printing via USB adapter to LPT printer

[saulius2]

Hi.

I have USB device which enables printing to LPT printers (in Windows):
http://www.hama.de/portal/searchSelecte ... 845?lid=12

What is needed to make this happen under dos?
What coding / reversing tasks should be accomplished?

[Bret]

You should just need to install the host controller driver (USBUHCI or, preferably, USBUHCIL), and the printer driver (USBPRINT). If your printer cable is plugged into a USB hub instead of directly into the host controller (the root hub), you will also need to install the hub driver (USBHUB).

After you do that, your USB printer will look like it is plugged into a standard parallel port, and you can print to it from almost any DOS program. There are lots of technical issues you may need to work through (host controller protocols, IRQ's, multiple host controllers, "real" LPT ports, etc.) depending on your exact configuration, though.

[CrAcK]

Hi guys,
please help me... I've an adapter like this, but it's impossibile to print.
I've to configure a Notebook, an Acer extensa 5630ez with a bootable partition MS-Dos 6.22
These are the results of some commands:

Code: Select all


USBHOSTS 0.06, (C) 2007-2009, Bret E. Johnson.

       PCI BUS
      ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ                             BASE           USB DRIVER
      I   B  D F                      BASE   PHYSICAL   ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
HOST  d   u  v n              USB IRQ I/O    MEMORY     HST             BW
TYPE  x   s  c c  VENDR PROD  VER NUM ADDR   ADDRESS    IDX   STATUS   USED
ÍÍÍÍ  Í ÍÍÍ ÍÍ Í  ÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ  ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍ
UHCI  0   0 26 0  8086h 2937h 1.0  11 1820h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

UHCI  1   0 26 1  8086h 2938h 1.0  11 1840h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

UHCI  2   0 26 2  8086h 2939h 1.0  11 1860h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

UHCI  3   0 29 0  8086h 2934h 1.0  10 1880h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

UHCI  4   0 29 1  8086h 2935h 1.0  11 18A0h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

UHCI  5   0 29 2  8086h 2936h 1.0  10 18C0h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

ÍÍÍÍ  Í ÍÍÍ ÍÍ Í  ÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ  ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍ
EHCI  0   0 26 7  8086h 293Ch 2.0  11 ±±±±± F4A0_4000h  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

EHCI  1   0 29 7  8086h 293Ah 2.0  10 ±±±±± F4A0_4400h  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             



Code: Select all

USBDEVIC 0.05, (C) 2008, Bret E. Johnson.
Program to display information about Devices attached to the USB Host(s).

                               DEVICE ADDRESSES
ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
Host Index:  0  Host Type: UHCI  Bus Type: PCI   IRQ#: 11  Root Hub Ports: 2
Vendor: 8086h = Intel Corp                                 Product: 2937h
ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
                DEVICES                                   INTERFACES           
ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ  ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
                           L                C  I A                O           
ADRS                       o         P      o  n l                w           
ÍÍÍÍ   (hex)               S         o BUS  n  t t                n           
Test VEND PROD     Sub Pro p USB HUB r POWR f  f I                e     Sub Pro
RWak  ID   ID  Cls Cls col d VER ADR t (mA) g  c n  DESCRIPTION   d Cls Cls col
ÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ Í ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ Í ÍÍÍÍ Í  Í Í ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Í ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ ÍÍÍ
  1  8086 2937   9   0   0 . 1.0 ... . s  0 1  0 0*Root Hub       Y   9   0   0
     Intel Corp                             


Code: Select all

USBPRINT 0.08, (C) 2007-2009, Bret E. Johnson.
DOS Driver for up to 8 USB Printers.

                           STATUS OF PARALLEL PORT(s)
  ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
  Redirected Ports: None


              N A   N I T
            S o c   o O i
            e t k   P E m
            l B n   a r e
            e u o   p r O
            c s w   e o u    I/O BASE
            t y l   r r t    ADDRESS                  DESCRIPTION
           ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ  ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ  ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
   LPT4:    Y Y .   Y . .        ????   Unknown Printer

  * = Redirected Port
  ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
  Select + NoPaper = No Printer Installed
  Select + NotBusy = Printer Ready



Code: Select all

USBPRINT 0.08, (C) 2007-2009, Bret E. Johnson.
DOS Driver for up to 8 USB Printers.

        OVERALL PROGRAM STATUS
  ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
  USB Host Driver Installed:    Yes
  Fix BOUND OpCode Bug:         Yes
  Beep for Bad Printers:        Yes
  Overwrite Parallel Ports:      No
  Send Epson USB Init Strings:  Yes
  "Fake" Base I/O Address:     04A0h


                         INDIVIDUAL USB PRINTER STATUSES
  ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
  #################  No USB Printers are Currently Installed  #################

Resident USBPRINT has been updated with new information.


