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Thread ID: 47099	2004-07-15 23:06:00	KX-P6100 Laser - won't install on XPHome (using USB-to-Parallel adapter)	Starfish42 (5881)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
252664	2004-07-15 23:06:00	I am helping a friend with a challenge they are having with installing the Panasonic KX-P6100 Laser on their laptop (Toshiba Satelite A10, running WinXP Home)... He has downloaded the latest drivers for the printer, but receives the following error whenever he tries to go to the printer's properties (Apologies for the poor resolution...)... sal.neoburn.net Whenever he tries to print he receives a similar message... Notes... 1.) The laptop does not have a parallel port, and the printer does not have a USB option, so he is using a USB-parallel adapter to connect the printer to his laptop 2.) I have uninstalled the drivers and loaded them again, all to no avail... 3) No matter what program (eg: Outlook, Word, Notepad...) he tries to print from, the computer always crashes... 4.) We know that the printer itself is fully functional as it worked successfully on his older Win98 computer Are you able to help us with this!	Starfish42 (5881)
252665	2004-07-15 23:52:00	First of all, it took me a while to click that you meant printer :D I thought you meant some evil laser beam of some sort . But you should try these things (in no particular order) 1) Buy a parallel port card - they're about $30 from www . ascent . co . nz 2) Although farfetched, problems like this are sometimes to do with the memory . Or how the operating system handles the memory . 3) General protection faults, well, I'll let MS explain: A general protection fault (GP fault) often indicates that there is a problem with software or you need to update a device driver that you have installed on your computer . If you cannot find a Microsoft Knowledge Base article to address your specific issue, the Dr . Watson tool can help you identify the cause of the error message . Have you tried their knowledge base? Someone else may be in the same problem . 4) basically What i meant in 2), but in Microsoft's words: General Protection Fault (Interrupt 13) All protection violations that do not cause another exception cause a general protection exception . This includes, but is not limited to: - Exceeding the segment limit when using the CS, DS, ES, FS, or GS segments . This is a very common problem in programs; it is usually caused by miscalculating how much memory is required in an allocation . - Transferring execution to a segment that is not executable (for example, jumping to a location that contains garbage) . - Writing to a read-only or a code segment . - Loading a bad value into a segment register . - Using a null pointer . A value of 0 is defined as a null pointer . In Protected mode, it is always invalid to use a segment register that contains 0 . Ofcourse, this doesn't help much at all - but it helps to understand the cause of the problem (it's programming, and windows being silly) . 5) Now to save myself explaining the rest, here is an extract from . microsoft . com/default . aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q82710" target="_blank">support . microsoft . com This is for windows 95 and 98, it may be that the Windows XP Home procedures are different . Bear in mind that the parallel feature is old and probably draws it's roots from the programming of windows 95 and 98 (roughly) . You can try it, [b]but I suggest you look around the microsoft site for help in XP home . (Oh and bear in mind, to restart in safe mode in windows XP, press down F8 while booting . (before the XP loading screen appears . ) ( I apologise if this is irrelevant ) Troubleshooting General Protection Faults First, narrow down the source of the error . Because General Protection faults can be caused by software or hardware, the first step is to restart your computer in Safe mode . Restarting in Safe mode allows you to test your computer in a state in which only essential components of Windows are loaded . If you restart your computer in Safe mode and the error message does not occur, the origin is more likely to be a driver or program . If you restart in Safe mode and then test your computer and the error message does occur, the issue is more likely to be hardware or damaged Windows core files . For Windows 95, restart your computer, press F8 when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Safe Mode . For Windows 98, restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key until you see the Windows 98 Startup menu, and then choose Safe Mode . Test your computer in Safe mode . If the error does not occur, use the appropriate steps below for your operating system . If the error does occur, there may be a problem with your Windows installation or you may be experiencing a symptom of faulty hardware . See the "Test Hardware" section of this article . Windows 98 After your computer restarts in Safe mode, use the System Configuration Utility tool (Msconfig . exe) to minimize conflicts that may