imation superdisk120 driver installation (LONG)

Running XP, service pack 2 and not connected to the internet. The Imation SuperDisk is parallel port model not a USB device.  It plugs into the printer port connector. 

Wanting to recover an  old file off an Imation Superdisk 120 I tried to hook up the drive to the old computer where it was once installed.  Drive did not work so I uninstalled and installed again from the original Imation diskette.

The installation appeared to work and the on-screen message said that it was successfully installed.  But when I try to use it the PC hangs.  The device does not show up properly on Window Explorer - it says "3 1/2 Floppy (B:)"  If I do a forced power-down, Windows XP comes up with dire messages about disk addressing not being consistent,  files not where they're supposed to be, etc.  But if I boot up in safe mode and uninstall the Superdisk, Windows XP is happy once again and does not seem to be suffering any lingering problems. 

I tried to find a more appropriate (XP) or newer driver using my everyday PC, but this product has been obsolete for a long time.

There is a ReadMe.TXT file that implies potential problems with device addresses and IRQ's but I am not knowledgeable enough to make heads or tales of what it's saying.  Partly because it's written for older versions of Windows  like 95 or NT.

I suspect that there is indeed an addressing conflict but have no idea how to go about fixing it.  Here's what the ReadMe.TXT file says:

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        General overview of the Parallel Port

        -------------------------------------

Parallel ports have traditionally been perceived as "printer ports".

As portable and external peripherals are becoming quite popular, new

parallel port standards such as Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) and

Extended Capabilities Port (ECP) are breaking  performance barriers

and allowing full bus speed operation.

IBM Compatible machines support 3 parallel ports.

Each parallel port has a unique IO address.  The three commonly used

IO address are 0x3BCh, 0x378h, 0x278h with two available interrupts

(IRQ 7 and IRQ 5). Non IBM systems like NEC 98XX have ports such as 0x140h,

and IRQ 14. These addresses are also called by the "logical device names"

of LPT1, LPT2, and LPT3.

Normally the first port is configured to 0x3BCh/IRQ7, the second to 0x378h/

IRQ7, and the third to 0x278h/IRQ5. However ports can be assigned to any of

these three addresses. It is possible to configure a parallel port to share

IRQ, as most of the software does not use IRQ while using the port. However

interrupt driver software like external harddisk, cdroms, etc, may require

IRQ for enhanced operation. Most of the systems in the market have their

first parallel port (LPT1) assigned 378h, IRQ 7 by default when shipped.

The base address and IRQ can be identified by looking:

a. In the CMOS settings.

b. With the help of MSD (Microsoft Diagnostics) in DOS, Device Manager under

   System in WIN95, WINNT Diagnostics in NT

In some system, the CMOS does not specify the Base Address nor the IRQ, but

specifies Parallel 1 for 3BC/IRQ7, Parallel 2 for 378/IRQ 7 and Parallel 3

for 278 /IRQ 5.

In some systems options LPT1/378 assigns LPT to IRQ 7 and LPT2/278 assigns

the LPT to IRQ 5.

        Troubleshooting Tips

              -----------------------

General:

1. Parallel Port recognition issues

   The system has an EPP parallel port, but the does not initialize in EPP.

Solution:

  The Shuttle driver will initialize in EPP only for parallel port bases set

  to 378h and 278h. If the parallel port to which the Shuttle Device is

  connected is configured for 3BCh, the driver will not initialize in EPP.

2. The Driver fails to load or identify the adapter. The driver reports

        "Error Initializing Adapter, Driver failed to load".

Solution:

     a. Disconnect the Device and bring up the system.

     b. Add the option "/DE" to the driver.

     d. Save and re-boot the system after connecting the Shuttle Device.

     If this does not work:

     Repeat steps a and b.

     c. Type "/DI /R2 /W2"

     d. Save and re-boot the system after connecting the Shuttle Device.

     If this does not work:

     Repeat steps a and b.

     c. Type "/NI / DE /R2 /W2"

     d. Save and re-boot the system after connecting the Shuttle Device.

Configuration clashes often lead to problems that crash the system or prevent

the Shuttle driver from loading successfully. Check that the other devices

installed in the system are not configured to use the same port base and IRQ

values. A typical example is of Sound Cards that are popularly configured to

use IRQ 7.

DOS:

1. Shuttle Hard Disks/Removable drive and FDISK

Solution:

    In order to partition the Hard Disk or Removable drive with the

    FDISK command, INT 13h support has to be enabled.

    Add /b option to driver in the CONFIG.SYS to enable INT 13h support

    and re-boot the system.

    Executing FDISK will now display the Shuttle HDD as well.

Win 95:

1. Uninstalling or preventing a Shuttle MPD from loading

Procedure:

     To uninstall the Shuttle MPD in the Device Manager expand the SCSI

    Adapters item, select the entry for the Shuttle device,

     Click on Remove. Confirm when the confirmation dialogue box appears and

    re-boot the system to reflect the change.

     The Shuttle MPD entry will now no longer appear in the Device Manager

    under SCSI Adapters.

     The MPD will NOT be deleted from it's installed path.

     To prevent the Shuttle MPD from loading, in the Device Manager, expand

    the SCSI  Adapters item, and then the Shuttle MPD entry.

     Click on Properties and un-check the box that reads Original

    Configuration [Current].

     Re-boot the system, the MPD will not load.

     (This can be verified by the red "X" that will be displayed

      alongside the MPD entry in the Device Manager.)

2. Assigning/Reassigning the Shuttle Device drive letter

Procedure:

     In the Device Manager, select the Shuttle Device by clicking on it,

    Click on the Settings tab, change the drive letter displayed.

    Re-boot the system to reflect the change.

3. Shuttle MPDs running on machines having non standard Parallel port

    Base Addresses or IRQs.

Solution:

     On machines like the NEC 9800 series, the MPD requires to be explicitly

    supplied with the parallel port IRQ and port base values.

     In the Device Manager, expand the SCSI Adapters item, click on the

    Shuttle MPD, click on Properties, select the Settings tab, and type

    the port base and IRQ values as follows:

    PORT=0xYYY IRQ=Z

    The 0x prefix is mandatory. YYY is the port base e.g. 140 and Z is the

    IRQ value e.g. 12.

4. Shuttle Hard Disks/Removable drive and FDISK

Solution:

     In order to partition the Shuttle HDD with the FDISK command, INT 13h

    support has to be enabled.

     In the Device Manager, Select the Shuttle Device, Click on Properties,

    check the box pertaining to Int 13 support and re-boot the system.

     Executing FDISK will now display the Shuttle HDD as well.

5. General Checks and Tips on improving overall performance

     a. Ensure that the CMOS setting configuration for the parallel port

    and the setting in the Device Manager are the same.

     b. Ensure that there are no Port Base and IRQ clashes with other

    installed devices such as Sound Cards.

     c. If the parallel port supports EPP, ensure that the parallel port

    mode in the system CMOS is set for EPP.

     d. To Step up the system performance, in the Control Panel,

    select System, select the Performance tab, click on File System,

    ensure that the Performance is set to Full.

     e. Select the Trouble Shooting tab and ensure that the Write Behind

    Cache is enabled. These are usually the default settings.

WINNT:

1. When starting Windows NT it does not recognize a cartridge and no

    drive letter is assigned.

Windows NT will not assign a drive letter unless a cartridge has a

    Windows NT signature.

Solution:

Run Disk Administrator to place a windows NT signature on the cartridge.

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