rthiery

Already have a backup of your data? Fine! If not... You might also try to boot up with CD (like knoppix) and save your data on another medium (network, USB stick, whatever). Which data are essential to you is specific, think about Desktop, Bookmarks, "My documents"-Directory (and the one of the potential other users), emails, etc.

Well, I moved the printer and plugged it to my XP machine: definitely working. Windows XP Home SP1 with all available Critical Updates, German. Check your settings for parallel port: for me its set on ECP, with a IO/address, an IRQ and a DMA channel. Default setting didn't work for me. How to change it on your USB cable? Don't know, maybe windows or oem driver let you do it. Just for information: what do you do with your "old" machine? If ts not too noisy, you might consider use it as a server (print, file, router or what ever).

Some very nice guys here, I'll definitely will come from time to time! Didn't know this forum til recently (thanks Google, was searching some piece of information). Just lack a confortable way to get an overlook of all thread where I already posted (other thank bookmark it myself). I'm happy every time I can help, as I also use a lot of work from people out there.

For a simple autologon, create a .reg file with following content: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon] "DefaultUserName"="mynameisbond" "DefaultPassword"="jamesbond" "AutoAdminLogon"="1" Be aware that this informations will stay uncrypted in the registry, so anybody with physical access to the PC will be able to see your password. There is a commercial tool ("fire" something) to implement easily services, but restricted to 1 service for free. Another option is to use following schema (registry hack again): [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MyPleasantService] "ErrorControl"=dword:00000001 "Group"="Base" "Start"=dword:00000002 "Tag"=dword:00000001 "Type"=dword:00000001 "DisplayName"="You can type anything you want here, so it makes sens to be explicit" "ImagePath"="\\??\\\\D:\\WINDDK\\2600\\tp\\simplet2\\simple\\sys\\i386\\simple.sys" You then can type "net stop mypleasanntservice" to stop it (or start to make it work again) on a console. In this example, it's a (simple) driver I let my students write during a training.

There is absolutely no problem for XP to boot up without keyboard, mouse or monitor. Bios might complain about the absence of keyboard, though, so check the settings there (first page where you can set the date and time, Halt on... "No errors"). You may start all your applications as services, but it's a little tricky and unconfortable to set up. Good side: no user interaction needed, ie. no login. To login and control your "black box", use VNC (you do have a network cable between the apple and the windows booxes, do you?). Server on windows (before plugging out monitor and co!), client on apple. Tip: use an USB mouse, so you may hot-plug it. Its not specified for a PS/2 mouse, and could freeze your PC if you do.

You might want to try this driver: http://etienne.o.free.fr/download/lbp660/lbp660_win2k_XP.exe Didn't try it though, as my LBP-660 is connected to the print server. And yes, its a WPS. Doesn't your parallel-usb-adapter come with a driver? I own one cable for the serial port and it installs a new (virtual) COM, depending in which USB-port I plug it. When starting a terminal, I have to look in the Computer properties which COM port is needed. About the power: I don't think it's not a problem, parallel port does not deliver much itself (30 ms maybe), while each USB-Host delivers minimum 500 mA (says the USB-specification, many motherboard deliver more). If you want more help, you may mail me (in French too), see http://www.rthiery.de