HP Vectra VL, Printer Port Not responding

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

I have just loaded Win XP on my HP Vectra VL. Everything works well except
the HP LaserJet 4L printer. The printer works fine on another machine with
Win Xp so I know it's not the printer.

When I plug the printer into LPT1 the computer does not detect it. From
Control Panel, the Device Manager says the port LPT1 is working properly.

I have eliminated the possibility of incompatibility with Win XP. I know
the printer is OK. I also know the printer worked fine on the HP Vectra
when it was running Win 2000.

Can anyone provide any advice on fixing this problem, (i.e. getting the
printer working.)

Thanks,


Ian

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Is the printer cable known to be in good working order?

What are the symptoms?

I'm pretty sure that the 4L is not truly plug-and-play. It is too old for that.
Try installing the drivers after unchecking the XP printer Plug-and-Play check
box. In other words, don't wait for XP to tell you it is there. ASSUME it is
there, and install the 4L driver.

Did the printer work OK when the Vectra VL has another earlier operating system
on it?

.... Ben Myers

On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 21:36:27 -0500, "Ian" <news@(nospam)stocknet.ca> wrote:

>I have just loaded Win XP on my HP Vectra VL. Everything works well except
>the HP LaserJet 4L printer. The printer works fine on another machine with
>Win Xp so I know it's not the printer.
>
>When I plug the printer into LPT1 the computer does not detect it. From
>Control Panel, the Device Manager says the port LPT1 is working properly.
>
>I have eliminated the possibility of incompatibility with Win XP. I know
>the printer is OK. I also know the printer worked fine on the HP Vectra
>when it was running Win 2000.
>
>Can anyone provide any advice on fixing this problem, (i.e. getting the
>printer working.)
>
>Thanks,
>
>
>Ian
>
>

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Bingo. Exactly as diagnosed.

Thanks,

Ian

"Christian Dürrhauer" <cduerr@geog.fu-berlin.de> wrote in message
news:u7mtmxwlnw2w.dlg@73137.user.dfncis.de...
> On the seventh day, Ian wrote...
>
>> Can anyone provide any advice on fixing this problem, (i.e. getting the
>> printer working.)
>
> check the BIOS setup whether or not the printer (parallel) port is
> enabled.
> You usually need to press F2 at system start, i.e. shortly after you
> powered on the machine.
>
> I've seen printer ports appearing in XP device manager when the printer
> port was in fact disabled.
>
> HTH
>
> --
> mit freundlichen Grüßen/with kind regards
> Christian Dürrhauer, Institute of Geography, FU Berlin
>
> 100,000 lemmings can't be wrong.