This evening I was looking at the two computers I stacked on top of each other and it occurred to me if I couldn't use the same external iomega Zip LPT drive by plugging it in at the same time. By connecting to the first computer via the lpt cable and then the second computer via the pass-through connector on the zip drive. Obviously only one computer will be on at a time.
I don't know if the passthrough is bi-directional, on some hardware it was implemented as printer output suitable only. However, fully switched parallel port switches used to be a thing and finding one of those might prevent whoopsies.
Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.
The passthrough connector is to pass the LPT port on a PC through to a printer, so you can hang a zip drive and a printer off one PC.
This isn't like SCSI, where (in theory) you can hang one drive off two computers (provided each PC SCSI card has a different id - the default HBA SCSI id is 7).
I'd use a sharing utility or a kvm-style parallel switchbox, depending on wherever i'm using both PC's or just one at a time.
I manage a pot-pourri of video matter...
Agree one of those KVM style port switch box would be the way to go. Doubt it would work and this is "safer" as well
https://www.cablesdirect.co.uk/splitters-swit … witch-box-p2565
Should be cheap as Parallel has been dead for a long time now a quick check on ebay and used ones go for under £10
i like to use less equpment as i can, always. that the reason for my question
AlessandroB wrote on 2023-01-20, 12:05:i like to use less equpment as i can, always. that the reason for my question
What OS do you run on the systems you mentioned? anything from dos6 to the latest windows i know of will have some-kind of sharing utility built-in.
I manage a pot-pourri of video matter...
mdog69 wrote on 2023-01-19, 23:24:The passthrough connector is to pass the LPT port on a PC through to a printer, so you can hang a zip drive and a printer off one PC.
This isn't like SCSI, where (in theory) you can hang one drive off two computers (provided each PC SCSI card has a different id - the default HBA SCSI id is 7).
Yes, if you can change at least one of the SCSI adapter's ID, you can connect drives like ZIP or CDROM simultaneousely to more computers.
But be aware that you may get problems when you have write access to one of the devices.
Long ago, on a gaming session I had a SCSI cdrom in 2 computers simultaneousely. So one Warcraft 2 CD could provide not 3 but 6 players to play the game.
i use win3.11 and win98, but i prefer semplicity, i connect each time the cable, its simple, anyway tnks for the suggestion.
