Any PicoScope users?

I use a PC oscilloscope from UK company Pico Technology. An old model
called ADC-200 which is no longer supported but meets my hobbyist
needs well. It connects to a USB socket on my XP PC via a special
adapter, the 'Pico USB Parallel Port'. Suddenly, it's stopped working.
The Picoscope software tells me 'The ADC-200 is not connected. Looks
like the adapter is broken. (Its LED is not on and it's not listed in
Device Manager.) Probably somehow due to a PC crash in my
shed/workshop when I triggered the house circuit breakers while
fiddling with a Veroboard.

Pico don't sell the adapter any more (apparently one chip it needs is
no longer being manufactured). After an entire day of research I have
been unable to source a replacement.

Q1: Does anyone have one of these or know of any possible source
please?

Q2: Another option is to upgrade to a PicoScope 2204 or 2205. Does
anyone have either? I had a brief trial a couple of years ago but
disliked it because it now has internal relays and these were
frequently clicking on/off. I haven't seen any mention of this online,
however, so I'm looking for others' views.

Q3: I changed the shed PC a few years ago. I've just realised that
there is a parallel 25 pin port on it. That seems to mean I should be
able to dispense with the adapter. But when I try to do so, I get that
same 'not connected' message. Can anyone help on that aspect please?

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK 

On 1/20/2016 2:05 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
> I use a PC oscilloscope from UK company Pico Technology. An old model
> called ADC-200 which is no longer supported but meets my hobbyist
> needs well. It connects to a USB socket on my XP PC via a special
> adapter, the 'Pico USB Parallel Port'. Suddenly, it's stopped working.
> The Picoscope software tells me 'The ADC-200 is not connected. Looks
> like the adapter is broken. (Its LED is not on and it's not listed in
> Device Manager.) Probably somehow due to a PC crash in my
> shed/workshop when I triggered the house circuit breakers while
> fiddling with a Veroboard.
>
> Pico don't sell the adapter any more (apparently one chip it needs is
> no longer being manufactured). After an entire day of research I have
> been unable to source a replacement.
>
> Q1: Does anyone have one of these or know of any possible source
> please?
>
> Q2: Another option is to upgrade to a PicoScope 2204 or 2205. Does
> anyone have either? I had a brief trial a couple of years ago but
> disliked it because it now has internal relays and these were
> frequently clicking on/off. I haven't seen any mention of this online,
> however, so I'm looking for others' views.
>
> Q3: I changed the shed PC a few years ago. I've just realised that
> there is a parallel 25 pin port on it. That seems to mean I should be
> able to dispense with the adapter. But when I try to do so, I get that
> same 'not connected' message. Can anyone help on that aspect please?
>
> --
> Terry, East Grinstead, UK
>
Can't give any specifics.
What's the number of the chip it needs?
Can't tell from your description if the USB to parallel
converter is internal or external.  If it's external,
put a monitor on it and try to access it from a diagnostic.
Might be something as simple as misconfigured port.
I've had serial/parallel port stuff stop working when I updated the OS.
Just yesterday, I was trying a parallax usb scope on win7.
Turns out that there are two versions of the software and I had been
using the XP version.  Symptom was, "unable to access the device".
Are you using the same OS as when it worked before?

mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

>On 1/20/2016 2:05 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
>> I use a PC oscilloscope from UK company Pico Technology. An old model
>> called ADC-200 which is no longer supported but meets my hobbyist
>> needs well. It connects to a USB socket on my XP PC via a special
>> adapter, the 'Pico USB Parallel Port'. Suddenly, it's stopped working.
>> The Picoscope software tells me 'The ADC-200 is not connected. Looks
>> like the adapter is broken. (Its LED is not on and it's not listed in
>> Device Manager.) Probably somehow due to a PC crash in my
>> shed/workshop when I triggered the house circuit breakers while
>> fiddling with a Veroboard.
>>
>> Pico don't sell the adapter any more (apparently one chip it needs is
>> no longer being manufactured). After an entire day of research I have
>> been unable to source a replacement.
>>
>> Q1: Does anyone have one of these or know of any possible source
>> please?
>>
>> Q2: Another option is to upgrade to a PicoScope 2204 or 2205. Does
>> anyone have either? I had a brief trial a couple of years ago but
>> disliked it because it now has internal relays and these were
>> frequently clicking on/off. I haven't seen any mention of this online,
>> however, so I'm looking for others' views.
>>
>> Q3: I changed the shed PC a few years ago. I've just realised that
>> there is a parallel 25 pin port on it. That seems to mean I should be
>> able to dispense with the adapter. But when I try to do so, I get that
>> same 'not connected' message. Can anyone help on that aspect please?
>>
>> --
>> Terry, East Grinstead, UK
>>
>Can't give any specifics.

>What's the number of the chip it needs?
No idea!

>Can't tell from your description if the USB to parallel
>converter is internal or external.
External.

>If it's external,
>put a monitor on it and try to access it from a diagnostic.
Not clear what you mean by 'put a monitor on it'. Anyway, as I said,
it seems pretty clear it's dead. No way to get to its innards (by me
at least).

>Might be something as simple as misconfigured port.
All looks OK in that area for both Q1 and Q3. For Q3 I've tried a
dozen variations in the BIOS config for the parallel port - all with
same result.

>I've had serial/parallel port stuff stop working when I updated the OS.
>Just yesterday, I was trying a parallax usb scope on win7.
>Turns out that there are two versions of the software and I had been
>using the XP version.  Symptom was, "unable to access the device".
>Are you using the same OS as when it worked before?

On 1/20/2016 11:44 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
> mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
>
>> On 1/20/2016 2:05 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
>>> I use a PC oscilloscope from UK company Pico Technology. An old model
>>> called ADC-200 which is no longer supported but meets my hobbyist
>>> needs well. It connects to a USB socket on my XP PC via a special
>>> adapter, the 'Pico USB Parallel Port'. Suddenly, it's stopped working.
>>> The Picoscope software tells me 'The ADC-200 is not connected. Looks
>>> like the adapter is broken. (Its LED is not on and it's not listed in
>>> Device Manager.) Probably somehow due to a PC crash in my
>>> shed/workshop when I triggered the house circuit breakers while
>>> fiddling with a Veroboard.
>>>
>>> Pico don't sell the adapter any more (apparently one chip it needs is
>>> no longer being manufactured). After an entire day of research I have
>>> been unable to source a replacement.
>>>
>>> Q1: Does anyone have one of these or know of any possible source
>>> please?
>>>
>>> Q2: Another option is to upgrade to a PicoScope 2204 or 2205. Does
>>> anyone have either? I had a brief trial a couple of years ago but
>>> disliked it because it now has internal relays and these were
>>> frequently clicking on/off. I haven't seen any mention of this online,
>>> however, so I'm looking for others' views.
>>>
>>> Q3: I changed the shed PC a few years ago. I've just realised that
>>> there is a parallel 25 pin port on it. That seems to mean I should be
>>> able to dispense with the adapter. But when I try to do so, I get that
>>> same 'not connected' message. Can anyone help on that aspect please?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Terry, East Grinstead, UK
>>>
>> Can't give any specifics.
>
>> What's the number of the chip it needs?
> No idea!
>
>> Can't tell from your description if the USB to parallel
>> converter is internal or external.
> External.
>
>> If it's external,
>> put a monitor on it and try to access it from a diagnostic.
> Not clear what you mean by 'put a monitor on it'.

My monitor is an old Radio Shack RS-232 spike suppressor.
It's a dongle with DB-25 on each end rewired straight thru with a
resistor/led on each pin.

Anyway, as I said,
> it seems pretty clear it's dead. No way to get to its innards (by me
> at least).

Looks can be deceiving...
I'm a little confused about the history.
"Suddenly, it's stopped working" seems to conflict with
"I changed the shed PC a few years ago".