What's wrong??

[Bret]

You have a total of 6 UHCI host controllers, but only installed a driver for the first one (Index 0). Your printer must not be plugged into one of the ports for Index 0 -- it must be on Index 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. You can do trial and error, plugging the printer into different ports, installing the driver for each host one at a time, or installing drivers for all 6 controllers at once (which will use a lot of memory).

The best way to narrow it down would either be to install all drivers for all 6 controllers at once and then running USBDEVICE, or do the following (with your printer plugged in):

USBHOSTS U0 U1 U2 U3 U4 U5

This will show you the details for all 6 UHCI controllers, and you should be able to tell which controllers have something plugged into them (by looking for a Connected status in the Root Hub details). This will only work if the controllers are turned on and managed properly the BIOS.

[CrAcK]

Thank you for your answer Bret.

This is the result of your suggested command:
USBHOSTS U0 U1 U2 U3 U4 U5

Code: Select all


USBHOSTS 0.06, (C) 2007-2009, Bret E. Johnson.


       PCI BUS
      ----------                             BASE           USB DRIVER
      I   B  D F                      BASE   PHYSICAL   -------------------
HOST  d   u  v n              USB IRQ I/O    MEMORY     HST             BW
TYPE  x   s  c c  VENDR PROD  VER NUM ADDR   ADDRESS    IDX   STATUS   USED
----  - --- -- -  ----- ----- --- --- ----- ----------  --- ---------- ----
UHCI  1   0 26 1  8086h 2938h 1.0  11 1840h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

  --------GENERAL--------
      C P D P S   H F E R
    H o k e r y G C G G e
  R a n t b c s R R R S s  FRAME LIST
  u l f 6 u E E s s s u D  BASE       FRAME FRAME
  n t g 4 g r r t t m s t  ADDRESS    TIME  NUMBR
  --- ----- --- --- -----  ---------- ----- -----
  Y . Y Y . . . . . . . .  3BAD_A000h 12000  1004

  ---------------ROOT HUB--------------   -INTERRUPTS-   -LEGACY SUPPORT-
  TOTAL    ~   ~ E   R R L L L     TOTL     U  O R S T                A A
  POWER  P C C E n S e e o i i     POWR     S  n e h O   P S          2 2
   ON    o o o n a u s s S n n      ON    U B  C s P C   I M  6 6 6 6 0 0
  PORTS  r n n b b s D e p D D DVC PORT   S E  m u k R   R I  4 4 0 0 P E
  (mA)   t n n l l p t t d - + ADR (mA)   B r  p m t C   Q #  W R W R T d
  -----  --------------- ----- --- ----   ---  -------   ---  -----------
  ±±±±±  1 . . . . . . . . . . ±±± ±±±±   . .  Y . . .   ± .  ± ± ± ± ± ±
         2 . . . . . . . . . . ±±± ±±±±



------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       PCI BUS
      ----------                             BASE           USB DRIVER
      I   B  D F                      BASE   PHYSICAL   -------------------
HOST  d   u  v n              USB IRQ I/O    MEMORY     HST             BW
TYPE  x   s  c c  VENDR PROD  VER NUM ADDR   ADDRESS    IDX   STATUS   USED
----  - --- -- -  ----- ----- --- --- ----- ----------  --- ---------- ----
UHCI  2   0 26 2  8086h 2939h 1.0  11 1860h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

  --------GENERAL--------
      C P D P S   H F E R
    H o k e r y G C G G e
  R a n t b c s R R R S s  FRAME LIST
  u l f 6 u E E s s s u D  BASE       FRAME FRAME
  n t g 4 g r r t t m s t  ADDRESS    TIME  NUMBR
  --- ----- --- --- -----  ---------- ----- -----
  Y . Y Y . . . . . . . .  3BAD_B000h 12000  1002

  ---------------ROOT HUB--------------   -INTERRUPTS-   -LEGACY SUPPORT-
  TOTAL    ~   ~ E   R R L L L     TOTL     U  O R S T                A A
  POWER  P C C E n S e e o i i     POWR     S  n e h O   P S          2 2
   ON    o o o n a u s s S n n      ON    U B  C s P C   I M  6 6 6 6 0 0
  PORTS  r n n b b s D e p D D DVC PORT   S E  m u k R   R I  4 4 0 0 P E
  (mA)   t n n l l p t t d - + ADR (mA)   B r  p m t C   Q #  W R W R T d
  -----  --------------- ----- --- ----   ---  -------   ---  -----------
  ±±±±±  1 . . . . . . . . . . ±±± ±±±±   . .  Y . . .   ± .  ± ± ± ± ± ±
         2 . . . . . . . . . . ±±± ±±±±

