I hope parallel ports won't become obsolete

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

I have important files stored on various 100 meg zip disks, and I have
some five year old parallel port zip drives that I still used on my
(obviously) old pc's. I plan to buy a new pc or two (maybe a desktop
and notebook) next year...i still don't need a new one yet. I'm just
wondering, do pc's still even come with parallel ports? (i don't even
know why they would anymore, except for people like me). What can I do
if pc's don't come with PPs?...any kind of "adaptor" i can use...to USB
or something like that?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Yes, obviously one should move to the latest technology in many cases
where that's possible. The whole point of my post is that I cannot.
You probably should have asked "Is there some way you can....move the
files to CD's.....?". Answer is no...I have TWO very old PC's right
now...and they have only one PP, one or 2 serials, and that's it.
Well, technically, i guess i could go out and try to buy an external CD
r/w unit (parallel port type) to use with my old pc, and transfer the
files from my PP zip drive to a cd.....no, that wouldn't even work,
unless i got lots more adaptors for my old pc's (and i probably could
never even find an external PP cd r/w unit to buy!!). So, any new pc
I buy is going to have to have PP's, or else i'm going to have to find
some kind of adaptor for the new pc to be able to use the PP zip drive
on the new pc's.


McSpreader wrote:
> "mormave" <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:1124142381.820258.187070@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>
> I think you are proposing the wrong approach. Rather than trying to
> keep obsolescent technologies (parallel ports, Zip disks) alive
> beyond their use-by date you should consider moving forward to a
> current technology. Transferring the data from Zip media to CD or
> DVD would be the obvious choice today. At some point in the future
> you'd need to consider moving the data again to the archival media
> of preference at that time.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

mormave wrote:

> Yes, obviously one should move to the latest technology in many cases
> where that's possible. The whole point of my post is that I cannot.
> You probably should have asked "Is there some way you can....move the
> files to CD's.....?". Answer is no...I have TWO very old PC's right
> now...and they have only one PP, one or 2 serials, and that's it.
> Well, technically, i guess i could go out and try to buy an external CD
> r/w unit (parallel port type) to use with my old pc, and transfer the
> files from my PP zip drive to a cd.....no, that wouldn't even work,
> unless i got lots more adaptors for my old pc's (and i probably could
> never even find an external PP cd r/w unit to buy!!). So, any new pc
> I buy is going to have to have PP's, or else i'm going to have to find
> some kind of adaptor for the new pc to be able to use the PP zip drive
> on the new pc's.

IDE Zip drives are going for 5 bucks and shipping on ebay. Just stick one
in your new machine and copy the disks.

> McSpreader wrote:
>> "mormave" <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote in
>> news:1124142381.820258.187070@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>>
>> I think you are proposing the wrong approach. Rather than trying to
>> keep obsolescent technologies (parallel ports, Zip disks) alive
>> beyond their use-by date you should consider moving forward to a
>> current technology. Transferring the data from Zip media to CD or
>> DVD would be the obvious choice today. At some point in the future
>> you'd need to consider moving the data again to the archival media
>> of preference at that time.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

mormave wrote:
> Yes, obviously one should move to the latest technology in many cases
> where that's possible. The whole point of my post is that I cannot.

It seems that mobos based on Intel 915 or NViia NForce 4 chipsets don't
have serial or parallel ports, and I've even seen Socket A mobos where
the serial or parallel port wasn't brought out in back but available
only through internal header pins.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"mormave" <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:1124142381.820258.187070@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> I have important files stored on various 100 meg zip disks, and
> I have some five year old parallel port zip drives that I still
> used on my (obviously) old pc's. I plan to buy a new pc or two
> (maybe a desktop and notebook) next year...i still don't need a
> new one yet. I'm just wondering, do pc's still even come with
> parallel ports? (i don't even know why they would anymore,
> except for people like me). What can I do if pc's don't come
> with PPs?...any kind of "adaptor" i can use...to USB or
> something like that?
>

Parallel ports are dying out gradually, as are other 'legacy' ports
- e.g. serial and PS/2. Many laptop PC mfr's have already ditched
legacy ports. Current printers - previously the main use for
parallel ports - often now use only USB.

I think you are proposing the wrong approach. Rather than trying to
keep obsolescent technologies (parallel ports, Zip disks) alive
beyond their use-by date you should consider moving forward to a
current technology. Transferring the data from Zip media to CD or
DVD would be the obvious choice today. At some point in the future
you'd need to consider moving the data again to the archival media
of preference at that time.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Naaah. Install a LAN card in one of your old PCs and network it to
a newer PC with CD/DVD writing. Copy the files across then burn
away...