be causing the problem: Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information . On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility . On the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then click to clear the following check boxes: Process Config . sys File Process Autoexec . bat File Process Winstart . bat File (if available) Process System . ini File Process Win . ini File Load Startup Group Items Click OK, and then restart your computer normally when you are prompted . After you restart and test your computer, if you still do not receive the error message, continue with the next steps . Run the System Configuration Utility tool, click to select one item in the Selective Startup box, click OK, and then restart your computer and test . Continue this process until all of the items in the Selective Startup box are selected . If you select an item and your issue reoccurs, click the tab of the corresponding item in Selective Startup, clear half of the check boxes, click OK, and then restart your computer . Continue this process until you narrow down the setting that is causing your problem . If you can restart your computer successfully when all items are checked, run the System Configuration Utility tool, click to select Normal Startup, click OK, and then restart your computer . For additional information about using Msconfig . exe, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98 Windows 95 The following steps can help you to determine if the problem that you are experiencing is due to the real-mode configuration of your computer . This could include drivers that are loaded from your Config . sys and Autoexec . bat files . Restart your computer . When the "Starting Windows 95" message is displayed, press F8, and then click Step-By-Step Confirmation from the Startup menu . When you are prompted, load the following items (if you are prompted to load any other items, press N): Dblspace driver . Himem . sys . Ifshlp . sys . Dblbuff . sys . Load the Windows 95 graphical user interface (GUI), choosing to load all Windows drivers . NOTE: Windows 95 does not require the Config . sys and Autoexec . bat files, but some tools installed on the computer may require them . You should never rename the Config . sys and Autoexec . bat files until you perform a successful interactive boot to verify that they are not needed . If the clean boot of your real-mode configuration eliminates the issue, isolate the conflict with a terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) or real-mode device driver by using the Step-By-Step Confirmation function . Load Windows 95 by booting to a command prompt and starting Windows 95 by typing win, holding down the SHIFT key for the duration of the boot . This prevents any programs from loading automatically at startup . If the issue is resolved by preventing programs from loading at startup, investigate the following possible sources . The Winstart . bat File The Winstart . bat file is used to load TSRs that are required for Windows-based programs and are not needed in MS-DOS sessions . For additional information the Winstart . bat file, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 134402 Some TSRs Moved from Autoexec . bat to Winstart . bat During Setup The Startup Group If the issue is resolved by bypassing the Startup group, remove each of the programs from the Startup group individually to isolate the program that is causing the problem . The Run Key in the Registry WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system . Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly . Use Registry Editor at your own risk . You can prevent programs from loading by removing the program's string from the following registry keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\RunServices Programs may also be loading from the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Run The Win . ini File The "load=" and "run=" lines in the [Windows] section of this file can start programs automatically . See the following section for more information . Test Windows Configuration Files To test the Windows configuration files, use the following steps: Boot to a command prompt . Rename the Win . ini file by typing the following command: ren c:\windows\win . ini * . bak Start Windows 95 by typing win . If this procedure corrects the problem, ensure that the "load=" and "run=" lines in the [Windows] section of the Win . ini file are either blank or preceded with a semicolon (;) to prevent the items from loading . Rename the System . ini file by typing the following command: ren c:\windows\system . ini * . bak Windows 95 requires a System . ini file to load the graphic user interface . Replace the original file by typing the following command: copy c:\windows\system . cb c:\windows\system . ini NOTE: Starting Windows 95 with the System . cb file does not load a driver for the mouse . Edit the new System . ini file, adding the following lines: [386Enh] mouse=*vmouse, msmouse . vxd [boot] drivers=mmsystem . dll mouse . drv=mouse . drv Start