Filed under: Hardware, Windows, How-Tos
Stupid Windows trick: print to your new USB printer from crappy old DOS programs
by Lee Mathews Aug 24th 2009 at 10:00AM
Why not buy a fancy new USB-only printer and make use of a stupid Windows trick that's been around for a while? It's a fairly simple process.
Step one is to install the printer as you normally would - making sure you follow the instructions provided, of course. Once that's done, you're set for Windows printing. Go to control panel and open your printers, then right-click on the newly installed one and choose properties from the context menu.
Once the printer properties are up, click the ports tab and make note of which port has the check mark in it. You'll need that information in just a minute.
Close that window, and choose to add a new printer (the option to do so should be on the file menu, or you may see an icon). Click next to start the process. On the second screen, select local printer but take the check out of automatically detect and install.
On the next screen select the appropriate port -- you didn't forget it already, did you? Click next, then choose the correct manufacturer (HP, Epson, Canon, etc.) and model for your printer. On the following screen, name the printer something simple -- like DOS. Click next, and then click share name to make your printer network accessible.
Give it a nice, easy share name -- like DOS (what the heck). Click next twice, choose no on the test page screen, click next, and then click finish. Now right-click your DOS printer and choose properties. Click the advanced tab and then click the print processor button. Change the selection to text, then click ok twice.
Now, find the name of your computer. Right-click My Computer and choose properties. Vista and WIndows 7 will show your computer name at the bottom of the page that appears. In Windows XP, click the computer name tab.
Now for the DOS printing magic. Go to start -> run (or press windows + r) and enter CMD in the box. Click ok to open a dos prompt. Type the following command:
Give it a nice, easy share name -- like DOS (what the heck). Click next twice, choose no on the test page screen, click next, and then click finish. Now right-click your DOS printer and choose properties. Click the advanced tab and then click the print processor button. Change the selection to text, then click ok twice.
Now, find the name of your computer. Right-click My Computer and choose properties. Vista and WIndows 7 will show your computer name at the bottom of the page that appears. In Windows XP, click the computer name tab.
Now for the DOS printing magic. Go to start -> run (or press windows + r) and enter CMD in the box. Click ok to open a dos prompt. Type the following command:
net use LPT1 \\[computer-name]\DOS /persistent:YES [enter]Obviously, if you chose a share name other than DOS type that instead. Windows should respond with an a-ok, and you're likely good to go! Unless your machine isn't networked. If that's the case, check this post from Microsoft on how to add the loopback adapter and then try again!
Get a WordPress.com Blog
So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do.
Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game.
The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mmamakas said 11:15AM on 8-24-2009
This trick works about 85% of the time. I've seen a ton of legacy DOS apps which will not print to a redirected LPT port. This program, http://www.dosprn.com/ seems to work great for the remaining 15% and it is free!
Reply
DarkLight said 5:48PM on 8-24-2009
+1 to DOSprn.
I have a parallel printer that the DOS app can see and print directly on, but DOSprn is still waaaaaaaaaay better.
Why? Because instead of relying on the printer's built-in half-a$$ed text mode, you can use PCL, which will give you rather pretty full-formatted text, and that's not to mention full configuration of margins, code pages, sizes, fonts, and all that boring stuff that many old DOS apps don't have configuration for.
DOSprn isn't officially free though.. Shareware version prints giant watermarks on your documents
Otto said 4:50AM on 8-26-2009
Confirm. "NET USE LPT1" trick doesn't work at me. My printer can't print in text mode at all. Since I have to use DOSPRN. It is not a free but it is inexpensive in comparison with other tools.
stevensnewest said 11:16AM on 8-24-2009
Lee Mathews, I just wanted to let you know that you're not humorous at all. You're trying way too hard.
Reply
Edex said 11:56AM on 8-24-2009
He's not that bad.
:)
Karl said 11:54AM on 8-24-2009
There's no need to use your computer name. Just use \\127.0.0.1\DOS
Use of the computer name is only necessary if you are printing to the host from a different machine.
Reply
hexemeister said 1:55PM on 8-24-2009
Is that trick work in win98?
Reply