Hot swapping printer connecting questions

[pilgrim2u]

I want to direct cable connect a XP laptop and an old w98 machine.
I have the cable. The problem is the w98 machine is fickle on starting up :-( It decides
Can I leave the cable connected to my w98 and when it decides to boot, can I "shutdown" my laptop and connect the cable without doing harm to the toshiba laptop?

I am not sure of the powered up w89 machine will do to my shutdown laptop.

I am not sure if this is considered "hot swapping"

Yes....its a printer cable from Belkin

 

[dakels]

This confuses me. What are you doing exactly? What cable are you connecting to what? Your references to the Win98 box and laptop are confusing.

I assume you mean can you swap the printer that is connected to one computer, detach it and connect it to your other?

What sort of connection is used? Parallel/Serial/usb?
Most of those can be swapped while the computer is on, but it works best on newer machines using USB. Alot of times your OS will crash or not recognize when hot swapping printer cables. IIRC it has to do with the capabilities of your bus and MB and OS detection and sometimes forced detection. I think you may have a problem recognizing on the older win98 box.

More info on what you are using would help.

And yes that is hot swapping. Hot swapping is connecting/disconnecting and device while the machine is on. Normally the term is used more in reference to hard drive swapping. Hot swapping is normally very safe and poses no real harm to your system if executed properly. It's just not that reliable.

 

[Robbed]

He is trying to create a parrellel connection using PC-Anywhere or something similar..... for what reason, I'm not sure, but its likely this is his intention.

There is no danger in disconnecting/reconnecting parrellel cables while the computers are powered up. I wouldn't worry about it.

rob.

 

[dakels]

heh... you got that out of his post?

I need more coffee

 

[pilgrim2u]

someone said
"He is trying to create a parrellel connection using PC-Anywhere or something similar..... for what reason, I'm not sure, but its likely this is his intention."

yes....that is what I am trying to do
I have a Belkin bi-directional cable made to "direct cable connect" to seperate pc's. It was a rarely used part of w95 and w98

I am wondering if the power from the powered up desktop will harm the laptop while I "connect" it to the rear of the laptop that is shutdown.
I do not want to fry the port or mother board
The problem again, is this old p133 has data on it, and it will only bot up rarely, rarely

Sorry to explain this issue so poorly

 

[dakels]

o now I get it

I was wondering if you were referring to some null-modem thing as well but it just seemed so weird.

anyways I did this maybe 2 times ever and that was a while ago. IIRC you can plug them in while the computers are on. Then you have to go into the direct connect under the windows accesories -> communications directory and enable the connection. Win98 does have the option.

Just don't pull the cables while it is transerring and you should be fine. btw why didnt you opt to do this via etherent? If they both have ethernet controllers you can just use a crossover cable or a patch cable and hub. A cheap NIC and a crossover cable would have been the same price or cheaper as a driect link serial/parallel cable.