Windows 95 by typing win at the command prompt . If replacing the original System . ini file with the System . cb file corrects the issue, the problem most likely resides with either the [boot] or [386Enh] sections of the original System . ini file . Restore the original file to troubleshoot it . To isolate the cause of the problem, place a semicolon (;) at the beginning of a line to prevent the item from loading . For additional information about the System . ini file and its default entries, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 140441 Creating a New System . ini File Without Third-Party Drivers Protected-Mode Device Drivers Safe mode disables all protected-mode device drivers for Windows 95 . You can conduct testing for incompatible components and resource conflicts by disabling the protected-mode device drivers in Device Manager . Removing Protected-Mode Device Drivers to Isolate Conflicts Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System . On the Device Manager tab, click View Devices By Type . Disable each of the protected-mode device drivers . For example: Double-click the Floppy Disk Controllers branch to expand it . Click Standard Floppy Disk Controller, and then click Properties . On the General tab, click to clear the Original Configuration (Current) check box, and then click OK . NOTE: If you have enabled hardware profiles, there is a check box for each of the configurations . Clear the check box for the hardware profile you are troubleshooting . Repeat steps A through C for each device in Device Manager . Click Close, and then restart the computer . If you resolve the issue by disabling the protected-mode drivers in Device Manager, you may have a hardware conflict or a driver may be incompatible with your hardware . For additional information about troubleshooting resource conflicts in Windows 95, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 133240 Troubleshooting Device Conflicts with Device Manager If you determine that a Windows 95 protected-mode device driver is incompatible with your hardware, contact the hardware manufacturer to determine the availability of new drivers . Changing the Video Driver to a Standard VGA Driver NOTE: If you followed the directions in the "Removing Protected-Mode Drivers to Isolate Conflicts" section of this article, you changed the video driver to VGA and you can skip to the next section . Disabling the video adapter sets your video to the VGA driver . Safe mode starts Windows 95 with the VGA video driver . To determine if the issue you are experiencing is related to your video driver, change to the VGA driver for testing purposes . NOTE: To ensure a safe return to your previous configuration, use the following steps: Back up the System . ini file . Note the current desktop area (resolution) and color palette . Record the name of your current video adapter . To change to the VGA video driver, follow these steps: Start Windows 95 in Safe mode . Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display . On the Settings tab, click Change Display Type . In the Adapter Type area, click Change . Click Show All Devices . In the Manufacturers box, click (Standard Display Types) . In the Models box, click Standard Display Adapter (VGA), and then click OK . Click OK or Close until you return to Control Panel . Restart your computer . If you determine that your video driver is incompatible with Windows 95, contact the hardware manufacturer to determine the availability of new drivers . Registry Damage When you start Windows 95 in Safe mode the registry is read minimally . Damage to the registry may not be evident when running in Safe mode; you may need to replace the existing registry (System . dat) with a backup to determine if the issue is caused by a damaged registry . To troubleshoot a damaged registry, use the following steps: Boot to a command prompt . Remove the file attributes from the backup of the registry by typing the following command: c:\windows\command\attrib -h -s -r c:\system . 1st Remove the file attributes from the current registry by typing the following command: c:\windows\command\attrib -h -s -r c:\windows\system . dat Rename the registry by typing the following command: ren c:\windows\system . dat * . dax Copy the backup file to the current registry by typing the following command: copy c:\system . 1st c:\windows\system . dat Restart your computer . NOTE: The System . 1st file is a backup of the registry that is created during the final stage of Windows 95 Setup . Therefore, the "Running Windows 95 for the first time" banner is displayed and Windows 95 finalizes settings as if it is being installed . If replacing the System . dat file with the System . 1st file resolves the issue, the problem may be related to registry damage . Programs and device drivers added after you installed Windows 95 may require reinstallation to update the new registry . If the issue is not resolved, restore the original registry by using the following steps: Restart the computer to a command prompt . Type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command: c:\windows\command\attrib -s -h -r c:\windows\system . dat copy c:\windows\system . dax c:\windows\system . dat NOTE: Overwrite the existing System . dat file if you are prompted to do so . Restart the computer . The Windows 95 CD-ROM includes tools for backing up your system files as well as the registry . For additional information about these tools, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:	Growly (6)
