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Can't Use LPT ports

Posted: 13. May 2015, 15:18
by Flo.ess
Hello everyone,

I'm trying to port legacy software and virtualbox is the best solution i found at this far. It worked very well with previous software but i have an issue with a program that use lpt port. I use FreeDos to run legacy Dos program but i have to use LPT1 at base address 0x378 and LPT2 at base address 0x3BC (hardcoded in the soft).
My problems :
I can't use LPT port 0x378 and 0x278 at the same time (i have a problem with 0x3BC so i tryied with 0x278)
I can't use LPT port 0x3BC
When i use 0x378 i don't have any data getting out of LPT port (But VirtualBox open the port a starting)

I'm Using
Windows XP 32 bits pro service pack 3 (Host)
FreeDos 1.1 (Guest)
LPT1 (on Host) from MotherBoard
LPT2 (on Host) Usb/LPT adapteur

I hope my explaination are clear and my english not so bad :oops:
thanks a lot

Re: Can't Use LPT ports

Posted: 13. May 2015, 18:32
by mpack
Please don't provide a startup log unless we ask for one - this wastes a lot of server space.
from VBox.log wrote: 00:00:07.884913 Configuration error: Too many instances of parallel was configured: 2, max 1
This is news to me, but quite clear I suppose. Apparantly you can only configure one LPTx port, probably this is a limitation of how the feature is implemented on Windows hosts.

Re: Can't Use LPT ports

Posted: 18. May 2015, 09:19
by Flo.ess
Okay thanks for the reply and sorry for the attachment.
I have'nt seen that but that's weird when i list systemproperties it says Maximum parrallel port : 2.
But still it doesn't explain why i have no output with one standard lpt port and why 0x3BC give me an I/O port conflict

Re: Can't Use LPT ports

Posted: 18. May 2015, 11:22
by mpack
Sorry, none of my PCs have LPTx ports any longer, so I am not able to offer any advice beyond that given in the FAQ: Enabling and Configuring Parallel (LPTx) Ports.

Re: Can't Use LPT ports

Posted: 18. May 2015, 14:35
by Flo.ess
Okay, thanks for the tips anyway ;)