Connecting USB to parallel device (in Windows 7?)

I tried going to Ports in Printer properties but only normal ports are
shown such as LPT1-3, various COMs etc show up in Printers.

*sigh* old drivers only showed parallel & serial ports,
had no clue new things might evolve.

I was looking for some info for a client and found this suggestion:

* Plug in the USB adapter but leave it disconnected from the printer ...
* Connect the USB adapter to the printer and switch on the printer and
wait until the printer shows Ready. Now start the PC ...

I'm inclined to try the 2nd (connect USB to printer, turn on printer)
but I see no need to restart the PC.
Hot-plugging the USB ought to auto-detect the USB adapter
and perhaps the printer attached to it.

On Mar 6, 5:32*am, (Jeff Jonas) wrote:
I tried going to Ports in Printer properties but only normal ports are
shown such as LPT1-3, various COMs etc show up in Printers.

*sigh* old drivers only showed parallel & serial ports,
had no clue new things might evolve.

I was looking for some info for a client and found this suggestion:
* Plug in the USB adapter but leave it disconnected from the printer ...
* Connect the USB adapter to the printer and switch on the printer and
wait until the printer shows Ready. Now start the PC ...

I'm inclined to try the 2nd (connect USB to printer, turn on printer)
but I see no need to restart the PC.
Hot-plugging the USB ought to auto-detect the USB adapter
and perhaps the printer attached to it.

That was why I posted here, - because not only does it not do so
automatically, searching for newly connected printers doesnt find
anything at the end of that Agere cable either!

On Mar 3, 5:09*pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:

With all lights on, if you press the GO buttone, what do the lights do then?
Tony

OK Guys sorry to bother you all

This is what I should probably have done before posting

It appears that the problem is with the printer. It isnt seen by
ANYTHING! I plugged it into a Dell XP computer and it isnt seen at
all. I tried installing the drivers and nothing is seen

I scanned for all newly connected printers and nothing is seen. I
went into printer properties and enabled/disabled bidirectional
printing and it didnt make any difference

The cable is a high quality HP one so:

I suppose it is time for the scrapheap. Now however I am becoming
desperate to know what is wrong with the 1300. Is there no way of
reseting this printer by unpluggng it and doing some diagnostics
BEFORE it tries to print a second page and lights up all its lights?
No amount of pressing any buttons when all three lights are lit up has
any effect: Unless I am incorrectly identifying the GO button, do I
have TWO printers ready for the scrap heap!!

DManzaluni wrote:
On Mar 3, 5:09*pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:

With all lights on, if you press the GO buttone, what do the lights do then?
Tony

OK Guys sorry to bother you all

This is what I should probably have done before posting

It appears that the problem is with the printer. It isnt seen by
ANYTHING! I plugged it into a Dell XP computer and it isnt seen at
all. I tried installing the drivers and nothing is seen

I scanned for all newly connected printers and nothing is seen. I
went into printer properties and enabled/disabled bidirectional
printing and it didnt make any difference

The cable is a high quality HP one so:

I suppose it is time for the scrapheap. Now however I am becoming
desperate to know what is wrong with the 1300. Is there no way of
reseting this printer by unpluggng it and doing some diagnostics
BEFORE it tries to print a second page and lights up all its lights?
No amount of pressing any buttons when all three lights are lit up has
any effect: Unless I am incorrectly identifying the GO button, do I
have TWO printers ready for the scrap heap!!

The GO button is the large one.
When the first page prints and all three lights are on steady, press the GO
button and hold it down, if all three lights are still on and steady (not
flashing) then there is a problem with the formatter. That is a printed circuit
board in the printer which interfaces the printer engine with your computer. If
one or more of the lights goes out or flashes (with the GO button pressed down)
then the eror is something different. Be careful to ensure you can see whether
the light in the GO button is on or not, you can hide the light in the button
with your finger.
If all three lights are on steady you will need to check whether there is
optional memory installed. To do this unplug the power cable, remove the print
server (pulls out) this is at the left rear (the PC cable plugs into it).
Remove the left cover- there is a small tab at the left rear on the left cover,
push it and swing the left cover open. This will expose a metal plate and some
cables. In the middle of the plate is a vertical slot, if there is a memory
module protruding from that slot remove it by rotating the little cams that
latch it into place top and bottom. This is easier than it sounds. Now
reassemble and try printing again.If all is well then the optional memory has
failed (or it was making a bad connection in which case reinstalling the memory
may fix the issue). You should be able to print without the optional memory. If
there is no optional memory or it fails with the optional memory removed then
the formatter is faulty. Formatters cost between US$40 and US$80 so it would be
better to buy an entry level laser printer, one of the Brother units would be
fine.