"mormave" <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:1124145999.339222.93620@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> Yes, obviously one should move to the latest technology in many
> cases where that's possible. The whole point of my post is that
> I cannot. You probably should have asked "Is there some way you
> can....move the files to CD's.....?". Answer is no...I have
> TWO very old PC's right now...and they have only one PP, one or
> 2 serials, and that's it. Well, technically, i guess i could go
> out and try to buy an external CD r/w unit (parallel port type)
> to use with my old pc, and transfer the files from my PP zip
> drive to a cd.....no, that wouldn't even work, unless i got lots
> more adaptors for my old pc's (and i probably could never even
> find an external PP cd r/w unit to buy!!). So, any new pc I
> buy is going to have to have PP's, or else i'm going to have to
> find some kind of adaptor for the new pc to be able to use the
> PP zip drive on the new pc's.
>
>
> McSpreader wrote:
>> "mormave" <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote in
>> news:1124142381.820258.187070@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:
>>
>> I think you are proposing the wrong approach. Rather than
>> trying to keep obsolescent technologies (parallel ports, Zip
>> disks) alive beyond their use-by date you should consider
>> moving forward to a current technology. Transferring the data
>> from Zip media to CD or DVD would be the obvious choice today.
>> At some point in the future you'd need to consider moving the
>> data again to the archival media of preference at that time.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Previously mormave <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Yes, obviously one should move to the latest technology in many cases
> where that's possible. The whole point of my post is that I cannot.
> You probably should have asked "Is there some way you can....move the
> files to CD's.....?". Answer is no...I have TWO very old PC's right
> now...and they have only one PP, one or 2 serials, and that's it.

And what do you plan to do when your ZIP drive dies as it is bound to?

The PP will be available for a long time, but you might have to get
it on a PCI (or the like) card from a supplier of industrial PC
components. It still is being used to interface things in automation
and it is easy enough to build. At the moment enough mainboards have
an integrated PP and you can get PP cards relatively easy. But as
I said, I don't think that is your real risk here.

Arno

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

On 15 Aug 2005 14:46:21 -0700, "mormave" <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote:

>I have important files stored on various 100 meg zip disks, and I have
>some five year old parallel port zip drives that I still used on my
>(obviously) old pc's. I plan to buy a new pc or two (maybe a desktop
>and notebook) next year...i still don't need a new one yet. I'm just
>wondering, do pc's still even come with parallel ports? (i don't even
>know why they would anymore, except for people like me).

The new PCs and new mobo are still being shipped with parallel port on
it but it may become obsolete because no one's making parallel port
device anymore these day. Printers, scanners, external drives, etc
are all using USB or Firewire.

>What can I do
>if pc's don't come with PPs?...any kind of "adaptor" i can use...to USB
>or something like that?

ZIP drive is available with USB hookup and you could pick one up
really cheap. Forget USB to parallel adapter, they almost never work
with any parallel port devices other than printers.

If you don't want to pay (IIRC) $70 for new USB ZIP drive, you can
still pick up a parallel port PCI card to add to your future PC. I've
seen them for around $10 new and probably less on web stores and eBay.
--
When you hear the toilet flush, and hear the words "uh oh", it's already
too late. - by anonymous Mother in Austin, TX
To reply, replace digi.mon with phreaker.net

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

mormave <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote

> I have important files stored on various 100 meg zip disks,

Time to move them to CD or DVD.

> and I have some five year old parallel port zip drives that I still used
> on my (obviously) old pc's. I plan to buy a new pc or two (maybe
> a desktop and notebook) next year...i still don't need a new one yet.
> I'm just wondering, do pc's still even come with parallel ports?

Yes, just brought up a new system last week and it does.

> (i don't even know why they would anymore, except for people like me).

Indeed.

> What can I do if pc's don't come with PPs?...

Stop using zip disks, they're way past their useby date now.

> any kind of "adaptor" i can use...to USB or something like that?

There certainly are some USB to parallel port adapters.

Dunno how well zip disks work on them tho.

I'd bin the zip disks myself, way past their useby date now.

Even USB key devices leave them for dead.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

No, the pc i need to get the files off of is a 5-6 year old
notebook....can't install cards.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

I have 2 external PP drives, luckily, so there won't be a problem with
"breaking"....and, of course, once I get the files transferred
(somehow) to my "new pc" next year (which may be a notebook), I will
abandon the use of zip drives. But installing a pci card on a new
notebook...will that be possible?


