Here's a real challange for you folks out there

[Asazman]

Okay I've been troubleshooting for many years, and this problem really has confused the hell outta me.

Okay a little background: built a computer for my dad to replace his old one for work, he used to have windows 98, kept that hard drive as slave (so he could access his files) and installed winxp on a fresh hard drive. All new hardware, but a new OS.

Now, he has an old DOS accounting program (Dac-Easy) that he has all his files on for all his info in. Because I didn't have time to transfer all his preferences (emails, address book, program settings) i just gave him his new computer booting to his old OS. To do this, i had to install all the mobo drivers on windows 98, but everything worked fine

....until now. A couple days later, I find out he cannot print from his accounting software. He can print from IE and Word, but not DOS...I reinstalled the drivers and removed and added the printer but no go, no matter what i did.

And then, what really freaked me out, I booted to the new hard drive, tried to print from the program (i copied the entire directory over to the new hdd) and it wouldn't print, but would from other apps.....

This program is old and finiky, it can't be reinstalled or should need to be, but this really is very weird....

Thanks everyone, I'm counting on you!!

[S1nF1xx]

If he has a new printer read, otherwise disregard it:

The company I work for has some old-ass software I have to support from time to time. It is DOS based, but it runs fine in Windows XP. The only real catch is they have to have a printer that is specifically DOS compatible. No new printers will work with this software anymore so our clients run into this problem all the time. Now the software was written in foxpro :rolleyes: (ugh), so I'm not sure if this is a foxpro specific problem, a problem specific to the application we support, or if it applies to all old-ass DOS programs, but it sounds like the exact problem you're having.

[AchTuNG!]

have a look around the DOS proggy settings (if there are any). you should find that the printer is set to use LPT1 or LPT2 or something like that.

when and if you find this out, check the port settings in windows for the printer. make sure it corresponds to the dos printing setup. if it does not, or it has set up its own port as some printers do, you may have to map the port. in 98, you can use the capture port thingy in the printer settings. in xp, you can use net use lpt1 \\pcname\share etc....

this is just one thing to look for...

[kellog]

Of course we're all asuming this is a parallel printer right? and not a USB printer?

[ameoba]

Isn't there a setting on the printer that says "Allow DOS programs to use this printer" or somethign?

Really, If you're going to be upgrading hardware, you're eventually going to have to upgrade the OS; now is probably a good time to start looking for a new accounting software that will import his old data files.

[Asazman]

Of course we're all asuming this is a parallel printer right? and not a USB printer?

right, it's parallel

thanks everyone for all the help!

Yes I tried changing the LPT1 to LPT2 and so on but still no go...

[budec]

Is there any settings in the program it's self? (some old DOS programs had a 'configuration' menu where you could setup the printer, etc).

[budec]

Also, could you just say create a DOS boot disk, boot into DOS and run it from there? Does that work?

[Asazman]

Also, could you just say create a DOS boot disk, boot into DOS and run it from there? Does that work?

nope can't do that

and no there is no setting within the program, except when you're at the print screen it asks what port, and I always do LPT1 but i tried all the others

[oakfan52]

95/98 asks you when you install the driver if you want dos support. uninstall the driver and reinstall saying yes to the dos prompt.

[Direwolf20]

Install PostScript drivers for the printer, (its a long shot but worth a try)