new computer old printer troubles

[mikee]

My dad got a new computer back in november and his printer uses a parallel port to connect. His new rig doesn't have a parallel port so he got a parallel to usb adapter. Now when you print more than 2 pages at a time it cuts out after the second or so page and doesn't finish. When it does start again it starts the whole thing over from the beginning and stops part way through again. His new computer is a acer Aspire M3970 and the printer is a HP business inkjet 1200 from 2004. Some things I am looking into are parallel port cards but they all seem to be pci cards and I am not sure if his new rig has pci and don't really want to crack it open as I may void his warranty. However if I find something that works I will have to crack it open.

So my questions are: 1 How can I tell if the computer has pci slots or not without opening it. ? I looked at the spec sheets and ot doesn't list things like that. I tried looking through the side vent and couldn't see too well.

2 Is there any way to make the adapter cable I have now work with this old printer correctly and possibly avoid having to crack the case and possibly void warranty?

 

[Indigo]

Most modern PCs have PCI slots. Also, Acer isn't a total hardass when it comes to warranty sticker claims. Give them a call and tell them what you want to do. If they have it written down on their side why the case was opened, then in the future if any issues pop up, they'll refer to it.

The USB to Parallel adapters can be flaky, and very unreliable, as you discovered. Chances are the PCI slot version will be more stable, but I have limited experience with them myself.

That system likely has at least one normal PCI slot inside.

 

[mikee]

is there any way to tell from the model number of the computer I know that and put it in the first post but I have googled around and found nothing of that sort of info just the what I call "dummy specs" like core i3 4gb ram, 1tb hdd and that's it not even a model of motherboard.

As for the warranty the computer was bought at staples but they have been known to try anything to render a warranty void.

I am generally good when it comes to upgrading pcs but none that were bought only 2 months earlier/

The guy at staples did tell my dad that the adapters were flaky but that was after he bought it from the source


Edit: just saw a review on cnet for the computer and they cracked the case and no pci slot not one

there are pci express x1 slots are there any printer port expansion cards that are pcie x1?