252666	2004-07-15 23:53:00	um, there is a space after the < why? Maybe I should use the preview button more often - sorry.	Growly (6)
252667	2004-07-16 00:22:00	I don't think Growly noticed that it was a laptop, so fitting a parallel card will be difficult. I imagine the problem is due to the use of a USB - Parallel port adapter. The driver probably does not understand about USB, and "virtual" LPT ports, only real ones. Many applications baulk at using USB provided serial and parallel port solutions, they are handled differently to the normal port drivers.	godfather (25)
252668	2004-07-16 00:27:00	Cheers Growly! Lots of ideas to work through . . . For me "laser" always conjures up evil images of "Dr Evil" of Austin Powers' fame . . . but I digress :) I did a quick search on the Microsoft Knowledge base -- to no avail . . . The only mention I found of printing using a usb to parallel adapter stated that "To work around this behavior [computer slowing down when printing to a parallel port], print to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) printer port . If the printer does not have this capability, use a parallel-USB cable . " hmmmmmm . . . A search for "Panasonic KX-P6100" brought up 2 results . . . One referred to problems saving to a floppy disk in Win95 and the other referred to printing in MS Works2 . . . Also, checked out the parallel port cards at Ascent and see they only have PCI versions . . . because my friend has a laptop I checked to see if there was such a device available on a PCMCIA card - no luck there . . . Is there any way to connect a PCI card to a laptop . . . I have also emailed Panasonic NZ . . . Will give "Dr Watson" a go as well and see what that brings up . . Thank you for your ideas! I will keep hunting and I'm sure the answer will appear (and I'm sure it's something very simple too!) . . .	Starfish42 (5881)
252669	2004-07-16 00:39:00	Hi Godfather... Whoops... was busy editing my reply to Growly and didn't notice yours coming in... Is there away around the USB - Parallel port adapter issue... I notice that some USB-Parallel port adapters come with drivers that create a special port... eg: the adapter from Targus comes with a driver that creates a port called "PB1284-1 (USB port)". Although not sure if that would get around the installation program looking for LPT1, 2 or 3... hmmmmm.... Not sure who manufactured my friend's cable... although I imagine they would all have to be the same at their core and the driver would work for any USB-Parallel adapter? (from memory my friend's adapter was second hand and did not come with any drivers) Thank you for your two cents worth! Will continue hunting... although may have to accept that there is a definite potential that it cannot be done... Might also try installing a generic printer driver...	Starfish42 (5881)
252670	2004-07-16 01:17:00	My immediate thought is, that this printer will only have a basic driver for XP. Its now very old in computer peripheral terms, and lack of support for a port for which it was never really designed is probably inderstandable. They were not a bad printer - in their day. I had one, but the longevity (lack of) of the drum was a problem as the drum unit cost as much as another printer, so I quit it for $25. You could spend the equivalent of a new USB connectable laser printer trying to find adapters that would work, and still not actually get it to work reliably.	godfather (25)
252671	2004-07-16 03:18:00	The problem is often that the printer manufacturers have assumed that they are connected to a "real" printer port, and they can write the driver to access "real" port registers. USB is different. :_| One thing you could try before totally giving up on that printer is a network printer server. They often work very well when all else fails. The server has the real registers.:D I got a couple recently which are just a lump which plugs onto the 36 pin connector on the printer,with a power brick and a RJ45 socket. One of these runs a Canon BJ1000 (which talks back to the computer like the Panasonic/HP laser ones do). See if you can get a "money-back if it doesn't work" deal.	Graham L (2)
252672	2004-07-16 03:53:00	Have a look at this thread ... basic same problem, different OS but it may help. pressf1.pcworld.co.nz	Cptn Hotshot (3904)
252673	2004-07-16 05:43:00	Thank you all for your helpful ideas and insights :) Will try out your suggestions in the next wee while… if I have any luck I will let you all know… In the meantime, thank you once again… have a great weekend ;)	Starfish42 (5881)
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