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       PCI BUS
      ----------                             BASE           USB DRIVER
      I   B  D F                      BASE   PHYSICAL   -------------------
HOST  d   u  v n              USB IRQ I/O    MEMORY     HST             BW
TYPE  x   s  c c  VENDR PROD  VER NUM ADDR   ADDRESS    IDX   STATUS   USED
----  - --- -- -  ----- ----- --- --- ----- ----------  --- ---------- ----
UHCI  3   0 29 0  8086h 2934h 1.0  10 1880h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

  --------GENERAL--------
      C P D P S   H F E R
    H o k e r y G C G G e
  R a n t b c s R R R S s  FRAME LIST
  u l f 6 u E E s s s u D  BASE       FRAME FRAME
  n t g 4 g r r t t m s t  ADDRESS    TIME  NUMBR
  --- ----- --- --- -----  ---------- ----- -----
  Y . Y Y . . . . . . . .  3BAD_C000h 12000  1000

  ---------------ROOT HUB--------------   -INTERRUPTS-   -LEGACY SUPPORT-
  TOTAL    ~   ~ E   R R L L L     TOTL     U  O R S T                A A
  POWER  P C C E n S e e o i i     POWR     S  n e h O   P S          2 2
   ON    o o o n a u s s S n n      ON    U B  C s P C   I M  6 6 6 6 0 0
  PORTS  r n n b b s D e p D D DVC PORT   S E  m u k R   R I  4 4 0 0 P E
  (mA)   t n n l l p t t d - + ADR (mA)   B r  p m t C   Q #  W R W R T d
  -----  --------------- ----- --- ----   ---  -------   ---  -----------
  ±±±±±  1 . . . . . . . . . . ±±± ±±±±   . .  Y . . .   . .  ± ± ± ± . ±
         2 . Y . . . . . . . Y ±±± ±±±±



------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       PCI BUS
      ----------                             BASE           USB DRIVER
      I   B  D F                      BASE   PHYSICAL   -------------------
HOST  d   u  v n              USB IRQ I/O    MEMORY     HST             BW
TYPE  x   s  c c  VENDR PROD  VER NUM ADDR   ADDRESS    IDX   STATUS   USED
----  - --- -- -  ----- ----- --- --- ----- ----------  --- ---------- ----
UHCI  4   0 29 1  8086h 2935h 1.0  11 18A0h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

  --------GENERAL--------
      C P D P S   H F E R
    H o k e r y G C G G e
  R a n t b c s R R R S s  FRAME LIST
  u l f 6 u E E s s s u D  BASE       FRAME FRAME
  n t g 4 g r r t t m s t  ADDRESS    TIME  NUMBR
  --- ----- --- --- -----  ---------- ----- -----
  Y . Y Y . . . . . . . .  3BAD_D000h 12000   998

  ---------------ROOT HUB--------------   -INTERRUPTS-   -LEGACY SUPPORT-
  TOTAL    ~   ~ E   R R L L L     TOTL     U  O R S T                A A
  POWER  P C C E n S e e o i i     POWR     S  n e h O   P S          2 2
   ON    o o o n a u s s S n n      ON    U B  C s P C   I M  6 6 6 6 0 0
  PORTS  r n n b b s D e p D D DVC PORT   S E  m u k R   R I  4 4 0 0 P E
  (mA)   t n n l l p t t d - + ADR (mA)   B r  p m t C   Q #  W R W R T d
  -----  --------------- ----- --- ----   ---  -------   ---  -----------
  ±±±±±  1 . . . . . . . . . . ±±± ±±±±   . .  Y . . .   ± .  ± ± ± ± ± ±
         2 . . . . . . . . . . ±±± ±±±±



------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       PCI BUS
      ----------                             BASE           USB DRIVER
      I   B  D F                      BASE   PHYSICAL   -------------------
HOST  d   u  v n              USB IRQ I/O    MEMORY     HST             BW
TYPE  x   s  c c  VENDR PROD  VER NUM ADDR   ADDRESS    IDX   STATUS   USED
----  - --- -- -  ----- ----- --- --- ----- ----------  --- ---------- ----
UHCI  5   0 29 2  8086h 2936h 1.0  10 18C0h ±±±±±±±±±±  ±±± ±±±±±±±±±± ±±±±
                  Intel Corp                             

  --------GENERAL--------
      C P D P S   H F E R
    H o k e r y G C G G e
  R a n t b c s R R R S s  FRAME LIST
  u l f 6 u E E s s s u D  BASE       FRAME FRAME
  n t g 4 g r r t t m s t  ADDRESS    TIME  NUMBR
  --- ----- --- --- -----  ---------- ----- -----
  Y . Y Y . . . . . . . .  3BAD_E000h 12000   996

