Troubleshooting

If you encounter a problem while installing or using your Zip^® parallel port drive, check this section for possible solutions. For additional help options, refer to How to Get Help.

CAUTION! To prevent damage to computer equipment, turn off electrical power before connecting or disconnecting any cables.

Green power light does not come on or a Zip^® disk won't insert.

1. Make sure you are using an Iomega Zip^® 100^™ power supply and that it is connected to the Zip drive as shown in Connecting Your Zip Drive.

2. Make sure the power supply connector is completely inserted into the Zip^® drive power connector.

3. Press the power/eject button on the front of the Zip^® drive and check that the green activity light comes on.

| top of page |

The Zip^® drive is not assigned a drive letter.

This could be due to a hardware installation problem or to a resource or software conflict on your computer system. The following suggestions will help you check your installation:

Windows^® 95/98 and Windows NT^® Users

1. Turn off your computer and disconnect power from the Zip^® drive. Turn on the computer first, then immediately connect the Zip power supply (or use a power strip to turn on both at the same time). Make sure the green activity light in the center of the power/eject button is on.

2. Make sure you are using the data cable that came with the Zip^® drive.

3. Make sure none of the pins on the Zip^® data connector are bent and that the data cable is connected as shown in Connecting Your Zip Drive.

4. Make sure the cable connections are straight and on all the way. Tighten all connector screws firmly and evenly, both on the connection to the Zip^® drive and to the computer.

5. Make sure the Zip^® drive is connected to a parallel port connection on the computer. This model of the Zip drive will not work if it is connected to a serial port or to a SCSI connection.

6. Try reinstalling IomegaWare^™ software. If IomegaWare software is already installed, remove it using the Add/Remove Programs control panel, restart Windows^®, then reinstall the IomegaWare software.

7. Try changing the parallel port mode on your computer.(See the documentation that came with your computer for instructions.) If the computer still doesn't recognize the Zip^® drive, the parallel port on the computer may not be compatible with the Zip drive. Try installing the Zip drive on a different computer. If a different computer recognizes the Zip drive, the problem may possibly be an incompatible parallel port. To solve this problem you need to add a new parallel port to your computer.* If neither computer recognizes the Zip drive, refer to How to Get Help.

Windows^® 2000 Users

1. Turn off your computer and disconnect power from the Zip^® drive. Turn on the computer first, then immediately connect the Zip power supply (or use a power strip to turn on both at the same time). Make sure the green activity light in the center of the power/eject button is on.

2. Make sure you are using the data cable that came with the Zip^® drive.

3. Make sure none of the pins on the Zip^® data connector are bent and that the data cable is connected as shown in Connecting Your Zip Drive.

4. Make sure the cable connections are straight and on all the way. Tighten all connector screws firmly and evenly, both on the connection to the Zip^® drive and to the computer.

5. Make sure the Zip^® drive is connected to a parallel port connection on the computer. This model of the Zip drive will not work if it is connected to a serial port or to a SCSI connection.

6. Try manually assigning a drive letter to the Zip^® drive.

   NOTE: You must have administrator privileges for your local computer to change drive letters under Windows^® 2000.

   • Select Control Panels, Administrator Tools, Computer Management, then Disk Management.

   • Right click the icon for the Zip^® drive and select Change Drive Letter & Path from the shortcut menu.

   • Click the Edit button.

   • Click on Assign a drive letter and select the letter you want to use for your Zip^® drive.

7. Try changing the parallel port mode on your computer.(See the documentation that came with your computer for instructions.) If the computer still doesn't recognize the Zip^® drive, the parallel port on the computer may not be compatible with the Zip drive. Try installing the Zip drive on a different computer. If a different computer recognizes the Zip drive, the problem may possibly be an incompatible parallel port. To solve this problem you need to add a new parallel port to your computer.* If neither computer recognizes the Zip drive, refer to How to Get Help.

*Iomega has approved the use of Warp Nine Engineering's add-on card WarpExpress, which is fully compatible with the Zip^® drive and will actually improve your drive's performance. Contact Warp Nine Engineering on the World Wide Web at http://www.fapo.com, or call 1-619-292-2748 for sales information.

| top of page |

Computer does not start up properly after installing the Zip^® drive. Computer hangs on reboot or does not operate correctly.

Some computers will not start or operate correctly if a device connected to the parallel port receives power before the computer is turned on. Try the following:

1. Turn off your computer and disconnect power from the Zip^® drive.

2. Turn on the computer first, then immediately connect the Zip^® power supply (or use a power strip to turn on both your computer and your Zip drive at the same time).

