laptop nor the QuickDock have a parallel printer
connection, so I bought a USB parallel adapter and tried to hook it up. The
laptop came with a driver for the printer, but when I plug everything in it
is only recognized as an "unknown USB device," and the list of ports I see
while trying to add the printer doesn't allow me to choose a USB port. Based
on some web searching, I am guessing that the missing link is a driver for
the USB parallel adapter itself. (I didn't realize I might need this when I
bought the adapter so I didn't look for one that came with software.) Anyway,
is there any reliable site from which a person can download USB parallel
driver software that works with Vista? Other ideas (short of scrapping the
printer) that I should try?
Click to expand...

Give Windows Update's Driver section a shot, and/or Vista's "Problem
Reports and Solutions", I've managed to snag a couple functional drivers
from chipset manufacturers through these methods when the actual brand
making the device actually went out of business before Vista hit the
market.

Now that I know the chipset, finding drivers is easy, but there was no
easy way to identify the chipset within the device.
 
I also have a USB->Parallel (Belkin IIRC) adapter cable that I use both with
XP Pro and Vista Ultimate without any issue. It is a little troublesome to
install but you should not need any specific driver except for the printer
driver from Epson.

Unfortunately I have to do this from memory as I haven't had to install my
Canon BJC80 printer in a long time. The installation is a little different
for this type of installation than either a USB-USB or Parallel - Parallel
install the first time. Once one printer is installed with this method, the
other installs are much easier. Insert the driver installation disk into
the computer and allow it to install the drivers. Attach and turn on the
printer. If the Add printer wizard starts, select the Local port radio
button and then click the drop down list arrow next to LPT1. See if you see
any USB ports listed on your computer. If not install to the LPT1 port. If
there are available USB ports for printers available, select one. Once that
is done you "may" need to turn off bidirectional printing on the General tab
of the printer's Properties menu. Test print and you probably are done.

If installed to the LPT1 port, you then need to right click on the printer
in Printers under Control Panel. Select Properties and then Ports. Scroll
down to find a USB printer port and assign by clicking the square box beside
the appropriate USB port. If there are no USB ports available then you need
to create one. Click on Add Port, for name, name it "USB printer port" and
then for driver location you need to drill down to Windows, Inf,
USBprint.inf for the information file. If this doesn't work you many need
to recreate the port using USBPort.inf instead. (I really can't remember
which to use as it has, as I have said, been a long time.)

Once the printer is working successfully, you always should plug in the
printer to that same USB port otherwise the machine will automatically
install another copy of the driver for the new port and also require you to
select it from the printer dialog. I physically mark my computer's top
where the printer is plugged into so this won't happen when I get ready to
plug in and print.

If this doesn't work for you post back please.
 
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