Is the current computer
and OS and setup EXACTLY the same one that you used when the
scope worked?  I'll proceed as if the answer was NO.
Maybe a clue will emerge.

Early USB stuff never got windows driver support ootb.
You'd need the original
driver that shipped with the device and hope it still worked in your
current OS.  Of course, the program itself must be compatible
with your current OS.

For USB,
There's a test program called usbdeview.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html
It can examine your USB device and disclose the vendor and device ID's.
But early usb devices may not have readable ID's.  If you can get the ID's,
you can google to find the chip used and maybe find a driver that works.

For a real Parallel Port,
If you're running a program that requires direct address to the
hardware parallel port, it won't run in XP and newer operating systems.
There are a number of programs that remove that restriction.
I like userport.exe
http://kougon.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-access-parallel-ports-on-windows.html
>
>> Might be something as simple as misconfigured port.
> All looks OK in that area for both Q1 and Q3. For Q3 I've tried a
> dozen variations in the BIOS config for the parallel port - all with
> same result.
>
>> I've had serial/parallel port stuff stop working when I updated the OS.
>> Just yesterday, I was trying a parallax usb scope on win7.
>> Turns out that there are two versions of the software and I had been
>> using the XP version.  Symptom was, "unable to access the device".
>> Are you using the same OS as when it worked before?

The answer to the above question would be very helpful with disclosure
of the old working and new non-working environment including OS and
setup of the ports.

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that your scope works fine unless
it really did stop working suddenly on the same system.
Likely a USB setup problem or failure to unlock direct access to the
hardware parallel port.

mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

>On 1/20/2016 11:44 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
>> mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
>>
>>> On 1/20/2016 2:05 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
>>>> I use a PC oscilloscope from UK company Pico Technology. An old model
>>>> called ADC-200 which is no longer supported but meets my hobbyist
>>>> needs well. It connects to a USB socket on my XP PC via a special
>>>> adapter, the 'Pico USB Parallel Port'. Suddenly, it's stopped working.
>>>> The Picoscope software tells me 'The ADC-200 is not connected. Looks
>>>> like the adapter is broken. (Its LED is not on and it's not listed in
>>>> Device Manager.) Probably somehow due to a PC crash in my
>>>> shed/workshop when I triggered the house circuit breakers while
>>>> fiddling with a Veroboard.
>>>>
>>>> Pico don't sell the adapter any more (apparently one chip it needs is
>>>> no longer being manufactured). After an entire day of research I have
>>>> been unable to source a replacement.
>>>>
>>>> Q1: Does anyone have one of these or know of any possible source
>>>> please?
>>>>
>>>> Q2: Another option is to upgrade to a PicoScope 2204 or 2205. Does
>>>> anyone have either? I had a brief trial a couple of years ago but
>>>> disliked it because it now has internal relays and these were
>>>> frequently clicking on/off. I haven't seen any mention of this online,
>>>> however, so I'm looking for others' views.
>>>>
>>>> Q3: I changed the shed PC a few years ago. I've just realised that
>>>> there is a parallel 25 pin port on it. That seems to mean I should be
>>>> able to dispense with the adapter. But when I try to do so, I get that
>>>> same 'not connected' message. Can anyone help on that aspect please?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Terry, East Grinstead, UK
>>>>
>>> Can't give any specifics.
>>
>>> What's the number of the chip it needs?
>> No idea!
>>
>>> Can't tell from your description if the USB to parallel
>>> converter is internal or external.
>> External.
>>
>>> If it's external,
>>> put a monitor on it and try to access it from a diagnostic.
>> Not clear what you mean by 'put a monitor on it'.
>
>My monitor is an old Radio Shack RS-232 spike suppressor.
>It's a dongle with DB-25 on each end rewired straight thru with a
>resistor/led on each pin.
>
>Anyway, as I said,
>> it seems pretty clear it's dead. No way to get to its innards (by me
>> at least).
>
>Looks can be deceiving...
>I'm a little confused about the history.
>"Suddenly, it's stopped working" seems to conflict with
>"I changed the shed PC a few years ago".
>
>Is the current computer
>and OS and setup EXACTLY the same one that you used when the
>scope worked?  I'll proceed as if the answer was NO.
>Maybe a clue will emerge.
>
>Early USB stuff never got windows driver support ootb.
>You'd need the original
>driver that shipped with the device and hope it still worked in your
>current OS.  Of course, the program itself must be compatible
>with your current OS.
>
>For USB,
>There's a test program called usbdeview.
>http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html
>It can examine your USB device and disclose the vendor and device ID's.
>But early usb devices may not have readable ID's.  If you can get the ID's,
>you can google to find the chip used and maybe find a driver that works.
>
>For a real Parallel Port,
>If you're running a program that requires direct address to the
>hardware parallel port, it won't run in XP and newer operating systems.
>There are a number of programs that remove that restriction.
>I like userport.exe
>http://kougon.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-access-parallel-ports-on-windows.html
>>
>>> Might be something as simple as misconfigured port.
>> All looks OK in that area for both Q1 and Q3. For Q3 I've tried a
>> dozen variations in the BIOS config for the parallel port - all with
>> same result.
>>
>>> I've had serial/parallel port stuff stop working when I updated the OS.
>>> Just yesterday, I was trying a parallax usb scope on win7.
>>> Turns out that there are two versions of the software and I had been
>>> using the XP version.  Symptom was, "unable to access the device".
>>> Are you using the same OS as when it worked before?
>
>The answer to the above question would be very helpful with disclosure
>of the old working and new non-working environment including OS and
>setup of the ports.
>
>If I were a betting man, I'd bet that your scope works fine unless
>it really did stop working suddenly on the same system.
>Likely a USB setup problem or failure to unlock direct access to the
>hardware parallel port.

