Potentially looking for older XP laptop with parallel port to borrow, rent, buy

DMS Tribe,

Just as the subject line states, I am potentially looking for an older laptop running Windows XP that has the parallel LPT1 (sometimes purple coded) printer port for reasons that would take too long and annoying to go into here.

If you don’t have one, then can you direct me to a local, reputable resale shop that might carry these? Not interested in buying online - only local as I want to see the machine and seller in person/action first.

JAG “You MIGHT Be a Ranger If…” MAN

I possess the requested equipment, though maybe not the OS.

Dell Latitude
Pentium III 850 MHz
Windows 2000

Used it because I sometimes connected to Cisco gear using the serial port. I bought it from a good, local merchant, but I don’t remember which one.

Compaq Smartstation
LTE Elite 4/50 CX
Might not be functional

Both have a parallel printer port.

Well, you missed the First Saturday sale that was running from about 10pm Friday night through about noon on Saturday. You could’ve easily grabbed one there.

:frowning:

Raymond,

Well, you missed the First Saturday sale that was running from about
10pm Friday night through about noon on Saturday. You could’ve easily
grabbed one there.

That is true, but to be honest I have grown to loathe First Saturday.

It was really cool back in the late 90’s when they took up a good bit of the Ross avenue area. My favorite time was to go out there on late Friday night with a flashlight; making my way through the mysterious, shadowy geek crowd inspecting the wares.

I felt like I was at a Flash Mob salvage sale on Tatooine, complete with Jawas trying to foist malfunctioning droids with bad motivators on you. But that rapidly became a problem as you really had to know who the regular vendors were that you could trust and I didn’t go out often enough to grok that bit of streetwise.

The rise of eBay started increasing the chance that the good stuff got sold on there, while the worthless crap that would ruin someone’s rating got dumped on the crowds at 1st Saturday. The final straws came when I wanted to buy some CD-ROM drives and they wanted RETAIL price even sans box, regular storefront presence or any actual guarantee. Then I got some keyboards whose keys cracked about a week after I started using it.

I am guessing it has to be better now, but I would still rather deal with a legacy equipment store or even someone on Craigslist. There used to be one in Irving off of Belt Line road a few miles north of 183, but they did charge a premium. Anyone know if they are still there?

I appreciate the info all the same, but I have long since forgotten about 1st Sat and I didn’t know until today that I really might need to go this route as I am a little surprised the turn of some events.

JAG “These are not the droids with the warranty you are looking for” MAN

I hear ya. I drove down with some buddies from Kansas back in '94 and it was stellar. Tons of ham gear, etc. It is but a shadow of its further self, now.

The place off Beltline used to be called Electronic Discount Sales. (EDS)…heheheh

They have moved down to Arlington now:

http://www.electronicdiscountsales.com

I think EDS in Arlington is closing.

Yes, they are closing and they have raised prices on a bunch of the older gear then offered “60% off” which is grandiose bullshittery.

Also, they have high “eBay pricing” on all of their “museum” pieces that are left. They are making up prices as they go on stuff that has been unpriced for MONTHS and it’s distasteful to be quoted 4x pricing of what you bought many other of the same item for in the past few years.

Thanks Raymond, I was going to go down for a look-see, but I won’t patronize that kind of BS.

I remember them being rather pricey on a lot of things I considered JUNK when I used to visit them back in the day when they were in Irving…

I may have something like this. Let me check when I get home if still
needed.

I need a laptop just like these instantly. Please give me a call. 214-912-0121

He actually dropped by during the day a couple of months back. Was great to see him again.

But he has definitely been a ghost. And missed.

We have one in the inventory for the museum that I could setup in the Interactive Computer Museum. When would you need it booted up?

I buy the older dells with rs 232 and printer port and use them for field work. Last time was in a pinch and bought from http://www.computerrepairgarlandtx.com/garland_computer_repair.html. was happy with purchase and I think they would have put XP on it. I think it was 179. You can bought one of my anytime. in east dallas