Trying to transfer an old XP program to W7, Dongle Req'd.

[thecomputerguy]

I have a client who desperately needs a new computer and she approved everything I recommended to her given I can get her old program working. So I'll be supplying her with a mid-range i5, 8GB, 250GB SSD, 1TB Data Drive + Data transfer.

Her old computer actually runs and boots but the screen whites out after a short period indicating a hardware issue with the motherboard. Her old program is embroidery software, specifically iPunch 3.5 or...

https://www.happyemb.com/ipunch/ipunch.htm

She wants to continue using iPunch because she knows how to use it. It's so old that I can actually copy and paste the program located in the root C:\ to another computer and it will run, but it just wont recognize the dongle.

I have a PCI-Express Parallel adapter (http://a.co/bfHyZmw) installed in the new W7 computer and I can configure it for LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3.

I also have a USB Parallel adapter but it wont work because it is labeled as USB Printer adapter in the DevMgr.

The old XP computer is configured for LPT1.

No matter what I do I can't get the new computer to recognize the dongle. When I run the program I get the splash for the program, then a pop-up that says "Security Device Not Found", then it quits.

I've tried ...

Changing the assigned LPT from 1 to 2 to 3
Enabled Legacy Support for LPT
Tried W7 32 and 64
Tried XP Mode through W7

Any ideas?

 

[Larry Sabo]

About all that's left that I can think of is to try a PCI/PCIe LPT adapter but I'm not optimistic about that. Some lease-return Win7 Pro systems I've come across have an LPT port but I don't recall if they used an adapter or if it was o/b.

 

[GTP]

No matter what I do I can't get the new computer to recognize the dongle. When I run the program I get the splash for the program, then a pop-up that says "Security Device Not Found", then it quits.

Have you contacted the software vendor? They may have an updated USB Security Dongle/solution?

 

[thecomputerguy]

Have you contacted the software vendor? They may have an updated USB Security Dongle/solution?

I will be calling them tomorrow.

 

[thecomputerguy]

About all that's left that I can think of is to try a PCI/PCIe LPT adapter but I'm not optimistic about that. Some lease-return Win7 Pro systems I've come across have an LPT port but I don't recall if they used an adapter or if it was o/b.

Thats what I have is a PCI-E Parallel (LPT) Adapter

 

[Larry Sabo]

Thats what I have is a PCI-E Parallel (LPT) Adapter

Sorry; I'm lousy at reading carefully.

 

[allanc]

I have a client who desperately needs a new computer and she approved everything I recommended to her given I can get her old program working. So I'll be supplying her with a mid-range i5, 8GB, 250GB SSD, 1TB Data Drive + Data transfer.

Her old computer actually runs and boots but the screen whites out after a short period indicating a hardware issue with the motherboard. Her old program is embroidery software, specifically iPunch 3.5 or...

https://www.happyemb.com/ipunch/ipunch.htm

She wants to continue using iPunch because she knows how to use it. It's so old that I can actually copy and paste the program located in the root C:\ to another computer and it will run, but it just wont recognize the dongle.

I have a PCI-Express Parallel adapter (http://a.co/bfHyZmw) installed in the new W7 computer and I can configure it for LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3.

I also have a USB Parallel adapter but it wont work because it is labeled as USB Printer adapter in the DevMgr.

The old XP computer is configured for LPT1.

No matter what I do I can't get the new computer to recognize the dongle. When I run the program I get the splash for the program, then a pop-up that says "Security Device Not Found", then it quits.

I've tried ...

Changing the assigned LPT from 1 to 2 to 3
Enabled Legacy Support for LPT
Tried W7 32 and 64
Tried XP Mode through W7

Any ideas?

Looking at some old parallel adapter stuff that I have (see below).
I don't even remember what most of the specs mean however, the dongle might only work with one (or more) of the specs in each of the groups. EG ECP but not EPP or something along those lines.
Other than the LPT#, how configurable is the adapter?
Does the dongle have a part # that you can research to possibly get the specs?

I believe that they are all StarTech.
1. PCI Parallel Adapter Card - 1 Port - Standard Profile - ECP/EPP/SPP/BPP IEEE. PCI / PCI-X (5 / 3.3V) . IEEE-1284, PCI Ver 3.0, 2.3, 2.2, 2.1. PCI / PCI-X (Universal 3.3 & 5V; 32-bit) Male. DB-25 (25 pin; D-Sub) Female . 1.8 Mbps

2. PCI Parallel Adapter Card - 1 Port - Low / Standard Profile - (EPP, ECP, SPP and BPP). One IEEE 1284 parallel port (DB-25 (25 pin; D-Sub) Female). PCI / PCI-X (Universal 3.3 & 5V; 32-bit) Male. 1.5 Mbps

3.PCI Parallel Adapter Card - 2 Port - Low / Standard Profile - EPP, ECP, SPP, BPP, PS2. 2 IEEE-1284 Parallel Port, PCI / PCI-X (Universal 3.3 & 5V; 32-bit) Male. 2 - DB-25 (25 pin; D-Sub) Female 1.5 Mbps

 

[johnrobert]

When you call them they will want to up-sell a new version

 

[NJW]

The program may have 16-bit components, in which case you/your client will be SOL. The manufacturer explicitly says that the software is compatible only with 98, 2000 and XP.

