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View Full Version : Help - Vista 32 and ULS M 25 Driver



Rob Bosworth
12-17-2008, 11:06 AM
I am almost afraid to admit this, but I can't get a ULS laser system to work with Vista. OK, I admitted it. I am pretty good on Windows XP, but have had very little experience with Vista.


Last week, I delivered a 1999 ULS M 25 laser engraver to a customer in northern Minnesota. When we got to setting it up, she had on her "E-Machine" was MS Vista operating system. (I am assuming she had Vista 32). No problem, let's just load up the driver and away we should go. So I pulled up the <Printer and Faxes> window and hit add a printer. I got several "cautionary windows" that came up, but kinda blurred by them. I chose to use the USB virtual port 0002 as the default port. (Because the ULS M 25 only has a parallel port, I brought a USB to parallel cable to communicate withe laser. After loading the ULS Vista Pro 1.08 driver from a jump drive, we opened up CorelDRAW X4 and set the parameters to match her 24" X 12" machine. I give her a little tutorial on running CorelDRAW with a laser system. (By now I am feeling a bit cocky!). Pull down the <File Menu>, set the engraving parameters and click OK to send the job to the laser. Nothing. Just a print dialog box that shows there is an error when trying to send the print job over. OK, cancel the print job and try again. Nothing but error. Again cancel the print job.Back to the Printer and Faxes window, delete the old driver, and re-install. This time I did not get any of the "warning windows", but kept getting the same results. It was like we were trying to use the wrong communication port.


Eventually, I unplugged the USB to parallel cable, restarted everything, then plugged the cable into another USB port on the machine. This time, when installing the driver, I decided to try the new USB virtual port 0003. Again, the same results as last time, and no "authorization" "warnings" like we got with the first installation.


After five hours of beating my head into the wall, I gave up. I told her I would see what I could find out about Vista. A couple of people have told me that it has something to do with "Special Authorization" . I don't know anything about Special Authorizations. I have tried to read something about Special Authorizations, but nothing seems to be sinking in.
How do we get the ULS driver to communicate with the laser through a USB to parallel cable? Can anyone explain Special Authorizations and how to overcome my shortcomings?


Sorry if anyone has to read this twice. I am trying to get answers and have posted this on other forums. HELP!!!!!!

Andrey Anfimov
12-17-2008, 12:20 PM
I have read somewhere Universal has new driver ver. 1.09. Ask Universal to give it to you.

Dave Johnson29
12-17-2008, 12:45 PM
I am almost afraid to admit this, but I can't get a ULS laser system to work with Vista. OK, I admitted it.


Hi Bob,

Just went through this with Vista yesterday. You cannot use a USB Hub it has to plug into one of the ports on the PC. Dumb I know as the "S" in USB stands for Serial and it should not matter. :)

Go through the Add Printer and assign it to USB Virtual Printer Port 004. Dumb I know as the "S" in USB stands for Serial and it should not matter. :)

Rob Bosworth
12-17-2008, 1:29 PM
We did not try to run it through a USB hub. It is a cable that connects to the PC with a USB connector, then connects to the laser system with a parallel printer connector.

When you say use USB virtual port 0004 - there is not one there in the ports screen. Do we install the driver, assign it to printer USB virtual port 0004, then plug the USB connector to the PC?

AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

Dan Hintz
12-17-2008, 2:14 PM
It may not be your cause, but I have found a wide disparity in quality from manufacturer to manufacturer of those USB translation cables... the drivers often don't do a good job, and if the laser requires a parallel port hardware signal the USB translator isn't passing along (bi-directional), things just stare back at you with the blank stare of a chicken.

Tim Bateson
12-17-2008, 2:19 PM
Nice analogy Dan. :p

Dave Johnson29
12-17-2008, 2:33 PM
It is a cable that connects to the PC with a USB connector, then connects to the laser system with a parallel printer connector.


Good.



When you say use USB virtual port 0004 - there is not one there in the ports screen.


Hmmm, OK, not sure why mine had 0004 then when in fact it only has 3 actual ports. :confused: Was the laser attached (USB-Parallel) and turned on when you boot the computer? The USB should load it's own base driver when you plug it in, but Vista being Vista...

Now that I have my Vista laptop unplugged from the USB-Parallel converter it is only showing 3 virtual ports. Port 0004 is missing.