Tony

On Mar 9, 4:11*pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:
DManzaluni wrote:

On Mar 3, 5:09 pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:











With all lights on, if you press the GO buttone, what do the lights do then?
Tony

OK Guys sorry to bother you all

This is what I should probably have done before posting

It appears that the problem is with the printer. It isnt seen by
ANYTHING! *I plugged it into a Dell XP computer and it isnt seen at
all. I tried installing the drivers and nothing is seen

I scanned for all newly connected printers and nothing is seen. *I
went into printer properties and enabled/disabled bidirectional
printing and it didnt make any difference

The cable is a high quality HP one so:

I suppose it is time for the scrapheap. Now however I am becoming
desperate to know what is wrong with the 1300. Is there no way of
reseting this printer by unpluggng it and doing some diagnostics
BEFORE it tries to print a *second page and lights up all its lights?
No amount of pressing any buttons when all three lights are lit up has
any effect: Unless I am incorrectly identifying the GO button, do I
have TWO printers ready for the scrap heap!!

The GO button is the large one.
When the first page prints and all three lights are on steady, press the GO
button and hold it down, if all three lights are still on and steady (not
flashing) then there is a problem with the formatter. That is a printed circuit
board in the printer which interfaces the printer engine with your computer. If
one or more of the lights goes out or flashes (with the GO button pressed down)
then the eror is something different. Be careful to ensure you can see whether
the light in the GO button is on or not, you can hide the light in the button
with your finger.
If all three lights are on steady you will need to check whether there is
optional memory installed. To do this unplug the power cable, remove the print
server (pulls out) this is at the left rear (the PC cable plugs into it).
Remove the left cover- there is a small tab at the left rear on the left cover,
push it and swing the left cover open. This will expose a metal plate and some
cables. In the middle of the plate is a vertical slot, if there is a memory
module protruding from that slot remove it by rotating the little cams that
latch it into place top and bottom. This is easier than it sounds. Now
reassemble and try printing again.If all is well then the optional memory has
failed (or it was making a bad connection in which case reinstalling the memory
may fix the issue). You should be able to print without the optional memory. If
there is no optional memory or it fails with the optional memory removed then
the formatter is faulty. Formatters cost between US$40 and US$80 so it would be
better to buy an entry level laser printer, one of the Brother units would be
fine.

Tony

Yes, I figured that was the GO button and know all about the memory
problems from my days with a 5MP to which I had added memory which
failed and needed re-seating regularly!

Infuriatingly, the whole printer now refuses to fail and while
resetting it, I noticed that the cartridge is different from the 6L
cartridge. So I dont need to keep the 6L for any purpose if it has
indeed failed. In fact where I live, people chuck out newish printers
regularly so there is no real need to keep this dinosaur save that I
do have a spare cartridge for it (a new sealed NT-C3906, admittedly
dated USE BY 2007, which I am pretty sure goes in the 6L, not the
1300)

Can I assume that even where the 6L lights up all its lights properly
and cycles properly, and prints a test page, if there is no
communication between it and any computer, the problem is not easily
fixable and no amount of diagnosis is likely to achieve anything?