Best to ignore my aside about changing the XP PC years ago. I
mentioned it only to highlight the fact that the replacement XP PC did
have a parallel port, unnoticed at the time. And so, logically, I
should have reverted to using it instead of the special adapter.

The USB adapter has been working fine for years on the current shed XP
PC. Until the crash that presumably caused the problem under
discussion.

Using the parallel port and cable now also fails to work. I tried many
configurations of the port in the appropriate parts of BIOS and the
PicoScope software was correctly configured.

And I also setup the software on my house XP (Pro, SP3) PC. Both the
USB and parallel port methods failed with the same 'ADC-200 not
connected' message. So, despite its LED being on in both scenarios
(unlike that of the USB adapter), I think the crash may have damaged
the ADC-200 it as well.

This morning I posted both adaptor and ADC-200, with cables, back to
Pico to take a look.

-- 
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Terry Pinnell <me@somewhere.invalid> wrote:

>mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
>
>>On 1/20/2016 11:44 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
>>> mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 1/20/2016 2:05 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
>>>>> I use a PC oscilloscope from UK company Pico Technology. An old model
>>>>> called ADC-200 which is no longer supported but meets my hobbyist
>>>>> needs well. It connects to a USB socket on my XP PC via a special
>>>>> adapter, the 'Pico USB Parallel Port'. Suddenly, it's stopped working.
>>>>> The Picoscope software tells me 'The ADC-200 is not connected. Looks
>>>>> like the adapter is broken. (Its LED is not on and it's not listed in
>>>>> Device Manager.) Probably somehow due to a PC crash in my
>>>>> shed/workshop when I triggered the house circuit breakers while
>>>>> fiddling with a Veroboard.
>>>>>
>>>>> Pico don't sell the adapter any more (apparently one chip it needs is
>>>>> no longer being manufactured). After an entire day of research I have
>>>>> been unable to source a replacement.
>>>>>
>>>>> Q1: Does anyone have one of these or know of any possible source
>>>>> please?
>>>>>
>>>>> Q2: Another option is to upgrade to a PicoScope 2204 or 2205. Does
>>>>> anyone have either? I had a brief trial a couple of years ago but
>>>>> disliked it because it now has internal relays and these were
>>>>> frequently clicking on/off. I haven't seen any mention of this online,
>>>>> however, so I'm looking for others' views.
>>>>>
>>>>> Q3: I changed the shed PC a few years ago. I've just realised that
>>>>> there is a parallel 25 pin port on it. That seems to mean I should be
>>>>> able to dispense with the adapter. But when I try to do so, I get that
>>>>> same 'not connected' message. Can anyone help on that aspect please?
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Terry, East Grinstead, UK
>>>>>
>>>> Can't give any specifics.
>>>
>>>> What's the number of the chip it needs?
>>> No idea!
>>>
>>>> Can't tell from your description if the USB to parallel
>>>> converter is internal or external.
>>> External.
>>>
>>>> If it's external,
>>>> put a monitor on it and try to access it from a diagnostic.
>>> Not clear what you mean by 'put a monitor on it'.
>>
>>My monitor is an old Radio Shack RS-232 spike suppressor.
