# DOS program hangs in XP - Help!



## Shieldsy (May 4, 2016)

Hey!

So I work in a lab where we use some old equipment that needs some DOS software to run. I have it working successfully in one setup (old equipment + windows XP computer). I'm trying to run it on a second computer, but the program hangs after ~30 seconds. The program works fine in safe mode (including safe mode with networking and safe mode with command prompt), but not when the computer is started using "Diagnostic mode" from the msconfig menu.

Details about the software:
The software is called MultiCalc. It's a PC controller for a number of types of devices (Beta/gamma radiation counters, fluorometers etc.). It needs to send and receive data from a COM port (to the device), process and save the data, and then be able to send the data to the LPT port (which I'll be patching to the USB printer somehow in the future). It hangs after about 30s of use normally - the program stops responding to keyboard input, though the cursor line still flashes. The rest of the system is fine.

Details about the computer:
It's running Windows XP Professional 32 bit (afaik). It has 1GB DDR2 RAM and an Intel Pentium? Dual Core? processor. It has an LPT port and a COM port on the motherboard, and a PCI? card with 2x PS/2 ports (one mouse and one keyboard) and one COM port.

Please let me know if you need any more information!

Thanks in advance.


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## Shieldsy (May 4, 2016)

Fixed it. Turned out that the LPT1 port driver wasn't working properly. Once I properly ported it to the USB printer through a virtual network using "net use", the program stabilised. (either that or disabling and re-enabling the LPT1 port was enough to do it?)

Now I'm having another issue - the counter isn't being detected, despite being plugged in -.-


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