Virtualising may be a solution, but won't help the parallel port issue.

If the program is absolutely critical, a special-build XP may be the only way. With appropriate safeguards, it would be a reasonable solution, but it should cost your client quite dearly.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I haven't had to deal with prehistoric apps and an LPT in a long time...but many old old apps communicate to hardware peripherals via hardware addresses. Meaning, i/o ports and IRQs. I used to have all this stuff memorized and could set it up in my sleep...but these days, you need to find a parallel adapter that supports those legacy addresses. Like 3BCH or 0378 and 0278, and IRQ 7 or 5. 0378 and IRQ7 were quite common back in those days for LPT1. 0278 was often LPT2.

You can find WinXP builds on custom hardware that supports legacy hardware at places that specialized in Point of Sale computers and Industrial computers.

 

[cypress]

The program may have 16-bit components, in which case you/your client will be SOL. The manufacturer explicitly says that the software is compatible only with 98, 2000 and XP.

Virtualising may be a solution, but won't help the parallel port issue.

If the program is absolutely critical, a special-build XP may be the only way. With appropriate safeguards, it would be a reasonable solution, but it should cost your client quite dearly.

If OP installs XP on VM won't parallel port show up? Seems to be a drive issue. I could be completely wrong tho.

 

[HFultzjr]

Just a thought.
Build her an older XP system just for her embroidery software.
No network adapter, internet connections, etc.
Lock it down and let her use your newer system for other things.

 

[NJW]

If OP installs XP on VM won't parallel port show up? Seems to be a drive issue. I could be completely wrong tho.

You are right, parallel ports are supported for pass-through in Virtualbox, at least. But pass-through is only going to expose the same hardware that the host knows about, with its limitations.

but many old old apps communicate to hardware peripherals via hardware addresses.

I think this is the real problem. Modern OSs abstract all that stuff into something removed from the hardware, but 1990s era software will expect to make a BIOS call. No drivers required, just an interrupt.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I think this is the real problem. Modern OSs abstract all that stuff into something removed from the hardware, but 1990s era software will expect to make a BIOS call. No drivers required, just an interrupt.

So what I used to do years ago was get add-on cards that supported the legacy hardware addresses. Years ago there was a brand I preferred...LavaLink or LavaTech...(made in Canada if I recall)...I think that company is gone. StarTech was..meh....but I have used some of their cards for COM/serial, and LPT. Some models had settings you could go into where they'd emulate the legacy hardware addresses..so they worked with legacy apps.

 

[TAPtech]

Is there another program that funnels the dongle data to the software? Sometimes there is a required licensing program to get it to work. I deal with "HASP" a lot for my machine shop clients.

 

[glricht]

You probably have already tried this, but didn't see it mentioned: did you try running the program as an administrator? I had a lady who had one of those wide-bed table cutters for doing decals and used an old XP-era program that had a dongle and accessed it directly via hardware addressing. The program failed to find the dongle unless we started it in admin mode.

However, I suspect @NJW may be correct in that the program has 16-bit components and she's SOL.

 

[Kirby]

Is there another program that funnels the dongle data to the software? Sometimes there is a required licensing program to get it to work. I deal with "HASP" a lot for my machine shop clients.

That's what I was thinking. I have a few customers who at least used to use these security dongles and I seem to remember some program being installed as a driver for them. The program looking for the dongle wouldn't look at it directly, but instead would communicate with the "driver" program, which did the actual checks.

 

[Markverhyden]

Most of these old programs do not automagically find things. There usually an .ini file which has the information stored so the program knows where to look. So the hardware information may need to be edited. Also, as mentioned, sometimes there is an app that is used just to handle the dongle detection and coding.

 

[Your PCMD]

Dual boot XP and Win7?

 

[seedubya]

A few good suggestions here - with the most likely being that the dongle requires a separate driver which Windows 10 does not have or won't install. Have a look at the previous system. Boot it and quick as possible get into Device Manager to look at whatever's attached to the parallel port. You can check the driver file's it's using and copy those off and see if the dongle can be installed the old fashioned way on W10 Also look for installed programs that mention Security etc.