Arno Wagner wrote:
> Previously mormave <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Yes, obviously one should move to the latest technology in many cases
> > where that's possible. The whole point of my post is that I cannot.
> > You probably should have asked "Is there some way you can....move the
> > files to CD's.....?". Answer is no...I have TWO very old PC's right
> > now...and they have only one PP, one or 2 serials, and that's it.
>
> And what do you plan to do when your ZIP drive dies as it is bound to?
>
> The PP will be available for a long time, but you might have to get
> it on a PCI (or the like) card from a supplier of industrial PC
> components. It still is being used to interface things in automation
> and it is easy enough to build. At the moment enough mainboards have
> an integrated PP and you can get PP cards relatively easy. But as
> I said, I don't think that is your real risk here.
>
> Arno

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Buying a usb zip drive is another possibility i hadn't thought of,
though i'm not sure it will be backwardly compatible with 100mg disks,
though probably they are.


Impmon wrote:
> On 15 Aug 2005 14:46:21 -0700, "mormave" <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >I have important files stored on various 100 meg zip disks, and I have
> >some five year old parallel port zip drives that I still used on my
> >(obviously) old pc's. I plan to buy a new pc or two (maybe a desktop
> >and notebook) next year...i still don't need a new one yet. I'm just
> >wondering, do pc's still even come with parallel ports? (i don't even
> >know why they would anymore, except for people like me).
>
> The new PCs and new mobo are still being shipped with parallel port on
> it but it may become obsolete because no one's making parallel port
> device anymore these day. Printers, scanners, external drives, etc
> are all using USB or Firewire.
>
> >What can I do
> >if pc's don't come with PPs?...any kind of "adaptor" i can use...to USB
> >or something like that?
>
> ZIP drive is available with USB hookup and you could pick one up
> really cheap. Forget USB to parallel adapter, they almost never work
> with any parallel port devices other than printers.
>
> If you don't want to pay (IIRC) $70 for new USB ZIP drive, you can
> still pick up a parallel port PCI card to add to your future PC. I've
> seen them for around $10 new and probably less on web stores and eBay.
> --
> When you hear the toilet flush, and hear the words "uh oh", it's already
> too late. - by anonymous Mother in Austin, TX
> To reply, replace digi.mon with phreaker.net

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

On 15 Aug 2005 21:39:01 -0700, "larry moe 'n curly"
<larrymoencurly@my-deja.com> wrote:

>
>mormave wrote:
>> Yes, obviously one should move to the latest technology in many cases
>> where that's possible. The whole point of my post is that I cannot.
>
>It seems that mobos based on Intel 915 or NViia NForce 4 chipsets don't
>have serial or parallel ports, and I've even seen Socket A mobos where
>the serial or parallel port wasn't brought out in back but available
>only through internal header pins.


I have an MSI K8N Neo4 Model:MS-7125 motherboard that's based on the
NForce 4 chipset that has 1 com port and a parallel port onboard.

Those ports are totally useless to me these days but there still
available on most new motherboards at least for a couple of years.



--
Reply to:
Reido
reido741@hotmail.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"Andrew Reid" <reido0741@mts.net> wrote in message
news:4p04g1h30psg1qe14lusl7u8siac994ujf@4ax.com...
> On 15 Aug 2005 21:39:01 -0700, "larry moe 'n curly"
> <larrymoencurly@my-deja.com> wrote:
>
> >It seems that mobos based on Intel 915 or NViia NForce 4 chipsets don't
> >have serial or parallel ports, and I've even seen Socket A mobos where
> >the serial or parallel port wasn't brought out in back but available
> >only through internal header pins.
>
The Intel and nVidia chipsets never implemented the FDC and com/lpt ports.
It is up to the mainboard vendor to add whatever they/customers want on LPC.
>
> I have an MSI K8N Neo4 Model:MS-7125 motherboard that's based on the
> NForce 4 chipset that has 1 com port and a parallel port onboard.
>
> Those ports are totally useless to me these days but there still
> available on most new motherboards at least for a couple of years.

Even if they are not on the mainboard, you can add a SIGG PCI card.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

toshiba satellite.....low-end, can't remember the model offhand but its
a 4-digit number
beginning with 2.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

I may have been wrong about that....I'll have to look at the notebook
again. It's definitely above a 486...it's a pentium with an AMD cpu .


