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From: timd@hotwheel.dell.com (Tim Deagan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Disabling Parallel Port by shorting pins?
Message-ID: <15108@uudell.dell.com>
Date: 13 Feb 91 15:36:09 GMT
References: <2716@sparko.gwu.edu>
Sender: news@uudell.dell.com
Reply-To: timd@hotwheel.dell.com (Tim Deagan)
Organization: Dell Computer Corp.
Lines: 33

In article <2716@sparko.gwu.edu>, timur@seas.gwu.edu (The Time Traveler)
writes:
> I want to disable the parallel port by making the computer think that it's
> sending data.  I think that if you short two (or more) pins, then the
> data-sent signal (or whatever it is) is always triggered, making the 
> computer think that the byte it just sent was received, and it can send
> the next one.  
> 
> Can anyone help me?

Curious question.  Do you want the computer to not think the parallel
port is not present (rewrite the installed hardware status word at 40:10 to
clear bits 14-15 which represent the installed parallel adapters)?  Or do
you want to have the computer not hang when it writes data to a port with
nothing attatched (you could possibly try this:

	short pin 10 (ACK#) to pin 1 (STROBE#)
	short pin 15 (ERROR#) to pin 16 (INIT)

WARNING!!!!!!  I haven't actually tried this!!  It is based on my 
observation of the pinouts of the parallel port.  Submit this to 
general discussion before implementing, I will not assume responsibility
for frying your parallel port!  On the other hand, it should work. :-) )

I'm still not sure what it is you're really trying to do.  All parallel
ports are not the same, some are bidirectional, others are not.   It'll
be easier to prescribe a fix if the problem is stated clearer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------"Wake up!  Wake up!" - Spike Lee ---------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Rev. Tim Deagan
                     timd@hotwheel.dell.com
                     timd@twaddle.dell.com