Error-1073807339 VISA write

[jd007]

Hello,

I am getting the annoyingly persistent Error-1073807339 will trying to make a VISA write to the LPT1.  The simple .vi I am using from a NI developer zone document:" Using the Parallel port in Labview".  The .vi executes successfully on my Sony Viao Pentium4 with WinXP, but does not execute on my Dell Optiplex with WinXP. 

I feel like I have done my best to ensure the bases were covered...  I added the "serialDevices" line to the labview.ini file and checked the printer port to make sure it functioning normally (I installed a ZIP drive on the parallel port, and it operated fine).  I changed the timeout to 100,000ms but that also did not help.  I looked at the parallel port settings in the Device manager and I noticed two differences;  the first difference was that the Viao was using DMA 3 and the Optiplex was not, I changed that, but it didn't change the Error.  The second difference was that the physical location of the port was not listed on the Optiplex but was listed on the Viao; I don't think this has anything to do with the error because I was able to use the ZIP drive via the parallel port but I thought that I would mention it just in case.

Do you guys have any ideas what configuration setting could be causing the time out error?

-Jon

[JoshuaP]

I would also check the bios setting to ensure that they are the same.  Typically you have to hit some special key when the computer is booting to open the bios. 

-Josh

[jd007]

Thank you for the reply.  I did check the BIOS and found that my OptiPlex did not have an option for ECP parallel port mode and from what I read VISA requires ECP for the direct memory addressing.  Perhaps the computer is too old...?  However, the knowledge base info you sent me was helpful, it descibed another method, that doesn't need VISA, using OutPort.vi to write a number to the port.  In my opinion it was much simpler.