Problems getting LPT output on XP

[old_man]

I'm a EE/CS and a machinist.  I've been interfacing stuff via the parallel port since the DOS days.  I installed the software about a year ago and got it running on an old machine to test it out, but now I am ready to set up a new machine running XP (fully updated) and hooked to a mill and get nothing out the parallel ports.

I removed all the mill software and rebooted.  I then install and reboot.  I load a simple G file to give me some output.  It appears to run as the DRO's change and the view shows a circle being plotted.  I look at the port with a scope and see nothing happening.  I go to the diagnostic screen and see nothing changing on the port representation.  At the moment I am running the DEMO software but will purchase as soon as I can get this thing talking.

Is there a diagnostic mode where the program can toggle the port pins?  I even went to the effort of purchasing a PCI card with another parallel port card and installing it.  I set it to LPT1 and still no output.

Any ideas anybody?  Is there an inhibit button or the like somewhere I haven't seen?  I went to the Setup page and the LPT1 is checked with the correct address.  I also went to the screen and enable the motor outputs for port1 and pins 2-3 for 5 and 4-5 for Y.

For the troubleshooting, I don't have anything hooked up to the port but I will be running Parker Automation Zeta Drives. I picked up a dozen of them for a song.

[Hood]

If the address is correct then it should work fine, you could try Parmon to see if you can toggle outputs, should find it with Google.
Hood

[old_man]

As it turns out I needed to change the printer port configuration from an ECP/EPP to a Normal config.

Now I have to build a buffer between the port to the controllers.  The controllers use a optocoupled input and the port can't drive the LEDs unaided.