Have you tried all of the actual ports then all of the 0001 etc settings with each one in order?

Do you have a printer you can plug into the USB-Parallel converter and see if you can make that work?

I have used many different brands of USB-Parallel converters and not had any problems but I guess it is possible. Best if you can check with a real printer then go back to the laser.

I know it sounds boring and tedious but I write everything down as I try it. I write a result alongside each combination in sequence. Delete each printer before adding a new one. Use "Replace driver" as the option each time.

Plug into USB 1 then use Port 0001 "Error"
Plug into USB 1 then use Port 0002 "Error"
Plug into USB 1 then use Port 0003 "Error"

Plug into USB 2 then use Port 0001 "Error"
Plug into USB 2 then use Port 0002 "Error"
Plug into USB 2 then use Port 0003 "Error"

Plug into USB 3 then use Port 0001 "Error"
Plug into USB 3 then use Port 0002 "Error"
Plug into USB 3 then use Port 0003 "Woohooo" :):) Always the last option.

{EDIT}
One point of frustration, if the printer is showing "Error" in the Add Printer dialog and will not delete then double click and there will probably be a file queued. Right click and Cancel all files individually. If it still will not delete and still shows "Error" double click again and this time use the "File" menu and select "Cancel all" and then it should then finally delete. I had to use that sequence yesterday.
{/EDIT}
Never quit.

Nick Pledge
06-09-2016, 9:19 PM
Good.



Hmmm, OK, not sure why mine had 0004 then when in fact it only has 3 actual ports. :confused: Was the laser attached (USB-Parallel) and turned on when you boot the computer? The USB should load it's own base driver when you plug it in, but Vista being Vista...

Now that I have my Vista laptop unplugged from the USB-Parallel converter it is only showing 3 virtual ports. Port 0004 is missing.

Have you tried all of the actual ports then all of the 0001 etc settings with each one in order?

Do you have a printer you can plug into the USB-Parallel converter and see if you can make that work?

I have used many different brands of USB-Parallel converters and not had any problems but I guess it is possible. Best if you can check with a real printer then go back to the laser.

I know it sounds boring and tedious but I write everything down as I try it. I write a result alongside each combination in sequence. Delete each printer before adding a new one. Use "Replace driver" as the option each time.

Plug into USB 1 then use Port 0001 "Error"
Plug into USB 1 then use Port 0002 "Error"
Plug into USB 1 then use Port 0003 "Error"

Plug into USB 2 then use Port 0001 "Error"
Plug into USB 2 then use Port 0002 "Error"
Plug into USB 2 then use Port 0003 "Error"

Plug into USB 3 then use Port 0001 "Error"
Plug into USB 3 then use Port 0002 "Error"
Plug into USB 3 then use Port 0003 "Woohooo" :):) Always the last option.

{EDIT}
One point of frustration, if the printer is showing "Error" in the Add Printer dialog and will not delete then double click and there will probably be a file queued. Right click and Cancel all files individually. If it still will not delete and still shows "Error" double click again and this time use the "File" menu and select "Cancel all" and then it should then finally delete. I had to use that sequence yesterday.
{/EDIT}
Never quit.

Hi Dave,

Don't know if you are still out there....pretty old thread...but

I have a V460 that was working and then unplugged everything for a clean and Bam! stopped working.

I have tried for about a week to get the laser to spool but nothing.

I have now installed Windows 7 to try your port 0001 etc method.

How exactly do I change the port value ( I'm an old mac user and this is like another language to me).

Cheers

Nick

Bert Kemp
06-10-2016, 3:16 PM
Don't ya just love these people that come on here once every 5 or 6 years with a problem get the problem fixed and they never come back to tell you the fix or say thanx or nothing.

Gary Hair
06-13-2016, 9:24 PM
Like the other thread you posted in, this one hasn't seen any activity since 2012 and Dave hasn't posted since then either. If you want help you should start a new thread that current members might see and help you out.

Kev Williams
06-13-2016, 10:21 PM
well, in case anyone cares--

If you're using a USB-to-parallel (or serial) converter cable, you'll have a driver for it to install (if not, it'll never work :) )...once the driver is installed and you connect the cable to the computer, you'll get an LPT (or COM) port that shows up in your device manager.

THAT'S the port you choose, NOT a USB port! :)