[PARPORT] Compaq Armada parallel

From: Paweł Krawczyk (kravietz@alfa.ceti.pl)
Date: Sat Jun 17 2000 - 22:45:24 EDT

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    Hello, I'm having several problems with using parallel port on
    Compaq Armada 4131T notebook. It has recent BIOS installed, but
    I know the Armada family has some problems with using parallel ports
    in modes other than SPP. It probably uses EPP BIOS and there's
    simple DOS utility to set the port into desired mode (including EPP
    and ECP). Another information that may be helpful is that the parallel
    port for unknown reason conflicts with the floppy drive - when
    the parallel cable is connected, floppy stops working. IRQs, IO
    addresses and DMA are quite different, however.

    I'm trying to build a PLIP link with another, desktop machine using
    kernel either 2.2.16 or 2.4.0, with no success so far. The other end is
    using 2.2.16. The ports on both ends are configured to 0x378 and IRQ 7.

    When both ends were 2.2.16, there is some communication, but only in
    one direction - from laptop to desktop. The desktop machine receives
    packets sent from laptop, but the latter always drops them with error:

    plip0: checksum error

    In this case the laptop's parallel driver on startup shows two
    modes: SPP, PS/2. Desktop was tried with several modes enabled in
    BIOS, all with the same result (SPP, EPP 1.7 and EPP 1.9).

    I tried the same with 2.4.0 kernel, but it was even worse. In this
    case the desktop is still running 2.2.16 kernel with SPP mode detected
    (the only allowed in BIOS). Laptop driver recognizes PCSPP,TRISTATE,EPP.
    When sending packets from laptop, its kernel shows:

    plip0: transmit timeout(1, 80)

    And the desktop's one:

    plip0: receive timeout(2,87)

    Sending packets from the desktop results in the same ,,checksum error''
    being reported by the laptop.

    I've even checked the cable wiring and it's OK except for that it
    lacks pins 17-17 connection. I'm not sure if this is significant
    difference (the cable was bought in a shop).

    I'd appreciate any suggestions and comments. If needed, I can perform
    more testing, if this can give some useful data. TIA 

    -- 
Paweł Krawczyk <http://ceti.pl/~kravietz/>

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