  ---------------ROOT HUB--------------   -INTERRUPTS-   -LEGACY SUPPORT-
  TOTAL    ~   ~ E   R R L L L     TOTL     U  O R S T                A A
  POWER  P C C E n S e e o i i     POWR     S  n e h O   P S          2 2
   ON    o o o n a u s s S n n      ON    U B  C s P C   I M  6 6 6 6 0 0
  PORTS  r n n b b s D e p D D DVC PORT   S E  m u k R   R I  4 4 0 0 P E
  (mA)   t n n l l p t t d - + ADR (mA)   B r  p m t C   Q #  W R W R T d
  -----  --------------- ----- --- ----   ---  -------   ---  -----------
  ±±±±±  1 . . . . . . . . . . ±±± ±±±±   . .  Y . . .   ± .  ± ± ± ± ± ±
         2 . . . . . . . . . . ±±± ±±±±


It seems to be plugged into the 3rd but if I start this:
USBUHCI /Index 3
I receive an error...

[Bret]

What kind of error?

[CrAcK]

Hi,
if I write USBUHCI /Index 3 the answer is:

Code: Select all

The USB Controller failed to Initialize properly.
Aborting installation.
This could be related to an invalid IRQ#


if I write /Index 1 or /Index 2 or /Index 4 it's ok
if I write /Index 5 the screen remain with "Initializing Universal Host Controller #5. This may take several seconds..." and I have to turn off the PC to restart, the Ctrl+Alt+Canc doesn't work...

[Bret]

Unfortunately, you're in a situation that will take some fairly advanced troubleshooting. It could easily be related to an IRQ problem as the error message indicates. That turned out to be the problem on one of my computers -- some Intel host controllers are not 100% compatible with the UHCI standard that Intel itself wrote, and they "lie" about which IRQ they are actually using. You can try messing around with the /IRQ option and the IRQ program and see if you can figure it out.

Also, on some computers, you need to start the controllers in a certain order. On one of my computers, I have to start Index 0 before I can start Index 1. If I start with Index 1, it hangs like yours does with Index 5. You can also try starting Index 5 with the /PD option, which will give some indication as to which step in the initialization process that the problem occurs.

The easiest thing to do might be to plug the cable into a port associated with Index 0 or 2 or 4, if you can figure out where those are (and if they are even somewhere on the outside of the computer where you can get to them).

EDIT:

If the printer adapter is USB 2.0 compatible, one of the EHCI controllers will have control of it, and the UHCI controller will never see it. In other words, it's possible that the device you're seeing attached to Index 3 is not actually the printer, but some other USB device internal to the computer. If you know for sure that the printer adapter is only USB 1.x compatible and not USB 2.0, then that cannot be the case.

USBHOSTS E0 E1 will let you see if there are any USB 2.0 devices plugged in, and if so, you may need to perform a USBHOSTS S0 S1 to disable the EHCI controllers and force all of the devices to the UHCI controllers.

Incidentally, everything that has been discussed so far in this thread is also discussed in the documentation.

[Chester33]

I have some legacy software that only prints on printers connected via an LPT port. The machine I need to use, however, doesn't have a parallel port. Plus my printer is a USB device.

How do I trick my computer into thinking my usb printer is hooked up to the lpt port?

Further, this is for an office. I'll have admin rights when implementing the work around, but I'm shooting for a solution that works while a 'regular' user is logged after everything is set up.

[Bret]

The way you have this worded, it sounds like you're using Windows rather than "real" DOS. Is that true? If so, there are solutions for that problem posted all over the Internet, including here:

http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos

If that's not the case, please provide further details about your setup.

[Martin555]

Make sure that the cable you have has the correct type of connection to be connected to your printer.
Make sure that your printer does not have a built in copier, scanner, or fax function. If your printer does have these types of functions it will not work with a USB to Parallel cable.

[Bret]

Make sure that your printer does not have a built in copier, scanner, or fax function. If your printer does have these types of functions it will not work with a USB to Parallel cable.

That's not true. It doesn't matter whether or not the printer can also fax or scan or copy. What matters is which protocol is required to talk to the printer. For DOS purposes, the best printers to use are usually the ones that have PCL, the HP standard protocol that's been around for decades. Most DOS programs can print to a PCL printer/device. Some non-HP printers and multi-function devices (like Brother) can also understand PCL.

It should also be noted, however, that not even all modern HP devices understand PCL. Many of the less expensive HP multi-function printers (that can scan and/or fax and/or copy in addition to printing) use a protocol called LIDIL, and don't support PCL. The more expensive HP printers usually do support PCL. It would not be impossible to write a DOS driver for LIDIL, but it would be very difficult. It's been done in Linux, so if somebody wanted to go through the effort that could be ported to DOS.