dc5800 parallel port

[Stevie1975]

I've installed a ribbon cable / parallel port in a HP Compaq dc5800 using P1256 on the motherboard. The BIOS however does not show an option to activate nor does IRQ7 appear to be used.

Any ideas on how to activate the parallel port?

TIA

Steve

[SDH · Accepted solution]

Steve.... there is an old link that will help you, HERE .

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktops-Archive-Read-Only/How-enabled-or-install-parallel-port-on-dc5...

You'll see a protest in there that is incorrect.  The concept of this being an option is not that HP would build you a separate motherboard that had that header included and all the other dc5800 motherboards did not.  It was that HP would  sell you the optional passive extender that takes the motherboard header's connections out to the backplane where you can easily get to it with a parallel port cable..

Think of it this way..... the header-to-backplane device is purely passive.  There really is nothing electronically different if you have the motherboard header sitting there with nothing attached, versus if you attach that device to shift the connections out to the backplane.  It is only when you attach a parallel device to the backplane connector that the motherboard will finally see anything change.  Should be plug and play..... parallel is pretty primative these days and the drivers are always included in the OS.  It is the act of attaching your parallel printer that will make this all come alive.

[Stevie1975]

Thanks!  That makes sense, a long time since I've used a parallel port!! I'll take the PC to my 'customer' (my son) ,  plug in his printer and hopefully Dad will remain 'the best'! (He is 32.........) 😉  Cheers  Steve

[Stevie1975]

Update

plugged in printer and immediately recognised by WIN 7 PC which installed drivers. Only ‘fail’ here was that Virtual XP doesn’t recognise parallel printers, but that’s for another forum.........