DManzaluni wrote:
On Mar 9, 4:11*pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:
DManzaluni wrote:

On Mar 3, 5:09 pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:











With all lights on, if you press the GO buttone, what do the lights do
then?
Tony


OK Guys sorry to bother you all

This is what I should probably have done before posting

It appears that the problem is with the printer. It isnt seen by
ANYTHING! *I plugged it into a Dell XP computer and it isnt seen at
all. I tried installing the drivers and nothing is seen

I scanned for all newly connected printers and nothing is seen. *I
went into printer properties and enabled/disabled bidirectional
printing and it didnt make any difference

The cable is a high quality HP one so:

I suppose it is time for the scrapheap. Now however I am becoming
desperate to know what is wrong with the 1300. Is there no way of
reseting this printer by unpluggng it and doing some diagnostics
BEFORE it tries to print a *second page and lights up all its lights?
No amount of pressing any buttons when all three lights are lit up has
any effect: Unless I am incorrectly identifying the GO button, do I
have TWO printers ready for the scrap heap!!

The GO button is the large one.
When the first page prints and all three lights are on steady, press the GO
button and hold it down, if all three lights are still on and steady (not
flashing) then there is a problem with the formatter. That is a printed
circuit
board in the printer which interfaces the printer engine with your computer.
If
one or more of the lights goes out or flashes (with the GO button pressed
down)
then the eror is something different. Be careful to ensure you can see
whether
the light in the GO button is on or not, you can hide the light in the button
with your finger.
If all three lights are on steady you will need to check whether there is
optional memory installed. To do this unplug the power cable, remove the
print
server (pulls out) this is at the left rear (the PC cable plugs into it).
Remove the left cover- there is a small tab at the left rear on the left
cover,
push it and swing the left cover open. This will expose a metal plate and
some
cables. In the middle of the plate is a vertical slot, if there is a memory
module protruding from that slot remove it by rotating the little cams that
latch it into place top and bottom. This is easier than it sounds. Now
reassemble and try printing again.If all is well then the optional memory has
failed (or it was making a bad connection in which case reinstalling the
memory
may fix the issue). You should be able to print without the optional memory.
If
there is no optional memory or it fails with the optional memory removed then
the formatter is faulty. Formatters cost between US$40 and US$80 so it would
be
better to buy an entry level laser printer, one of the Brother units would be
fine.

Tony

Yes, I figured that was the GO button and know all about the memory
problems from my days with a 5MP to which I had added memory which
failed and needed re-seating regularly!

Infuriatingly, the whole printer now refuses to fail and while
resetting it, I noticed that the cartridge is different from the 6L
cartridge. So I dont need to keep the 6L for any purpose if it has
indeed failed. In fact where I live, people chuck out newish printers
regularly so there is no real need to keep this dinosaur save that I
do have a spare cartridge for it (a new sealed NT-C3906, admittedly
dated USE BY 2007, which I am pretty sure goes in the 6L, not the
1300)

Can I assume that even where the 6L lights up all its lights properly
and cycles properly, and prints a test page, if there is no
communication between it and any computer, the problem is not easily
fixable and no amount of diagnosis is likely to achieve anything?

Yes I think you can assume that. However, when you tried the 6L in the Dell
computer was it using the standard cable or were you using a converter? Some of
these converters are fraught with difficulty to set up.
Yes the C3906A is a 6L cartridge. The LJ1300 uses a Q2613A or Q2613X cartridge,
the X version is a higher capacity cartridge.
Tony

On Mar 9, 5:29*pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:
DManzaluni wrote:

On Mar 9, 4:11 pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:









DManzaluni wrote:

On Mar 3, 5:09 pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:

With all lights on, if you press the GO buttone, what do the lights do
then?
Tony

OK Guys sorry to bother you all

This is what I should probably have done before posting

It appears that the problem is with the printer. It isnt seen by
ANYTHING! I plugged it into a Dell XP computer and it isnt seen at
all. I tried installing the drivers and nothing is seen

I scanned for all newly connected printers and nothing is seen. I
went into printer properties and enabled/disabled bidirectional
printing and it didnt make any difference

The cable is a high quality HP one so:

I suppose it is time for the scrapheap. Now however I am becoming
desperate to know what is wrong with the 1300. Is there no way of
reseting this printer by unpluggng it and doing some diagnostics
BEFORE it tries to print a second page and lights up all its lights?
No amount of pressing any buttons when all three lights are lit up has
any effect: Unless I am incorrectly identifying the GO button, do I
have TWO printers ready for the scrap heap!!

