root@mjbtn.MFEE.TN.US (Mark J. Bailey) (08/30/89)
Hello Netlanders,
I work with an Epson Equity II (not the II+). Recently I began to get a
Keyboard and Setup error on powerup. Also, normally in the past, when you
turn the power on, the little light above the power switch would first
turn green and then red after the powerup tests had completed. Now, it
turns green at first and stays green and the builtin parallel port
WILL NOT PRINT! We have taken it to the dealer and they tried disabling the
builtin port and installing a standard parallel card. They tried
combinations of LPT1, LPT2, different interrupt settings, but still to
no avail. Now, with the builtin port, it no longer initializes the
printer. We tried different printers and different cables too. BUT,
when you are printing to that port from, say, First Publisher, it acts
like everything is OK (ie, the little "meter" moves right on across), but
no print. AND, if you hit the printer OFFLINE or turn it off, the meter
stops, and complains "Printer Not Ready...." With the secondary port,
it initializes the printer, but still won't print and behaves the same
as builtin port when using First Publisher as described above. Epson
suggests that it is the "logic" board (I assume they are referring to
the motherboard?). If you redirect LPT1 to COM1, it prints like you
would expect (to a serial printer).
Something is blocking the data. I don't know if it is a bad address,
or if the system can't access the address of the builtin or secondary
port or what. No one I have talked with here seems to know why this
would be happening. I don't own the machine, but it still frustrates
me just the same. This is why I am turning to you.
Does anyone out there have any clue as to what in the world is going on
here????!!! I have seen some strange faults in my time, but this one
really gets me. I don't recall ever seeing such a problem with a
parallel port. We have considered replacing the mother board. I don't
have any figures ($$$), but if anyone reading this does, I would like
to hear from you. If for nothing else, it would help me talk turkey
with the dealer. :-) The Equity II is an XT clone with an 8086.
I should also add that we completely reinstalled Dos 3.2 (Epson's)
thinking that it might be a bad software setup. Still no luck.
Any information would be GREATLY appreciated. Please email responses
as this is not worth wasting further bandwidth.
Thanks in advance!
Mark.
--
Mark J. Bailey "Ya'll com bak naw, ya hear!"
USMAIL: 511 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro, TN 37129 ___________________________
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DOMAIN: mjb@mjbtn.MFEE.TN.US | Murfreesboro, TN USAa550@mindlink.UUCP (Craig Cooksey) (08/30/89)
mark....
Perplexed by your sistuation. I own the same beast. Now the LED
should be green in High speed mode. RED in lo speed [clock rate] mode. If it
came up with a setup error, this tends ti indicate your battery has croaked and
is not retaining your setup correctly. This will also affect your clock speed
and port settings. If this is OK first thing to check is your power supply.
Make sure all voltages are there. + & - 12V and + & -5V. What I dont understand
is the reluctance of the secondary port to function. Would have to be a strange
problem for the mother board to cause it. I gather it doesnt matter what you
print? Screen printing gives same result?
Good luck.....efrethei@blackbird.afit.af.mil (Erik J. Fretheim) (09/04/89)
In article <504@mjbtn.MFEE.TN.US> root@mjbtn.MFEE.TN.US (Mark J. Bailey) writes: >Hello Netlanders, > >I work with an Epson Equity II (not the II+). Recently I began to get a >Keyboard and Setup error on powerup. Also, normally in the past, when you >no avail. Now, with the builtin port, it no longer initializes the >printer. We tried different printers and different cables too. BUT, >no print. AND, if you hit the printer OFFLINE or turn it off, the meter >stops, and complains "Printer Not Ready...." With the secondary port, >it initializes the printer, but still won't print and behaves the same >as builtin port when using First Publisher as described above. Epson >suggests that it is the "logic" board (I assume they are referring to >the motherboard?). If you redirect LPT1 to COM1, it prints like you >would expect (to a serial printer). > >Something is blocking the data. I don't know if it is a bad address, >or if the system can't access the address of the builtin or secondary >port or what. No one I have talked with here seems to know why this >would be happening. I don't own the machine, but it still frustrates >me just the same. This is why I am turning to you. > >Does anyone out there have any clue as to what in the world is going on >here????!!! I have seen some strange faults in my time, but this one >really gets me. I don't recall ever seeing such a problem with a >parallel port. We have considered replacing the mother board. I don't >have any figures ($$$), but if anyone reading this does, I would like >to hear from you. If for nothing else, it would help me talk turkey >with the dealer. :-) The Equity II is an XT clone with an 8086. >I should also add that we completely reinstalled Dos 3.2 (Epson's) >thinking that it might be a bad software setup. Still no luck. > I have a similar problem with my floppy drive. All I get are disk read errors and write protection not disabled (even when reading). I have traced it far enough to know that there is only one line on which the data from the drive is getting scrambled. It's my only system so I don't dare tear it apart until I get a replacement, but until then I can only work with what I have or can Kermit onto the system (and hope the hard disk doesn't fail). Epson isn't very helpful, to fix a simple problem like this the machine is "sso well designed" with everything one needs that the only fix they do is to replace the motherboard at $470 a wack (plus $200 labor). This sucks! Not only that but it isn't even funny. The only good as far as I can see is an excuse to get a good machine. erik --