BIOS & Printer/LPT1 Port Problem

[tariqdar]

Hi, I've upgraded my ThinkPad 600X OS to Win XP Pro. My HP printer stopped communicating (even tho I configured the LPT1 mode to ECP, as required by HP). Also, the system won't allow me to enter the BIOS while booting up (have tried many keyboard combos - F1; Alt+F1: etc.). Here's a few questions:

1. Did the BIOS need to be upgraded before the OS?
2. How do I access the BIOS now?
3. Is the BIOS screwing up the LPT1 port setting?

Help!! Thanks,

Rick

[rahulkothari]

hello and welcome to PC gudie forums.

did you try uninstalling the printer drivers and reinstalling ?
if not do so.

the keys reqd to enter BIOS are usually displayed at the bottom, though you must be already knowing that.

hang on and others will come to your "rescue"

bye.

[tariqdar]

Thanks for the suggestions.
1. I'd reinstalled printer driver (from HP site).
2. While booting up, there is no prompt on the bottom re. BIOS access.

Rick

[Paleo Pete]

IBM Setup Access (http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/YAST-3JWKJX.html)

BIOS may or may not be messing with printer functionality. With P-III 650 and 128MB RAM I wouldn't think the machine is ancient enough to require a BIOS update to support XP, but I suppose stranger things could happen...

Was XP a clean install or installed on top of the previous OS? Clean install is always preferred. I'm not sure how to find device manager in XP or if any settings there woulc be affecting it, maybe someone else can help on device manager settings.

[ski]

Revert back to the old O/S.
If this fixes things, then check this link:
http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/MIGR-4FYS2U.html

[tariqdar]

The XP was a clean install & the LPT1 settings were configured via ThinkPad Config Utility (reinstalled after OS upgrade).