Mike Redrobe wrote:
> mormave wrote:
> [no pcmcia card slots]
> > toshiba satellite.....low-end, can't remember the model offhand but
> > its a 4-digit number beginning with 2.
>
> Tosh satellite 2130 was a 486/dx4-75 ..... but that had 2 pc card slots.
>
> --
> Mike

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Previously mormave <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I have 2 external PP drives, luckily, so there won't be a problem with
> "breaking"....and, of course, once I get the files transferred
> (somehow) to my "new pc" next year (which may be a notebook), I will
> abandon the use of zip drives. But installing a pci card on a new
> notebook...will that be possible?

No, not on a notebook. Sorry. But good to hear you are not relying on a
single drive.

Arno

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"mormave" <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1124205913.374295.4860
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> No, the pc i need to get the files off of is a 5-6 year old
> notebook....can't install cards.

Most unusual. Which make/model is that?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Andrew Reid wrote:
> On 15 Aug 2005 21:39:01 -0700, "larry moe 'n curly"
> <larrymoencurly@my-deja.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >mormave wrote:
> >> Yes, obviously one should move to the latest technology in many cases
> >> where that's possible. The whole point of my post is that I cannot.
> >
> >It seems that mobos based on Intel 915 or NViia NForce 4 chipsets don't
> >have serial or parallel ports, and I've even seen Socket A mobos where
> >the serial or parallel port wasn't brought out in back but available
> >only through internal header pins.

> I have an MSI K8N Neo4 Model:MS-7125 motherboard that's based on the
> NForce 4 chipset that has 1 com port and a parallel port onboard.
>
> Those ports are totally useless to me these days but there still
> available on most new motherboards at least for a couple of years.

I admit I'm not that familiar with newer/better stuff, but here are
examples of such mobos with neither of those ports:

DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D: http://tinyurl.com/dhml9

AOpen i915GMm-HFS: http://tinyurl.com/9ejdr

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

mormave wrote:
[no pcmcia card slots]
> toshiba satellite.....low-end, can't remember the model offhand but
> its a 4-digit number beginning with 2.

Tosh satellite 2130 was a 486/dx4-75 ..... but that had 2 pc card slots.

--
Mike

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

"mormave" <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Buying a usb zip drive is another possibility i hadn't thought of,
>though i'm not sure it will be backwardly compatible with 100mg disks,
>though probably they are.

If you go that route, try to find a 100MB drive. The backwards
compatibility with the larger drives and 100MB disks is rather spotty
(reading is fine, writing is very slow, long formatting is not
possible).

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

mormave <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote

> I have 2 external PP drives, luckily, so there won't be a problem
> with "breaking"....and, of course, once I get the files transferred
> (somehow) to my "new pc" next year (which may be a notebook),
> I will abandon the use of zip drives. But installing a pci card on
> a new notebook...will that be possible?

Nope, but you can get notebook cards instead.

It would normally be better to do it the other way, network
the new notebook to the old one and move the files between
them that way. Network cards for the old notebook should
be doable if it doesnt have a lan port built in.

> Arno Wagner wrote:
>> Previously mormave <aug22005@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> Yes, obviously one should move to the latest technology in many
>>> cases where that's possible. The whole point of my post is that I
>>> cannot. You probably should have asked "Is there some way you
>>> can....move the files to CD's.....?". Answer is no...I have TWO
>>> very old PC's right now...and they have only one PP, one or 2
>>> serials, and that's it.
>>
>> And what do you plan to do when your ZIP drive dies as it is bound
>> to?
>>
>> The PP will be available for a long time, but you might have to get
>> it on a PCI (or the like) card from a supplier of industrial PC
>> components. It still is being used to interface things in automation
>> and it is easy enough to build. At the moment enough mainboards have
>> an integrated PP and you can get PP cards relatively easy. But as
>> I said, I don't think that is your real risk here.
>>
>> Arno

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

In article <1124145999.339222.93620@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
mormave <aug22005@yahoo.com> writes

>So, any new pc
>I buy is going to have to have PP's, or else i'm going to have to find
>some kind of adaptor for the new pc to be able to use the PP zip drive
>on the new pc's.

New Zip drives are USB, need no external power supply, and will happily
read and write your existing Zip disks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

In article <1124226710.883287.296090@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
mormave <aug22005@yahoo.com> writes

>There are no slots on my 5-6 year old low-end toshiba satellite
>notebook.

I don't believe you. You just haven't found them yet.

 

[dannysdailys]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage (More info?)

Yes, most computers still come with the port you need. However, most
gamer motherboards don't.

More pressing, is the health of your equipment. I would imagine zip
disk drives are still being sold.

I recommend you transfer that data to CD or DVD as soon as possible.

Also, a trip to tiger direct would probably yeild you many add in
cards that carry the port. I don't recommend a USB adapter. I find
these don't work.