How to enable Plug and Play detection for parallel port devices in Windows 2000, in Windows XP, and in Windows Server 2003

Some Plug and Play devices that use a parallel port, such as early versions of Iomega Zip drives, may not be detected by Windows. This step-by-step article describes how to enable the Plug and Play feature on devices that use a parallel port devices.

How to Enable Plug and Play detection

To enable Plug and Play detection:

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
3. Click to expand Ports, right-click Printer Port (LPT1), and then click Properties.
   
   Note If have more than one printer port installed on your computer, click LPT2 or LPT3.
4. Click the Port Settings tab, click Enable legacy Plug and Play detection, and then click OK.
5. Restart your computer when you are prompted to do so.

After you restart your computer, Windows detects your Plug and Play hardware and the New Hardware Installation Wizard starts if the hardware is connected to the computer.

Note The Legacy Plug and Play detection check box is not selected by default. If you receive an error message that Setup did not finish when you try to install a Zip drive, view the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.


Note When Service Pack 2 for Windows Server 2003 is released, some more Parallel Port devices will require that you enable of Plug and Play detection before you can install them successfully. Specifically, you will have to enable Plug and Play detection before you install any Iomega Zip drives.