The GO button is the large one.
When the first page prints and all three lights are on steady, press the GO
button and hold it down, if all three lights are still on and steady (not
flashing) then there is a problem with the formatter. That is a printed
circuit
board in the printer which interfaces the printer engine with your computer.
If
one or more of the lights goes out or flashes (with the GO button pressed
down)
then the eror is something different. Be careful to ensure you can see
whether
the light in the GO button is on or not, you can hide the light in the button
with your finger.
If all three lights are on steady you will need to check whether there is
optional memory installed. To do this unplug the power cable, remove the
print
server (pulls out) this is at the left rear (the PC cable plugs into it).
Remove the left cover- there is a small tab at the left rear on the left
cover,
push it and swing the left cover open. This will expose a metal plate and
some
cables. In the middle of the plate is a vertical slot, if there is a memory
module protruding from that slot remove it by rotating the little cams that
latch it into place top and bottom. This is easier than it sounds. Now
reassemble and try printing again.If all is well then the optional memory has
failed (or it was making a bad connection in which case reinstalling the
memory
may fix the issue). You should be able to print without the optional memory.
If
there is no optional memory or it fails with the optional memory removed then
the formatter is faulty. Formatters cost between US$40 and US$80 so it would
be
better to buy an entry level laser printer, one of the Brother units would be
fine.

Tony

Yes, I figured that was the GO button and know all about the memory
problems from my days with a 5MP to which I had added memory which
failed and needed re-seating regularly!

Infuriatingly, the whole printer now refuses to fail and while
resetting it, I noticed that the cartridge is different from the 6L
cartridge. So I dont need to keep the 6L for any purpose if it has
indeed failed. In fact where I live, people chuck out newish printers
regularly so there is no real need to keep this dinosaur save that I
do have a spare cartridge for it (a new sealed NT-C3906, admittedly
dated USE BY 2007, *which I am pretty sure goes in the 6L, not the
1300)

Can I assume that even where the 6L lights up all its lights properly
and cycles properly, and prints a test page, if there is no
communication between it and any computer, the problem is not easily
fixable and no amount of diagnosis is likely to achieve anything?

Yes I think you can assume that. However, when you tried the 6L in the Dell
computer was it using the standard cable or were you using a converter? Some of
these converters are fraught with difficulty to set up.
Yes the C3906A is a 6L cartridge. The LJ1300 uses a Q2613A or Q2613X cartridge,
the X version is a higher capacity cartridge.
Tony

Oh, - I hadn't thought of trying the 6L in the Dell with the Infowave
cable: You dont think it could make a difference do you? Surely if
there is no communication between the printer and the computer, it
wont make a difference which cable I use so long as it isnt one of
those el-cheapo cables we all used to have before bidirectional
printing came in?

The only slightly disquieting bit is where I cant understand how a
printer which worked when I mothballed it suddenly doesn't work when I
tried to put it back in service.

DManzaluni wrote:
On Mar 9, 5:29*pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:
DManzaluni wrote:

On Mar 9, 4:11 pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:









DManzaluni wrote:

On Mar 3, 5:09 pm, Tony lizandtony at orcon dot net dot nz wrote:

With all lights on, if you press the GO buttone, what do the lights do
then?
Tony

OK Guys sorry to bother you all

This is what I should probably have done before posting

It appears that the problem is with the printer. It isnt seen by
ANYTHING! I plugged it into a Dell XP computer and it isnt seen at
all. I tried installing the drivers and nothing is seen

I scanned for all newly connected printers and nothing is seen. I
went into printer properties and enabled/disabled bidirectional
printing and it didnt make any difference

The cable is a high quality HP one so:

I suppose it is time for the scrapheap. Now however I am becoming
desperate to know what is wrong with the 1300. Is there no way of
reseting this printer by unpluggng it and doing some diagnostics
BEFORE it tries to print a second page and lights up all its lights?
No amount of pressing any buttons when all three lights are lit up has
any effect: Unless I am incorrectly identifying the GO button, do I
have TWO printers ready for the scrap heap!!

