Parellel port questions

[KenG]

I have a Quadram (Rapport/Racore) Drive 2 that has a parallel port. If I had the driver software, I could assign it to PRN,LPT1,LPT2, or LPT3 in the autoexec.bat. Is it bidirectional? I am guessing not. I also have an IBM parallel port sidecar. I have read that it can be modified to be bi-directional and LPT2. I know the PCjr has a limited number of interrupts. Could both ports be made to work at the same time? If anyone has the drivers to the Drive II and for a serial mouse. I would really like to get them on 5.25" diskette.

[James]

You don't have to use any driver software to use it as LPT1 or LPT2. There are jumpers to set the printer port number and I/0. You can't change the default interrupt which is 7. It is not bi-directional The good news is not many printer port devices use interrupts.

I use my Racore as LPT2 and the IBM parallel port as LPT1. I have a memory card reader on one port and a network Adapter on the other port. They live happily together but I haven't tried using them at the same time.

[KenG]

Thanks for the info James. Can you give me more details on where the jumper is? Inside the chassis or inside the sidecar? What do you use as the memory card reader? Did it come with 5.25" driver diskette? This would seem to be an excellent way to download programs from the internet and get them into my pcjr.

Thanks for the reply.

[James]

The jumpers are in the sidecar. I am not sure if they are marked so you may need the Quadram Manual. The default should be lpt1 and I/0'378h. Lpt2 should be set for I/0 3F8h

The Datafab CF memory card reader allows me to transfer files from another computer to the PCjr. The network adapter is more elegant as it works with the MS network client and lets me send files to and from an old snap server. The datafab files I believe came on a CD and I transfered them to a 3.5". I could write them to 5.25" floppy if you needed.

[KenG]

What model of datafab CF card reader do you have. If I can find the same model at a reasonable price, I will buy it. Then I would need the drivers on 5.25" DS/DD diskette. Ironically, I threw away my last PC with 5.25", 3.5", and CD just a couple of months before I was given the PCjr. I REALLY wish I hadn't done that.

[James]

Datafab MDCFE-SR parallel port CF reader

[KenG]

Ok, I have one ordered. How did you get 3 1/2 inch drive on your PCjr? In the Racore drive two? It looks like the reader I ordered comes with 3 1/2 diskettes.

[James]

Just swapped out the 5.25" floppy with a 3.5" 720 K (double density) floppy drive and a standard 5.25" to 3.5" adapter in the Racore unit. I also swapped out the 5.25"floppy for a 3.5" 720 K floppy in my other non Racore PCjr. You also need a power adapter. There is a line I had to add to the config.sys for it to be recognized properly. 720K floppy drives are a little hard to find these days.

[KenG]

Just looked at eBay and Amazon. Wow! They want a lot for known good 720K drives. I will keep an eye out and probably take a chance on an untested drive.

Thanks for your anaswers.

How would we arrange for you to send me a driver disk for the CF reader? I don't want to post personal info here for everyone to get.

[KenG]

Tried to modify my parallel port sidecar today. Total failure!