• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

IBM PS/2 model 30-286 Zip Drive install

A

Archerone

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Messages
12
I have been trying to install a parallel port Zip drive on a IBM PS/2 #30-286. I have PC-DOS 4.0 on this unit. I have tried to install the driver using the "Guest" program. It has not been able to assign a drive letter. I have used old and new "Guest" software and have REM the unneeded drivers one step at a time. I have changed the LASTDRIVE=W and have not been able to control the LPT1 through BIOS software. The software utilities I have used shows that the port is not bi-directional. Also I have seen by port device utilities that the port is still controlled by the printer's software. I do not know how to turn off the printer software that I do not have the install disks.:confused:
 
Something tells me that DOS 5 might be required for Guest.exe to operate. I have used Guest.exe on DOS 5 with a PCjr, so it would work on a PS/2 Model 30. I don't have the original docs for the parallel port Zip in front of me so I can't quote the DOS requirement to you ..

PalmZip is a 3rd party driver that will work on something as old as DOS 2.1 if you really need DOS 4.0.
 
The older Guest software from Iomega says it is compatible with DOS 4.0. I think I am fighting a software conflict at the LPT1 port. I think that it is the printer drivers. I tried the first and the second program of evildragon and no luck. Here is a device address screen.

device.jpg
 
I think I know what that program is dumping, but it is not relevant.

If you think you are having a conflict, disconnect the printer and don't load any drivers. Rename config.sys and autoexec.bat so nothing gets loaded. Create stripped down versions if there is a driver that you absolutely needs. Then try guest.exe again. If it works, then you know you have a conflict.

Just for grins, fire up debug and try this:

Code: 
C:\>debug
-d 0:400
0000:0400  F8 03 F8 02 E8 03 E8 02-BC 03 78 03 78 02 00 9F   ..........x.x...

Cut and paste your results here .. that way we can see what BIOS thinks you have on board. In the example above the machine is reporting three LPT ports, but I'm on Windows 2000 at the moment and it's probably reporting bogus devices.
 
The PS/2 Model 30 286 (and the Model 25 286, since it also uses the same two variants of the planar) has a 16C451 (one serial port without FIFOs, one bi-directional parallel port) chip. Just as the other topic, these are bi-directional (used on many clone add-on boards, but pin 1 defines whether the chip is set up as uni or bi-directional) parallel ports (at the bare minimum) on PS/2s. Time to pull out the full run of LPT diagnostic programs to see what reports what.
 
I am really a beginner on this machine and I do not know much DOS. I am trying to save the contents of the HD for an older priest I know. He bought it new in 1989 and has data bases on it. I got the computer to work again with a power supply. I also fixed the internal clock battery with installing an external battery. I downloaded a start-up disk and diagnostic disk. It has been a challenge because I do not want to wipe out his HD. The CONFIG.SYS does not have the drivers listed. The CONFIG.400 file lists more such as LASTDRIVE. DRIVER.SYS file seems to hold the drivers but it is not in text. Here is your Debug picture.

device2.jpg
 
IBMMuseum said:
The PS/2 Model 30 286 (and the Model 25 286, since it also uses the same two variants of the planar) has a 16C451 (one serial port without FIFOs, one bi-directional parallel port) chip. Just as the other topic, these are bi-directional (used on many clone add-on boards, but pin 1 defines whether the chip is set up as uni or bi-directional) parallel ports (at the bare minimum) on PS/2s. Time to pull out the full run of LPT diagnostic programs to see what reports what.
Click to expand...

Most of the LPT programs that I have downloaded have said that I needed a loop test cable to fully test the LPT port. I do not have one.
 
