I can't get ImageWriter ii to work with Macintosh Classic

[dylan4397]

Hello, this is my hopefully final major issue. I am trying to use an ImageWriter ii with the Macintosh. I think that they were used together at one point, because I pick both of them up from the same guy. But anyways, I cannot get it to print. I looked up the different settings for the DIP switches, and tried to set it accordingly. I also think that I have the proper system files installed for the printer. They are ImageWriter, ImageWrite LQ, LaserWriter, etc. But no ImageWriter ii. Are the ImageWriter and ImageWriter ii system files the same? I will attach photos of what I have going on. I did get the self test on the printer to work, so I know it at least sort of works.View attachment 38475View attachment 38476View attachment 38477View attachment 38478View attachment 38479

 

[Dog Cow]

Are the ImageWriter and ImageWriter ii system files the same? 

For System 6, yes. The one ImageWriter icon in the chooser will work for both the old Imagewriter and your ImageWriter II.

What printer cable are you using?

Is the green Select light on?

 

[dylan4397]

I am using the 8-pin serial connection. I can turn the green select light on an off, but I will turn it on and try printing again.

Thanks,

Dylan

 

[Dog Cow]

I am using the 8-pin serial connection. I can turn the green select light on an off, but I will turn it on and try printing again.

What 8-pin serial cable are you using? Is it marked with an Apple logo? If not, have you ever used that cable to print with another model of Apple printer from a Mac?

The green Select light needs to be ON when you want to print, otherwise nothing will print.

 

[dylan4397]

I am not sure if it is serial or not, I have never used it to print before, as I just got this computer functioning. The cable doesn't have an apple logo on it, but plugs into the printer port on the Mac, and the port on the printer.

Thanks,

Dylan

 

[Dog Cow]

Does it have two arrows pointing opposite directions like this (or similar):



You might have a third-party serial cable that's wired for a Mac printer, and they wouldn't put an Apple logo on it. If you still can't print even when you verify that the Select light is on, then I think it's most likely that your cable is at fault.

 

[dylan4397]

Yeah the end of the cable is blank. I think It might be broken, as it looks a little broken.

Thanks,

Dylan

 

[Elfen]

Lets go back... What kind of "printer cable" are you using? There is a 3rd party Mac/printer cable that has a short metal head and they do not work with the printer because the head is too short. It is best to use Apple's Mac/Printer cable which has a longer metal piece that goes into the serial port.  Put up pic of cable headers to show its length.

In the chooser, when you select the printer, on the next panel it should pop up as to which port to use: Printer or Modem, and select Printer, and connect the printer to the Printer Port. Also, have "AppleTalk" off.

Problem: IF your Mac is on a network using Apple Talk, then you should have the printer connected to the Modem Port and the Printer port will have the network on it connected to it with "AppleTalk" on.

As you can see in the pic I posted, the third party printer cable's metal head is noticeably smaller than the Apple one by at least 1 to 2 mm. That is enough go into the port but not connect to the metal pins inside the port.

 

[Elfen]

Yeah the end of the cable is blank. I think It might be broken, as it looks a little broken.

Thanks,

Dylan

View attachment 38490

Broken? That is Mouse or Rat teeth marks gnawing on your cable.  The good thing is they did not gnaw through the cable to beak the wires.  But lower down I can see a square crimp like something was on the cable hard. That could break the cable. You would need to check the cable with a multimeter and see if all the connections are OK.

Looking at the head, even though it is a blank label cable, it looks like a Modem Cable to me.  "Geo-(something) Gold" sold their modem with a similar looking cable. It may not work with the printer unless you play with the switches as the wires inside are crossed for the modem (cables Tx on the Mac to Rx on Modem and Rx on the Mac and Tx on the Modem, instead of Tx on the Mac to Tx on the Printer and Rx on the Mac and Rx on the Printer).

 

[dylan4397]

Here is a picture of the ends. I don't have Apple talk set up, and the printer was connected to the printer port. as for the crimp in the cable, I will test it with my multimeter for continuity.

Thanks,

Dylan

 

[dylan4397]

I just finished checking the continuity, and each pin connected fine to the pin on the other end of the cable.

 

[johnklos]

Your picture appears to show switches 1 and 2 on bank 2 in the open position. According to the manual, this would set the printer to 300 baud. Try switching both to closed, which would give you 9600 baud, which is the default.

The defaults, according to the manual, for Americans are:

OOOO OCOO CCOO XX

O is open, C is closed, and X is don't touch.

Apple ImageWriter™ II Owner's Manual

 

[dylan4397]

I checked, and it is set to 9600 baud. So that wasn't the issue. 

Should I try to find a new cable that links the printer to the Mac?

Thanks,

Dylan

 

[dylan4397]

Is the cable just a standard 8-pin serial, or does it need to be a special one for the printer?

 

[johnklos]

I checked, and it is set to 9600 baud. So that wasn't the issue. 

Should I try to find a new cable that links the printer to the Mac?

So the jumpers were set to something different than the picture you uploaded?

Another thing you can try is to download ZTerm, launch it and select the printer port, set the baud rate, type a bunch of characters and hit return. If the printer prints something, then it's a driver issue.

If that doesn't work, then yes, try a different serial cable. There are the kind that go from a computer to a printer or modem, and there are the kind that can do LocalTalk directly between two devices. They're not the same.

 

[dylan4397]

Well, when I checked the manual what I uploaded seemed to match with 9600 baud. I will try that program and see if it works to print. Thanks for the info!

 

[dylan4397]

I got ZTerm, but I can't find an option to change the ports and select the printer port. I also cannot find the place to change the baud rate. The version that I have is v1.0.1 Edit: I found how to change the port.

 

[dylan4397]

Now, how do you type into ZTerm? It brings up a terminal, but when I type on the keyboard nothing happens. And by nothing happens, I mean that nothing shows up onscreen/ in the terminal or prints out. I did end up getting the port set to the printer port though.

 

[dylan4397]

I now took the top off of the printer, and measured the continuity to where the cable connects to the logic board. With every cable, except the disconnected one having continuity, that rules out the cable for not reaching all the way in the port. I also watched this video: 

But he didn't really seem sure of what he was doing until the printer was working. I don't really know what the problem could be now? Perhaps a bad connection on the Mac?

Thanks,

Dylan