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| Thread ID: 56057 | 2005-03-26 02:11:00 | Hot swapping | Mercury (1316) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 338153 | 2005-03-26 02:11:00 | What items can you, or can you not, hot swap? I have two computers side by side (one runs some software that causes conflicts so as there's a second computer available it's easier to keep them apart) and do go in for a bit of swapping. Mice I have heard that they can hot swap and can't hot swap. Which is true? Printer Using a parallel cable? Using a USB cable? (This one is my current problem which made me think of this thread. Second computer needs the scanner portion which only works if directly connected. Went to print before and it was connected to the second computer which is off) Keyboard/Monitor Using a switch. Does this cause problems? Sound cables? ... |
Mercury (1316) | ||
| 338154 | 2005-03-26 02:21:00 | By hot swap, you mean take it out while the system is on?? USB mice u can take in and out . I do it all the time . Maybe not a good idea to do with a PS/2 mouse Well anything USB and firewire u can take in and out while the PC is running . (Well I guess you'll have to wait if u have something like a USB hdd or similar) . For it to finish writing whatever . Not a good idea for parallel printers tho, you'll kill the parallel port . Turn the PC off then change . And this Went to print before and it was connected to the second computer which is off . May work if u have something like a print server (or something - not sure) then the other PC wont have to be on to print to it . Shouldn't have a prob with sound cables . |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 338155 | 2005-03-26 02:21:00 | Well you could plug in a PS2 mouse with the PC on and not cause a problem but if you do it all the time eventually you will. USB is probably the easiest. Its designed to be plugged in while the PC is on. However unplugging it with out stopping it - in the case of flash drives anyway - can lead to corrupted data. Printers/scanner are OK. KB/monitor on a switch - thats what its for so that should be OK. Why not just fix the conflict? |
pctek (84) | ||
| 338156 | 2005-03-26 02:32:00 | Hi Mercury. The usefulness of this answer depends on whether I undertood your question - as always. I too have two boxes running side by side. The more modern runs XP Pro and Office 2003 plus lots of other goodies. The older runs Win98 and an old office suite plus Works 4.5 and all the DOS related games and things that XP does not really like. They are both linked by a small manually operated data switch to the screen and the keyboard. About $25. For three times that price I could have had a data switch which allowed the mouse to join in. But I had two mice and could not justify the extra cost. I do occasionally try to use the wrong mouse and wonder why the cursor is not responding. At the back end, both a linked to the printer through an auto-data switch which means that either machine can automatically address the old Epson. The auto data switch cost $28 and several leads cost between $2.50 and $3 each. |
Scouse (83) | ||
| 338157 | 2005-03-26 02:34:00 | Why not just fix the conflict? A long and complicated story . Besides, it means I can do two CPU intensive things at once . |
Mercury (1316) | ||
| 338158 | 2005-03-26 02:52:00 | Hi Scouse, Part of the question was just general knowledge - to clear confusion in my head. The system currently works well except for the scanner. The system consists of XP and Win98 One monitor, one keyboard (switched) and two mice. Printing is fine - network printing - but the printer is also a scanner. And scanning won't work through the network and probably not through an auto-data switch. I was hot swapping the parallel lead till I was told, here, that I shouldn't do it. There are three ways to fix this: - Network card for the printer at around $250 (think I'll forget that one) - Buy a USB cable so I can hot swap (and reset up the printer) - Turn computers off and swap leads So I seek opinions from all as to why I can and can't hot swap |
Mercury (1316) | ||
| 338159 | 2005-03-26 03:01:00 | As has already been said by the others, anything that connects via USB or Firewire, is hot-swappable (can be connected/disconnected while the computer is running with no problems) Anything other connection, I wouldn't advise it |
Myth (110) | ||
| 338160 | 2005-03-26 03:03:00 | Hi Mercury. Sorry, my limited knowledge can't take it further. I have never experienced one of thos multi-purpose units. Good luck. ;) | Scouse (83) | ||
| 338161 | 2005-03-26 03:04:00 | The scanner might work (if u mean it doesnt go at all), if u go into the BIOS and change the parallel port to EPP . Or ECP/EPP . If u mean to network it, u cant usually share a scanner . You DON'T have to buy a $250 network card to network a printer . Some parallel printers will work, if u enable file/printer sharing on the PC that has the printer on it, and then share it . If the printer is USB as well as parallel, it would be better using USB . Then the scanner might work properly . Since it'll be on the parallel port by itself . Its not a matter of whether u can or cant . If you do it, (and you're not meant to), it'll cause damage, if you take it out while the system is still on . So, is this printer, one of those multifunction devices??? Scanner/Printer/Fax? If so, then u cant network a scanner . Whether its a standalone scanner, or as part of a multifunction device . |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 338162 | 2005-03-26 03:54:00 | I too have two boxes running side by side. The more modern runs XP Pro and Office 2003 plus lots of other goodies. The older runs Win98 and an old office suite plus Works 4.5 and all the DOS related games and things that XP does not really like. . Convert your documents and swap them over to the new one. Dos related games and things - have you tried them on XP? I was pleasantly surprised to have every single one of my DOS progs and games run fine on XP. |
pctek (84) | ||
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