That screen shot shows one LPT port installed at 03BC, which is unusual, but not wrong. Normally you expect to find 0x278 or 0x378

Anyway, here is a thought. Instead of trying to find where all of the dos device drivers are being loaded, do you have a plain DOS 4.0 boot diskette that you can use instead? After booting from a 'clean' version of DOS then you can try running guest again, and see if there are any conflicts.
 
mbbrutman said:
That screen shot shows one LPT port installed at 03BC, which is unusual, but not wrong. Normally you expect to find 0x278 or 0x378

Anyway, here is a thought. Instead of trying to find where all of the dos device drivers are being loaded, do you have a plain DOS 4.0 boot diskette that you can use instead? After booting from a 'clean' version of DOS then you can try running guest again, and see if there are any conflicts.
Click to expand...

The reference disk will not let me into the DOS mode. I will try to create one. I did a loop test and all it told me is that I have a 4 bit port.
 
You need a pure DOS disk, not a reference disk.

Assuming you have a blank disk to use, this should create a bootable DOS diskette for you:

format a: /s

The type of port (4 bit or 8 bit) really doesn't matter - GUEST.EXE will work with any parallel port.
 
mbbrutman said:
You need a pure DOS disk, not a reference disk.

Assuming you have a blank disk to use, this should create a bootable DOS diskette for you:

format a: /s

The type of port (4 bit or 8 bit) really doesn't matter - GUEST.EXE will work with any parallel port.
Click to expand...

I was able to boot it up. Thanks! But it still gives the same message that it has not assigned a drive letter. I used the Guest program on the C drive and tried it on a floppy.
 
I loaded 'Guest 6.0' onto the hard Drive C. I booted the computer with the boot disk in drive a:. I loaded the 'Guest' program and was assigned a letter. I used XCOPY to copy all the files to the ZIP Drive. Note: The computer did not retain the Guest program when shut down. I ran it again everytime I wanted to access the ZIP Drive. If I knew how to use autoexec.bat it would probably would load everytime it started up. So thanks everyone for the help!
 
Ah, ok - so you are finally able to run the Zip drive and get the data off of the machine.

If you want to be adventurous we can probably help you build a boot diskette that loads Guest right at startup. Otherwise, it sounds like you have what you need.
 
I downloaded everything from the Hard Drive. I wanted to post some of my findings and maybe help someone else.

First: I found in Autoexec.400 that a line was changed to PRINT /D:LPT1. I am thinking that the command paired LPT1 to the PRINT and D: Drive. I also think booting from the Boot Disk and then running the GUEST program kept the printer program from blocking GUEST from working.

Second: I tried to install the program DOSSTUFF from the ZIP Drive Tools program. It is suppose to install the drivers permanently. It did not work because of not enough disk space. The Hard drive was too full for the whole program. BTW, I found the Disk Tools DOS program from IOMEGA with goes on the ZIP disk. I downloaded DOSSTUFF.EXE which I could only find on only one website. I did not have the original ZIP Tools Disk and it is needed to set the program.

I put the command in Autoexec.Bat C:\IOMEGA\GUEST to start the ZIP Drive everytime I start the computer. I put the file IOMEGA on the C: drive root with all the Guest software.

device3.jpg


device4.jpg
 
Last edited:
That one "print /d:lpt1" doesn't do anything (well, program runs and quits). And those ".400" files were created when someone told Win98 to run the prior DOS. It renames the normal files to .400 and renames the .dos files to the .sys and .bat. If Win98 never gets started again or get messed up, the .400 files just stick around forever. What's supposed to happen is all that renaming business get's reversed. Anyway, you can drive yourself crazy with various versions of autoexec.bat and config.sys. I always end up with around 6 versions. I usually make a subdirectory call "root" and backup all those to the subdir. It's very easy to zap the real root on C: with a "del *.*". I have done it enough times to know. It's does prompt you with "Are you sure?" but always put in "Y" before even reading the whole thing. Always too late by the time I notice I was on the C: drive.
 
This 286 has never had anything but PC-DOS 4.0 installed in it. I know that it has XTREE Gold installed as a operating System. I did use Win98 on my other computer to transfer downloaded files to floppies.
 
I'm pretty sure Win95 did the same thing, when you pick "run prior DOS version" it does all the renaming business. Anyway, doesn't really matter. Looks like he has the system setup and working.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top