sarconastic

Old Plotter I have ....

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I just ordered my LP24 and a bunch of other stuff,, but the back story to what got interested in the vinyl cutting stuff was an old plotter someone gave me. It's an old Calcomp 1023. This is old to say the least, but I messed with it while trying to get drivers that would make it work. Part of my job is being an IT tech at my company, so I can usually get things working, but this has got me stumped. The real problem is that they stopped making drivers for these things in the Windows 98 era. I haven't tried reloading an old machine with 98, but I have tried it with every other configuration of XP, 2000 NT machine I can find. I tried a company that sells plotter drivers and say this works but couldn't get it going.

I guess what i am wondering is does anyone else know of anyway to get this plotter working and would it even be worth it, not necessarily as a vinyl cutter but maybe for using it to do larger pen drawings for banners and such? Also even if i did get it working on an older machine, would I even be able to get decent graphics and stuff to plot on it?

I just hate things setting in the corner staring at me, knowing I couldn't beat them. Kinda like that stupid Rubik's Cube from my youth???

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I don't have a good answer to your question....but it would seem easy enough to put together a W98 box to run it if there was no other alternative. 

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I have the same problem with an old Houston Instruments plotter. I am using and old Win 98 computer to run it. If you happen to come up with a solution to your problem as far as running it on an XP computter, please share it. It may solve mine.

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can't you run xp in compatibility mode?

bb

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Maybes you can run a virtual machine running win98 that way you don't have to use a whole other box dedicated for the plotter.  That's what I did to get my copam to work while I was running ubuntu on my main box.  I just set up a virtual machine with vmware running xp and I had no problem doing it that way, should work for you too.

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Excellent Idea Alillowr. I hadn't even considered that, I use Vm's all day long at work with my servers, but never even thought of applying it in this instance. Gonna have to give it a try.

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I don't think that it will be worth setting up, and getting working.

Its too old to be much good.

Thats not the point...the point is that you got it working....don't know why but I have those same urges....I got my old 486 running the other day to play some of my first original arcade games...man lhx attack chopper was fun!

I was going to suggest vm's as well....figure thats the easiest way to make it work.

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I don't think that it will be worth setting up, and getting working.

Its too old to be much good.

Thats not the point...the point is that you got it working....

thats the best way to explain it. Can't just let it set there and beat me. Now once I get it running....and...um...see that it really isn't worth it's weight in scrap metal, then Maaayybeee I can get rid of it. But maybe not!. It doesn't owe me anything, it was free. Plus if I get it working, slap a blade in it, (home made blade holder of course) and then successfully cut a 3 color graphic for the back window of my El Camino, that there is what's called bragging rights.

Story to be continued... :-)

Oh BTW: called today, hadn't got a shipping confirmation on my order. they shipped it yesterday, left Portland this afternoon, estimated arrival on Friday. Happy dance//////......LOL

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I just ordered my LP24 and a bunch of other stuff,, but the back story to what got interested in the vinyl cutting stuff was an old plotter someone gave me. It's an old Calcomp 1023. This is old to say the least, but I messed with it while trying to get drivers that would make it work. Part of my job is being an IT tech at my company, so I can usually get things working, but this has got me stumped. The real problem is that they stopped making drivers for these things in the Windows 98 era. I haven't tried reloading an old machine with 98, but I have tried it with every other configuration of XP, 2000 NT machine I can find. I tried a company that sells plotter drivers and say this works but couldn't get it going.

I guess what i am wondering is does anyone else know of anyway to get this plotter working and would it even be worth it, not necessarily as a vinyl cutter but maybe for using it to do larger pen drawings for banners and such? Also even if i did get it working on an older machine, would I even be able to get decent graphics and stuff to plot on it?

I just hate things setting in the corner staring at me, knowing I couldn't beat them. Kinda like that stupid Rubik's Cube from my youth???

When I add new hardware to my pc make sure it is connected to usb and wundows auto finds the drivers for me.When i hear a cling I know it will work..otherwise windows will tell you no drivers found..

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