The GO button is the large one.
When the first page prints and all three lights are on steady, press the
GO
button and hold it down, if all three lights are still on and steady (not
flashing) then there is a problem with the formatter. That is a printed
circuit
board in the printer which interfaces the printer engine with your
computer.
If
one or more of the lights goes out or flashes (with the GO button pressed
down)
then the eror is something different. Be careful to ensure you can see
whether
the light in the GO button is on or not, you can hide the light in the
button
with your finger.
If all three lights are on steady you will need to check whether there is
optional memory installed. To do this unplug the power cable, remove the
print
server (pulls out) this is at the left rear (the PC cable plugs into it).
Remove the left cover- there is a small tab at the left rear on the left
cover,
push it and swing the left cover open. This will expose a metal plate and
some
cables. In the middle of the plate is a vertical slot, if there is a
memory
module protruding from that slot remove it by rotating the little cams
that
latch it into place top and bottom. This is easier than it sounds. Now
reassemble and try printing again.If all is well then the optional memory
has
failed (or it was making a bad connection in which case reinstalling the
memory
may fix the issue). You should be able to print without the optional
memory.
If
there is no optional memory or it fails with the optional memory removed
then
the formatter is faulty. Formatters cost between US$40 and US$80 so it
would
be
better to buy an entry level laser printer, one of the Brother units
would be
fine.

Tony

Yes, I figured that was the GO button and know all about the memory
problems from my days with a 5MP to which I had added memory which
failed and needed re-seating regularly!

Infuriatingly, the whole printer now refuses to fail and while
resetting it, I noticed that the cartridge is different from the 6L
cartridge. So I dont need to keep the 6L for any purpose if it has
indeed failed. In fact where I live, people chuck out newish printers
regularly so there is no real need to keep this dinosaur save that I
do have a spare cartridge for it (a new sealed NT-C3906, admittedly
dated USE BY 2007, *which I am pretty sure goes in the 6L, not the
1300)

Can I assume that even where the 6L lights up all its lights properly
and cycles properly, and prints a test page, if there is no
communication between it and any computer, the problem is not easily
fixable and no amount of diagnosis is likely to achieve anything?

Yes I think you can assume that. However, when you tried the 6L in the Dell
computer was it using the standard cable or were you using a converter? Some
of
these converters are fraught with difficulty to set up.
Yes the C3906A is a 6L cartridge. The LJ1300 uses a Q2613A or Q2613X
cartridge,
the X version is a higher capacity cartridge.
Tony

Oh, - I hadn't thought of trying the 6L in the Dell with the Infowave
cable: You dont think it could make a difference do you? Surely if
there is no communication between the printer and the computer, it
wont make a difference which cable I use so long as it isnt one of
those el-cheapo cables we all used to have before bidirectional
printing came in?

I really doubt it, but if it's not too bg a job?????

The only slightly disquieting bit is where I cant understand how a
printer which worked when I mothballed it suddenly doesn't work when I
tried to put it back in service.

Yes that's concerning. Maybe there is a slightly corroded connector inside the
printer. If you are comforable removing the covers you could try reseating all
the ones you can get at.
Tony

On Mon, 7 Mar 2011 10:03:44 -0800 (PST), DManzaluni
wrote:

On Mar 6, 5:32*am, (Jeff Jonas) wrote:
I tried going to Ports in Printer properties but only normal ports are
shown such as LPT1-3, various COMs etc show up in Printers.

*sigh* old drivers only showed parallel & serial ports,
had no clue new things might evolve.

I was looking for some info for a client and found this suggestion:
* Plug in the USB adapter but leave it disconnected from the printer ...
* Connect the USB adapter to the printer and switch on the printer and
wait until the printer shows Ready. Now start the PC ...

I'm inclined to try the 2nd (connect USB to printer, turn on printer)
but I see no need to restart the PC.
Hot-plugging the USB ought to auto-detect the USB adapter
and perhaps the printer attached to it.

