This is just a heads-up note to those using the UserPort driver to provide
LPT keying under WinXP. There are apparently some unwanted interactions
that can cause problems, and even lead the driver itself to stop working.
The bottom line is that I've finally found it necessary to de-install
UserPort and switch over completely to serial port CW keying under WL.
I was an early adopter and enthusiastic advocate of UserPort. For the
first several months, all went well. Then I noticed that the LPT entry
under SetupPorts had greyed out. Reworks of the install procedure as
outlined on the N1EU website didn't help.
It also appears that there can be destructive interaction between UserPort
and the Virtual DOS machine in XP. In my case, it was keeping command.com
from loading, so that I lost all use of a few older specialty DOS programs
previously well-behaved under XP. After a frustrating repair attempt and
finally a clean re-install of XP, I discovered that disabling (and now
removing) UserPort restored the VDM to normal operation.
So, FWIW, I thought I'd post this just for reference. (And the clean
re-install was really worth it .)
73 to all,
Jon K1US
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