parallel port problem

jefft

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Apr 24, 2001
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I recently purchased a Sony Vaio VGC-RA842G with XP
Media Edition. I have been using (for many years)
Wintek's Hiwire Schematic and PCB design Software
which runs under DOS or under a DOS window. Hiwire
requires the use of a security dongle on the parallel
port which contains a corresponding serial number to
the main software package. The software sends a bitstream
through the parallel port to the dongle and expects a
bitstream in return. Hiwire does not use any software
driver for this dongle. I have run this package under
Windows 98, Windows XP (on a Dell) and others have run
this package on other XP machines. Hiwire will start
to run under the DOS window on this SONY with XP media
edition until it needs to find the dongle for verification.
Hiwire then responds with "CANNOT FIND DONGLE". In other
words the program cannot communicate with the dongle
through the parallel port under the Window's command prompt.
If I boot up the computer with a DOS floppy and run under
true DOS, the program has no trouble finding the dongle.
I can also print through Hiwire to the printer on the
same parallel port. Printing from Hiwire does not require
checking for the dongle. I tried replacing XP media with XP Pro with no success. I have spoken with Sony and Microsoft. They could not see any reason for this problem. They checked for conflicts and anything else they
could think of. From what I gather, Hiwire uses standard
INPUT and OUTPUT PORT IBM instructions. I changed to
compatibility mode when possible. I have spent hours
trying possible solutions including disabling all applications and hardware components. Why is this
Sony machine different?
 

riser

Illustrious
You'll need to check with Wintek on it and they might have an update. They might even have a 'driver' or a command that will map it to work.

It's odd, but possible, that the firewall might be blocking it, or it's a SP2 edition which might effect it.

You might need to use a net use command to map the LPT1 port to something else, or use the net use command to point a virtual printer to the lpt1 port?

I'd check with Wintek.. they'll be the ones to have the answer.


<A HREF="http://www.wintek.com/hifaq.html" target="_new">the FAQ on their website</A>
 

jefft

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Apr 24, 2001
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Wintek does not have a clue. I tried
the latest version and it made no difference.
Sony and Microsoft had me disable any possible
firewall and I tried XP without SP2.
 

RRCHESTER

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Feb 13, 2012
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Hi, not sure if your still looking for a solution for this but I had a simular problem with my Windows 2000 installation of Hiwire. Found this link on Wintek's website under their FAQ's.

http://www.direct-io.com/

Installed the software and programmed the LPT port address and IRQ number alsong with the executable and my Hiwire now works. Should work for XP also.