Q60203: PRN Is Always Associated with LPT1

Article: Q60203
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.3, 3.3a, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

The MODE command cannot change the parallel port identified by PRN. At boot
time, PRN is internally configured by MS-DOS to direct any communication with
the PRN device to LPT1. In other words, PRN cannot be configured to communicate
with any parallel port other than LPT1 using MS-DOS commands. For instance, the
following command is sometimes mistaken as being able to associate a given
parallel port with PRN:

  MODE LPTn

The letter "n" specifies the parallel device number of 1, 2, or 3. The above
command merely cancels redirection from a parallel port to a COM port.

There are various public domain utilities that switch the address specifications
for LPT1 and LPT2, giving the impression that PRN is communicating with another
parallel device.

Additional query words: 3.20 3.21 3.30 3.30a 4.00 4.01 5.00

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS321 kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS320 kbMSDOS330a kbMSDOS310 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401
Version           : MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.0

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