3. Press the power/eject button on the front of the Zip^® drive and check that the green activity light comes on.

If the computer still does not start correctly, the problem is probably due to a resource or software conflict on your computer system. Disconnect the Zip^® drive from the computer and restart. Refer to the advanced troubleshooting information available on Iomega's web site (http://www.iomega.com)

| top of page |

Zip^® drive transfer speed seems slow.

If your computer has a bi-directional parallel port or an enhanced parallel port (EPP) chip set, you may be able to use a faster mode of data transfer that will significantly improve the performance of your Zip^® drive. To optimize the Zip drive's performance on your computer, run the Parallel Port Accelerator included in your IomegaWare software.

| top of page |

You want to use Windows^® 95/98 DOS mode with your Zip^® drive.

NOTE: This section describes how to switch in and out of the MS-DOS mode which is a start option for Windows^® 95/98. It does not apply to the DOS box (or window) that opens when you double click the MS-DOS Prompt icon within Windows 95/98. Use of the DOS box with the Zip^® drive works the same as it does with any other drive under Windows 95/98.

If you want to use Windows^® 95/98 DOS mode with your Zip^® drive, copy the DOS drivers folder from your IomegaWare^™ CD to your hard drive: right click on the CD icon and select Explore. Double click on the Drivers folder and drag the DOS folder to a new folder on your hard drive.

CAUTION! Do not put the Windows^® 95/98 DOS mode drivers in your autoexec.bat file. This will cause Windows 95/98 to run in real mode, which will result in a significant decrease in system performance.

In order for the Zip^® drive to operate properly in Windows^® 95/98 DOS mode, you must perform a clean reboot when switching to or from DOS mode. Do not use the option on the Windows 95/98 Shut Down menu that reads: "Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode." This option does not fully support the Zip drive.

To switch to DOS mode:

1. Restart the computer and press F8 just before the full-color Windows^® logo screen loads. (If you are using Windows 95, look for the text line "Starting Windows 95" to appear on the screen. If you are using Windows 98, watch for a black screen with a blinking cursor.)

2. When the menu appears, select Command Prompt Only

3. After the system boots into DOS mode, run guest.exe from the directory where you have decompressed the files.

This procedure will provide access to any Iomega drives on the system. To return to the Windows^® 95/98 graphical interface, again restart the computer.

NOTE: Do not type win at the DOS prompt after running guest.exe; this causes duplicate drive letters.

| top of page |

You want to change the drive letter assigned to your Zip^® drive.

The operating system controls drive letter assignments. To change a drive letter assignment, you must use the procedures required by your computer's operating system.

Windows^® 95/98 Users
If your computer is running Windows^® 95/98, you can change drive letters for any of your removable drives (including your Zip^® drive and CD-ROM drive) by using Drive Letter Manager in IomegaWare^™ software.

1. Right click on the Zip^® drive icon in My Computer or Windows^® Explorer.

2. Select Properties.
   

3. Click the Iomega tab.

4. Click the Drive Letter Manager button.

5. Drive Letter Manager displays the current drive letters assigned on your system.

6. To change the drive letter for any removable drive, click the drop-down arrow next to the current drive letter and select the drive letter you want to use. Restart your system for the changes to take effect.

Windows^® NT^® 4.0 Users
If you install Windows^® NT^® 4.0 Service Pack 4, you can use the Windows^® NT Disk Administrator to change drive letters for removable drives (such as the Zip^® drive); however, there are still some technical limitations. For additional information on changing drive letters under Windows NT, refer to the MS Knowledgebase on the Microsoft^® Corporation web site at http://www.microsoft.com.

Windows^® 2000 Users
The following instructions describe how to change drive letters for removable drives under Windows^® 2000.

NOTE: You must have administrator privileges for you local computer in order to change drive letters under Windows^® 2000.

1. Select Control Panels, Administrator Tools, Computer Management, then Disk Management.

2. Right click the icon for the Zip^® drive and select Change Drive Letter and Path from the shortcut menu.

3. Click the Edit button.

4. Click on Assign a drive letter and select the letter you want to use for your Zip^® drive.

| top of page |

Data transfer problems or drive operation is erratic.

1. Make sure the Zip^® data cable is correctly connected to both the drive and the computer as shown in Connecting Your Zip Drive.

2. Make sure all cable connections are straight and on all the way. Tighten connector screws firmly and evenly, both on the connection to the Zip^® drive and to the computer

3. There may be a problem with the parallel port I/O card in your computer. Refer to the information listed above.

| top of page |

Disk automatically ejects when inserted into the Zip^® drive.

