virtualbox.org

Good evening,
I have an HP Laserjet 3150 printer which I used for years under Windows XP but which is no longer supported under Win 8 nor Windows 10. I bought a parallel to USB converter but with no success.

In order to use my printer I installed a VirtualBox under Windows 8 with a Win XP System. This worked fine for many month under Windows 8.1 and then also after I have updated to Windows 10. All of a sudden, however, when trying to start the virtual machine it will not start any more but give me the following error message:

VirtualBox - Error

Für die virtuelle Maschine Print-Maschine konnte keine neue Sitzung eröffnet werden.
[ translatedt: No new session could be opened for the virtual machine "Print-Maschine"]
Parallel#0 could not open 'LPT1:' (VERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND).
Parallel device 0 cannot attach to host driver (VERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND).

Fehlercode:E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Komponente:ConsoleWrap
Interface:IConsole {872da645-4a9b-1727-bee2-5585105b9eed}

These are my systems parameters:

• [Host System: Windows 10 Version 1511 (build 10586.104) 64 bit system, 16GByte memory]
• Guest System: Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_qfe.130704-0421 : Service Pack 3) 32 bit system, 2 GByte memory
• VirtualBox Version 5.0.14 r105127
• Guest addition has been installed

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LPT-lines of file "Print-Maschine-XP-Drucker_OK.vbox":

<LPT>
<Port slot="0" enabled="true" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="7" path="LPT1:"/>
<Port slot="1" enabled="false" IOBase="0x378" IRQ="7"/>
</LPT>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Host system device manager:
LPT1 I/O Range 0378 - 037F
DMA 03
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I tried again the following commands at the host system

VBoxManage modifyvm <VMname> --lptmode1 <host LPT device name>
VBoxManage modifyvm <VMname> --lpt1 0x378 7
alternatively
VBoxManage modifyvm <VMname> --lptmode1 <host LPT device name>
VBoxManage modifyvm <VMname> --lpt1 0x378 5

I found LPT port setting in the UEFI BIOS set to "AUTO"

I also did a "Repair" installation but with no success.

I would be very happy if I coud get any hints as how to find my problem.
Every comment is very much appreciated but Im afraid, I will be only able to look for your replies once a week every Tuesday.

Thank you very much for any help!

Frankieboy

You say that the USB-LPT adapter didn't work, so what you using instead?

Have you looked in the host device list to verify that LPT1 exists? Because the error message seems to be saying otherwise. Perhaps the port name changed, or you now have a host driver problem.

I'm surprised that this worked for you in the past. I thought VirtualBox needed to access the port at a lower level than a USB-LPT adapter would allow. That said I've never used the feature so could easily be wrong.

Good evening, mpack,
thank you for your quick response.
First I like to apologize because I forgot to attach my log-files as I had intended. I will add them now.

After I got my new computer with Windows 8.1 last year I found out that the ancient HP printer driver required did not install under Win 8.1. That's when I bought the USB to serial adapter, which I couldn't get to work; I forgot the details of these problems. At this point someone suggested to install VirtualBox on my Win 8.1 computer, install my old XP in a virtual machine and then install the HP printer driver. All this worked nicely and I was able to print. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I updated my system to Win 10 and of course tested my printing via my virtual XP machine - it worked perfect. Until last week when I got the error described above.
I'm not sure what you mean by Have you looked in the host device list to verify that LPT1 exists?. If I open the Windows 10 device manager and look after Ports (COM & LPT), then double-click on LPT1 I find

LPT1 I/O Range 0378 - 037F
DMA 03

Is it that what you mean?
Thanks again,
Frankieboy
Please note that, while I'm able to work with the forum, the computer affected is at another location which I only will visit next Tuesday.

Now you have me confused. If your printer has an LPT port, which did you think a USB-Serial adapter would help? If the printer has a serial port, why are are you trying to talk to LPT1? Does the printer have both? And it doesn't have an Ethernet port? Or Wireless?

Your original question was about the error message. As I've said, the most obvious answer to that is that the error message is correct and the port doesn't exist. If you believe otherwise then please show me a screenshot of the error message and a screenshot of the Ports branch on your host Device Manager, showing that LPT1 exists.

p.s. The thought occurs that LPT ports can't be shared. Have you failed to mention some kind of host application or driver (e.g. Windows printer driver) that has already opened LPT1?

Sorry for not getting things explained clear enough.

The HP Laserjet 3150 printer is very old (the handbook has a copyright date of 1999). It has neither an USB port nor an Ethernet port or wireless connection, just a paralell port. Therefore my idea was to plug the USB side of the converter cable into the computer and the converter's LPT side into the printer. This seemed feasible to me but it did not work.

I have attached a zip file containing some gif files showing screenshots of the VirtualBox error message and several screenshots of the host systems device manager.