That was why I posted here, - because not only does it not do so
automatically, searching for newly connected printers doesnt find
anything at the end of that Agere cable either!

I would search online for a hardware manual and do a hard reset of the
printer and then try the parallel port on a system. Make sure the
socket and plug on the printer is clean and undamaged. A few using
parallel to usb cables found that a electronically clean centronics
port was essential. fwiw

Splork wrote:
On Mon, 7 Mar 2011 10:03:44 -0800 (PST), DManzaluni
wrote:

On Mar 6, 5:32*am, (Jeff Jonas) wrote:
I tried going to Ports in Printer properties but only normal ports are
shown such as LPT1-3, various COMs etc show up in Printers.

*sigh* old drivers only showed parallel & serial ports,
had no clue new things might evolve.

I was looking for some info for a client and found this suggestion:
* Plug in the USB adapter but leave it disconnected from the printer ...
* Connect the USB adapter to the printer and switch on the printer and
wait until the printer shows Ready. Now start the PC ...

I'm inclined to try the 2nd (connect USB to printer, turn on printer)
but I see no need to restart the PC.
Hot-plugging the USB ought to auto-detect the USB adapter
and perhaps the printer attached to it.

That was why I posted here, - because not only does it not do so
automatically, searching for newly connected printers doesnt find
anything at the end of that Agere cable either!

I would search online for a hardware manual and do a hard reset of the
printer and then try the parallel port on a system. Make sure the
socket and plug on the printer is clean and undamaged. A few using
parallel to usb cables found that a electronically clean centronics
port was essential. fwiw

A cold reset is worth trying but I really doubt it will accomplish anything,
but worth a try.

Here are the instructions -

For the 6L
Resetting the Printer
Resetting the printer accomplishes the following:
· Clears all data from the printer’s memory (including unprinted data,
downloaded
fonts, and macros).
· Stops any printing that is taking place and ejects the page.
· Removes some error conditions.
· Resets the printer to its factory default settings.
To Reset the Printer
Press and hold the Front Panel Button until the three control panel lights blink
quickly in succession (about 5 seconds), then let go of the button. After
resetting,
the Ready (bottom) Light will remain lit if there are no printer errors. (Make
sure
there is paper in the printer or the error light will remain on.)

For the 1300
Cold reset
A cold reset changes most system parameters in NVRAM to the
factory defaults. However, unlike NVRAM inititialization, a cold reset
does not reset the page count, the paper tray sizes, language, or
formatter number.
Note If an HP Jetdirect card is installed, remove it before performing a cold
reset. Otherwise, the procedure will also reset all the HP Jetdirect
settings as well as the printer settings.
To perform a cold reset
1 Turn the printer off.
2 Press and hold down the GO button.
3 Turn the printer on, and continue to hold the GO button for at least
5 seconds, but not longer than 15 seconds. During this process,
the Attention LED will turn on.
4 Release the GO button.
Note If both the Attention and the Ready LEDs turn on before you release
the GO button, you must start the procedure again with step 1.
5 The printer’s LEDs will begin cycling. The cold-reset process will
run until completion, and the printer will return to the ready state.

Only do the following if the cold reset does not work, although since the
printer appears to be dead no harm can be done

NVRAM initialization
CAUTION Only perform the following procedure if absolutely necessary.
Performing an NVRAM initialization resets some parameters that
cannot be restored later.
NVRAM initialization sets all default variables stored in NVRAM back
to factory default values or to a default ROM value, depending on the
variable. It also performs a system reset.
NVRAM initialization resets the following:
?? all menu settings to factory default values
?? factory settings such as formatter number, page counts, and
factory paper settings
To perform NVRAM initialization
1 Turn the printer off.
2 Press and hold down the GO button.
3 Turn the printer on, and continue to hold the GO button for at least
20 seconds. During this process, the GO button, Attention, and
Ready LEDs will each turn on.
4 Release the GO button.
5 The printer LEDs will begin cycling. The NVRAM-unit process will
run until the printer is in the ready state.
Tony