Make sure you are using a genuine 100MB Zip^® disk. If you attempt to insert a non-Zip disk into the Zip drive, the drive automatically rejects the disk.

Problems with a scanner when it is connected to the Zip^® drive.

Some scanners do not work correctly when connected to another parallel port device, such as the Zip^® drive. The compatibility issues are similar to those described for printers—problems result when scanner drivers are not designed to share the parallel port with another device in the Windows^® 95/98 environment.

If you encounter problems with a scanner when it is connected to the Zip^® data pass-through connector, first check the following:

1. Make sure the Zip^® drive is correctly connected to the computer's parallel port connection.

2. Make sure all data cable connections are straight and on all the way.

If the problem continues, contact your scanner manufacturer for help. Updated scanner drivers that resolve the parallel port pass-through conflict might be available.

| top of page |

PageScan Color and PageScan Color Pro

Contact Logitech's home page at: http://www.logitech.com. Search for and download the logiscan.exe patch for the PageScan Color or PageScan Color Pro scanner.

The logiscan patch was developed by Logitech to correct compatibility issues between the PageScan Color scanner, or the PageScan Color Pro scanner, and parallel port devices such as bi-directional printers or Zip^® drives running under Windows^® 95/98. Currently, there is no patch available for Windows NT^®, Windows 3.1, or Windows for Workgroups.

| top of page |

Problems with software dongles or other pass-through devices.

Because there is no single set of parallel port specifications accepted across the industry, there are some parallel port/multi I/O adapters, parallel port peripherals, and software dongles that are not fully compatible with the Zip^® drive. If you use these devices, it would be best to add another parallel port to your computer.* If you plan to use software dongles on the same parallel port connection as your Zip drive, contact the provider for your dongle before connecting it to make sure you have a device that is compatible with the Zip drive.

*Iomega has approved the use of Warp Nine Engineering's add-on card WarpExpress, which is fully compatible with the Zip^® drive and will actually improve your drive's performance. Contact Warp Nine Engineering on the World Wide Web at http://www.fapo.com, or call 1-619-292-2748 for sales information.

| top of page |

Problems installing IomegaWare^™ software.

If the IomegaWare^™ software does not install correctly, try reinstalling it.

| top of page |

Using your Zip^® drive on another computer.

To use your Zip^® drive on another computer, first install the software. After the software is installed, connect the drive.

CAUTION: This model of Zip^® drive cannot be used with Macintosh^® computers. To connect to a Macintosh (including the PowerBook^®), use the SCSI or USB model of the Zip drive. For the iMac^®, use the Zip USB drive.

| top of page |

Printer Troubleshooting for Windows^® 95/98

NOTE: Most solutions found in this guide will not allow you to print files directly from your Zip^® drive if you have a printer that is incompatible. However, both the Zip drive and the printer can be connected and turned on at the same time. To print a file stored on a Zip disk, you must copy the file to a disk other than your Zip drive (like a hard drive) and then print.

Parallel Port Printer Pass-Through Solutions

Iomega has developed Windows^® 95/98 compatible drivers for the Zip^® drive. However, some printers will not work correctly when connected to other parallel port devices like the Zip drive. This section describes some possible solutions if you experience problems with your printer, but you should also contact your printer manufacturer since they know how to best address parallel port printer issues.

If you are experiencing any of the following problems...

• Printer does not work when connected to the Zip^® drive

• The system stops responding (hangs)

• Information gets lost during file transfers

...and you have one of the printers listed below, try using one of the numbered solutions marked with an "X" for your printer:

* There are currently no known software fixes for this printer. To use this printer with your Zip^® drive you should install an additional parallel port. Iomega has approved the use of Warp Nine Engineering's add-on card WarpExpress, which is fully compatible with the Zip^® drive and will actually improve your drive's performance. Contact Warp Nine Engineering on the World Wide Web at http://www.fapo.com, or call 1-619-292-2748 for sales information.

| top of page |

The problems are due to a parallel port conflict between your printer and your Zip^® drive. The numbers across the top of the table correspond to the following numbered solutions.

NOTE: Iomega recognizes that conflicts with the parallel port pass-through feature on the Zip^® drive are caused by printer drivers that are not designed to share the parallel port with another device in the Windows^® 95/98 environment. Because printer drivers are provided and updated from time to time by printer manufacturers, you should contact your printer manufacturer for the best way to resolve the pass-through conflict. Updated printer drivers may or may not be available for your printer.