Your last thought that LPT ports can't be shared sounds interesting. Do you know how I can find out if any other software is using the LPT1 port?
On the host I tried to see if the LPT1 port is used by other software:

• I open the Windows 10 "Devices and Printers" window: unter "Not specified" I find an entry "Hewlett-Packard HP LaserJet 3150" (see screen shot "Devices-and-printers.gif"). By right clicking, I can delete this entry but after a reboot it will re-appear. I do not know how to get rid of it. I wonder if this could prevent VirtualBox accessing the LPT1 port.
• Then I used Microsofts "autorun" software on the host to look for any software using the port. I filtered with the string "hp" and got the picture shown in the screenshot "autoruns.gif". I am not sure why these files are loaded, if they block the LPT1 port in some way and if I should deactivate them

I said before that my access to the computer is limited to Tuesdays but today I was able to work with it via TeamViewer so I could create my screenshots.

I'm not sure what way is most convenient for you to receive my screenshot so I wrap them in a zip file "screenshots.zip.

Your assistence is very much appreciated, thank you very much.
With kind Regards, Frankieboy

If Windows is installing a printer driver for a printer that communicates via the parallel port, then yes, it must be using the parallel port - whether or not the printer works.

I would try disabling the driver, (not deleting it, as the latter will just cause PlugAndPlay to restore it as long as the hardware is still connected). Then reboot the host and try the VM again.

I use Windows 10 and HP Deskjet 810c (1998), conection by paralell cable, working over 812c Driver. This week, after Windows launch update 1511, the printer doesn't working anymore. I've tried reinstall driver, configurate LTP ports, update drivers, old drivers...
And nothing, error anytime.

Thank you for your hints.

I spent some time with google, trying to find out how to disable the driver but I am not yet sure how to proceed. I will delete programs that might block the LPT port such as "Canon My Printer" which actually is needed to be able to print (via USB port) to my Canon printer. But who knows what it might do to the LPT port...
There are 6 files labled as "Publisher Hewlett Packard" in the autorun-display. I tried to find these files in the display of the "process explorer" just to see if they were active in the system but there was not even one of them.

Next time I will be able to work with this computer is Tuesday, Feb. 23rd. After that I hope to be able to come back with some positive research results.
Thanks again for your help sofar.

As I said above, I doubt that deleting programs and drivers will work. As long as you have a parallel port and a printer connected to it, AFAIK Windows plug and play will kick in and attempt to install the driver. I don't use Windows 10 but I did find the following web page which discusses preventing a Win7 host from automatically installing drivers for a device.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/2500967

I have had a look at the page you quoted and I will try to change the setting on Tuesday.
Thank you for your quick response and have a nice weekend.

Thank you! Your idea

The thought occurs that LPT ports can't be shared.

and the link in your last post pointed me towards the right direction.

I tried the following steps:

1. In "Device installation settings" the question "Do you want Windows to download driver Software and realistic icons for your devices?"
   I activate "No"
2. I disconnect printer cable from lpt1 port
   Note: It was NOT sufficient to switch the printer power off!!
3. the device manager shows
   - printer (LPT1)
   - communication port (COM1)
4. in the device manager I open "properties of printer port (LPT1)"
   there I deinstall the LPT printer driver
5. the printer disappears from the device manager
   the device manager now shows no LPT1, only
   communication port (COM1)
   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. I boot the Win 10 system with the printer cable disconnected from the LPT1 port
   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Now the device manager again shows
   - printer (LPT1)
   - communication port (COM1)
8. I connect the printer cable to the system
9. the Virtual machine can now be started without any error message
10. the printer prints correctly out of the virtual machine
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. I boot the Win 10 system with 3150 printer connected to the LPT1 port
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. an attempt to start the virtual machine again results in the error message Parallel#0 could not open 'LPT1:'
    which was the reason to open this thread

So it seems to me that if the printer cable is connected to the hosts LPT port during the boot process, Windows will get hold of it and prevent VirtualBox from using this port.

For the moment I am very happy because I am able to use my printer again. However, I ask myself some questions: Why was I able to user my printer out of the VirtualBox until a few weeks ago without unplugging the cable before I boot the system? Will I find a way to work without unplugging the printer cable before I boot my system? Actually I had expected step 1 of my list above to prevent Windows 10 from taking my LPT port, but that step does not seem to have any effect.

I will definitely do some more experimenting and testing and see if I can find more details and a better way to work.

So it remains to say thank you very much for your assistance and helping me to get my printer going again. It is a great experience that, if you are hopelessly lost with a problem, you find help in a community like this.
Thank you again!

I'm sorry, but we are straying further and further from VirtualBox issues and more towards purely Windows issues: how to stop your Windows host from installing a printer driver you don't want it to install, because you want to use LPT1: directly in another app. It doesn't really matter what the other app is. That is a Windows support query, and it's really Microsoft who should be fielding those questions. I believe I've pointed you in the right direction.

Yes, you definitely have and I wanted to say thank you for your friendly support.
With kind Regards
Frankieboy