HP Forum Archive 02

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HPILLINK.EXE (HP82477A HP-IL LINK SOFTWARE) Message #1 Posted by Luzius Auer on 9 Dec 1999, 12:37 p.m. Does anybody know how to patch the HPILLINK.EXE program to get it running on today's fast PCs (fast is >12 MHz)? This program worked with the HP-IL Interface ISA Card HP 82973A, but it seems to contain a software timing loop which was conceived for slower machines and now causes owerflows and character losses in the transfer. It may also be a HPILLINK workalike or replacement. The only working solution I know is to install the card on a slow computer and shuffle the files with floppies or a network.

Re: HPILLINK.EXE (HP82477A HP-IL LINK SOFTWARE) Message #2 Posted by Georg Lahm on 10 Dec 1999, 12:13 p.m., in response to message #1 by Luzius Auer are you sure, that it is a software problem and not a hardware problem? greetings Georg

Re: HPILLINK.EXE (HP82477A HP-IL LINK SOFTWARE) Message #3 Posted by Dave on 10 Dec 1999, 11:18 p.m., in response to message #1 by Luzius Auer The software only works on the slower old machines unfortunately, I have not seen anyone refer to a work around for this.

Re: HPILLINK.EXE (HP82477A HP-IL LINK SOFTWARE) Message #4 Posted by Yos Feit on 14 Dec 1999, 9:02 a.m., in response to message #3 by Dave It could very well be a hardware problem that is causing the software to lockup and fail. Ten years ago, many PC's came with a "turbo" switch which dropped the ISA bus speed from 10MHz to 8 and the processor speed to half the full speed. Some motherboards still have a turbo jumper that is unused by the computer manufacturer. In a desperation move, you may want to look for this jumper on your motherboard, and short it to slow down your machine.

Re: HPILLINK.EXE (HP82477A HP-IL LINK SOFTWARE) Message #5 Posted by henk schellen on 14 Dec 1999, 6:38 p.m., in response to message #1 by Luzius Auer LS, I think I solved the problem of interfacing the hpil card with a fast (450 MHz) computer. Going back to starting dos from MS-DOS mode after closing windows 98 works well on my compaq 5286. Working in a DOS box gives unpredicted results, e.g. echoing characters. At the moment I can print and display HP files on the screen of my compaq. Saving and retrieving files does not work at the moment; I am trying to find an old DOS with assign B to A executable. Henk Schellen

Re: HPILLINK.EXE (HP82477A HP-IL LINK SOFTWARE) Message #6 Posted by DaveC on 15 Dec 1999, 3:54 a.m., in response to message #5 by henk schellen There used to be a little DOS program called 'goslow' which inserted delays into every BIOS call (slowed space invaders to my speed :)). Might be worth a try? Additionally try telling the BIOS setup to put wait states into every memory access and switch off the BIOS in ram option.

Re: HPILLINK.EXE (HP82477A HP-IL LINK SOFTWARE) Message #7 Posted by Steve on 19 Dec 1999, 6:57 p.m., in response to message #6 by DaveC Might also be a good idea to turn off memory caching (that _REALLY_ slows down modern PCs) However you might never talk to me again after waiting for it to boot. Let me know how you go. I've got one of these cards too.

Re: HPILLINK.EXE (HP82477A HP-IL LINK SOFTWARE) Message #8 Posted by Henk Schellen on 29 Dec 1999, 4:46 p.m., in response to message #5 by henk schellen LS, I think I solved part of the interfacing problem. With the older software I had (HPLINK.EXE) it was possible from a dos session outside windows98 to display and print files from HP to PC. I did not succeed in file exchange by the drive option. (Until now I did not have the chance to try the in the manual suggested assign drive option (with an older dos)) On ftp://ftp.math.jyu.fi/pub/hpil/ I found software for the HP71 to use the interface card. The software (HPILLINK.EXE)works well from dos outside windows98 and it is now possible to have full access to and from HP71 to PC on my 450 MHz Compaq. The interfacing with HP41 is a bit more cumbersome. By a printing to file option it is possible to upload files from HP41 to PC. Hope it will help a bit, Henk Schellen

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