Printer Manufacturer Support:

Printer Manufacturer	Web Site Address	Technical Support*
Hewlett Packard Company	www.hp.com	(208) 323-2551
Canon, Inc.	www.canon.com	(757) 413-2848
Lexmark International, Inc.	www.lexmark.com	(606) 232-3000
Oki Data Corporation	www.okidata.com	(800) 862-5724
Brother Industries, Ltd.	www.brother.com	(800) 276-7746

| top of page |

Solution 1: Disable Status Monitor
The status monitor can usually be removed automatically with the following steps:

1. Click the Start button and select Run.

2. Type: C:\windows\dinstall -fdinstall.ins and select OK.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen.

4. Shut down and restart Windows^® 95/98.

If necessary, the status monitor can be removed manually by using the following steps:

1. Click the Start button and select the Run option.

2. Type win.ini and select OK.

3. Locate the line load=hpsw.exe and place a semicolon (;) at the beginning of that line so that it reads:;load=hpsw.exe.

   NOTE: If there are additional items on the load= line, copy them and move them to a separate line. Note that the new line must begin with load= in order to load the files correctly.

4. Exit the win.ini file and restart your computer.

5. Your Zip^® drive should be ready to use.

| top of page |

Solution 2: Changing Printer Properties
Use the program hppropty.exe to change your printer's properties and get your Zip^® drive and printer working together; however, you will lose your printer's status monitor.

1. Before you access the Zip^® drive, press <Ctrl+Alt+Delete>.

2. In the Task Manager select hppropty and then select End Task.

3. Double click My Computer and open the hard drive (usually the C: drive).

4. Open the Windows^® folder and then the System folder.

5. Find and right click the file hppropty.exe and choose Rename.

6. Rename hppropty.exe to hppropty.bak.

7. Your Zip^® drive should be ready to use.

| top of page |

Solution 3: Turn Off Bi-Directional Communication
If you are using Microsoft^® print system drivers, you may be able to use the following procedure to disable bi-directional communication to the printer.

1. Open My Computer.

2. Open the Printers folder.

3. Right click the printer you are connecting to your Zip^® drive and click Properties.

4. Click the Details tab.

5. Click the Spool settings button (toward the bottom of the window).

6. Click Disable bi-directional support for the printer.

7. Click OK at the bottom of the window.

8. Your Zip^® drive should be ready to use.

The documentation that came with your printer may have detailed instructions on disabling bi-directional communication. If it does not and you are unable to disable bi-directional communication using the above procedure, contact your printer manufacturer for help.

| top of page |

Solution 4: Uninstall and Reinstall Printer Software
Uninstalling and reinstalling the printer drivers or the software that shipped with your printer while the printer is not connected may allow you to install the printer with the bi-directional mode disabled. Refer to the documentation that came with your printer for additional instructions.

1. Shut down your system and disconnect power.

2. Disconnect your printer from the Zip^® drive.

3. Reconnect power, turn on your computer and let Windows^® 95/98 load.

4. Click the Start button and select Programs. Choose the HP LaserJet 5L folder and click Uninstall.

5. With printer disconnected, reinstall printer software and select Install the PCL driver alternative.

6. Shut down your system and disconnect power.

7. Connect your printer, reconnect power, and turn on your computer.

8. Your Zip^® drive should be ready to use.

| top of page |

Solution 5: Use the Printer's "Print to File" Setting
Setting your printer to Print to File whenever it's not in use will enable you to use your Zip^® drive as long as you do not need to print. To use your printer, close any files on your Zip disk and return the printer setting to normal. Do not attempt to access your Zip drive until the print job is completed and you have changed the printer setting back to Print to File.

NOTE: If you accidentally print something while your printer is set to Print to File, it will create a file on your hard disk. To save space on your hard disk, just delete the print file.

1. Open My Computer.

2. Open the Printers folder.

3. Right click the printer you are connecting to the Zip^® drive and select Properties.

4. Click the Details tab.

5. Click the down arrow button in the window under Print to the following port.

6. Click file (Creates a file on disk).

7. Choose OK at the bottom of the window.

8. To use the printer again you must repeat the above steps but choose LPT1 at step 6.

9. Your Zip^® drive should be ready to use.

| top of page |

Solution 6: Getting Help for Your Specific Printer
If your specific printer is not addressed in this guide and you are having trouble printing, please contact your printer manufacturer for the best way to resolve the printer pass-through conflict.

If you have a Hewlett Packard^® printer, contact the Hewlett Packard Company for information on fixes that are currently available on their web site at: http://www.hp.com/cposupport/eschome.html.

Over time, Iomega may have more information on your specific printer on the World Wide Web at http://www.iomega.com.

| top | home | previous | next |