Parallel cable printer doesn't work

[awnyokasha]

Hi, until recently I used to run windows xp, I have a toshiba e studio 160, the printer used to work well on windows xp, it works through a parallel cable, after installing windows 7, the printer is not recognized in any way, it doesn't show on device manager, it's not in devices and printers, does windows 7 support parallel cable or not? I see in the device manager "ports (COM & LPT) " and when collapsed it lists "Communications port (com1) " and "ECP printer port (LPT1) " i think this is the parallel port but it doesn't change in any way when i plug or unplug the printer cable, i need help with this please, if I'm missing something or if the info I'm giving is not clear tell me to provide any other data.

 

[kanewolf]

LPT1 is the parallel port. You should be able to install a driver for the printer as a local printer and pick the LPT1 as the port.

 

[awnyokasha]

@kanewolf,
Thx for answering,
The problem is that with any other usb printer when i plugin the usb cable it insantly shows up on device manager and printers but as an unspecified device till i install the driver then it works properly, with this one however it doesn't showup anywhere at the first place

 

[awnyokasha]

@kanewolf, sry i think i misunderstood you, how do i install a device locally though ?

 

[kanewolf]

This -- http://www.techulator.com/resources/4156-How-add-Printer-manually-your-Windows.aspx should give you a step-by-step. Or just google "add local printer windows 7" ...

Parallel isn't anything like USB. You just have to do it manually.

 

[ss202sl]

Do you have drivers for Windows 7 for that printer?

 

[Solandri]

Two potential issues.

You may have to change the parallel port settings in the BIOS from ECP to EPP or even SPP. ECP was intended for attaching devices like scanners and external drives to the parallel port. SPP is what printers use, although they should be able to work with EPP as well. I vaguely seem to recall printers not working if the parallel port was set to ECP and the OS natively supported ECP.

If you were using the printer with XP, chances are that it's so old that there were never any Windows 7 drivers made for it. If this printer is very dear to you (e.g. like an older Epson photo printers with custom endless ink reservoirs), then you're going to have to search on forums with users likely to have the same printer to figure out how they're managing to use it with newer OSes. Otherwise, it may be time to upgrade to a new printer.

 

[awnyokasha]

@ss202sl, @solandri
i don't have the drivers, i think it doesn't have drivers that support win 7, it's like 14 years old , and yes it's very dear to me, so I'm going to have to find a way to make it work on win 7, alternatively is there a way i could run like a virtual xp os in a win 7 system? I heard about something like that.
Thank you all for your answers.

 

[Alabalcho]

Unless you run bare-metal hypervisor, you'll still need the printer to be recognized as a device in the host OS (Windows 7) in order to be passed to the client OS (XP).

I would keep an XP desktop / laptop with native parallel port just for that printer, for as long as it is working (and you are able to find working XP-supported computers).

 

[kanewolf]

I did find some references to the printer on this driver site -- https://electronicimaging.toshiba-europe.com/publicsite-service/driver/downloads?cID=12525906-38f4-425f-bb22-66468525d3dd&vkey=pstuis&lang=en&locale=en_EN&envi= put "160" in the search box.
They have Vista and Vista 64 drivers. Usually they will work with Windows 7.

 

[awnyokasha]

I did find some references to the printer on this driver site -- https://electronicimaging.toshiba-europe.com/publicsite-service/driver/downloads?cID=12525906-38f4-425f-bb22-66468525d3dd&vkey=pstuis&lang=en&locale=en_EN&envi= put "160" in the search box.
They have Vista and Vista 64 drivers. Usually they will work with Windows 7.

Thank you so much,
Will try this and tell you if it worked!