>>It's a dongle with DB-25 on each end rewired straight thru with a
>>resistor/led on each pin.
>>
>>Anyway, as I said,
>>> it seems pretty clear it's dead. No way to get to its innards (by me
>>> at least).
>>
>>Looks can be deceiving...
>>I'm a little confused about the history.
>>"Suddenly, it's stopped working" seems to conflict with
>>"I changed the shed PC a few years ago".
>>
>>Is the current computer
>>and OS and setup EXACTLY the same one that you used when the
>>scope worked?  I'll proceed as if the answer was NO.
>>Maybe a clue will emerge.
>>
>>Early USB stuff never got windows driver support ootb.
>>You'd need the original
>>driver that shipped with the device and hope it still worked in your
>>current OS.  Of course, the program itself must be compatible
>>with your current OS.
>>
>>For USB,
>>There's a test program called usbdeview.
>>http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html
>>It can examine your USB device and disclose the vendor and device ID's.
>>But early usb devices may not have readable ID's.  If you can get the ID's,
>>you can google to find the chip used and maybe find a driver that works.
>>
>>For a real Parallel Port,
>>If you're running a program that requires direct address to the
>>hardware parallel port, it won't run in XP and newer operating systems.
>>There are a number of programs that remove that restriction.
>>I like userport.exe
>>http://kougon.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-access-parallel-ports-on-windows.html
>>>
>>>> Might be something as simple as misconfigured port.
>>> All looks OK in that area for both Q1 and Q3. For Q3 I've tried a
>>> dozen variations in the BIOS config for the parallel port - all with
>>> same result.
>>>
>>>> I've had serial/parallel port stuff stop working when I updated the OS.
>>>> Just yesterday, I was trying a parallax usb scope on win7.
>>>> Turns out that there are two versions of the software and I had been
>>>> using the XP version.  Symptom was, "unable to access the device".
>>>> Are you using the same OS as when it worked before?
>>
>>The answer to the above question would be very helpful with disclosure
>>of the old working and new non-working environment including OS and
>>setup of the ports.
>>
>>If I were a betting man, I'd bet that your scope works fine unless
>>it really did stop working suddenly on the same system.
>>Likely a USB setup problem or failure to unlock direct access to the
>>hardware parallel port.
>
>Best to ignore my aside about changing the XP PC years ago. I
>mentioned it only to highlight the fact that the replacement XP PC did
>have a parallel port, unnoticed at the time. And so, logically, I
>should have reverted to using it instead of the special adapter.
>
>The USB adapter has been working fine for years on the current shed XP
>PC. Until the crash that presumably caused the problem under
>discussion.
>
>Using the parallel port and cable now also fails to work. I tried many
>configurations of the port in the appropriate parts of BIOS and the
>PicoScope software was correctly configured.
>
>And I also setup the software on my house XP (Pro, SP3) PC. Both the
>USB and parallel port methods failed with the same 'ADC-200 not
>connected' message. So, despite its LED being on in both scenarios
>(unlike that of the USB adapter), I think the crash may have damaged
>the ADC-200 it as well.
>
>This morning I posted both adaptor and ADC-200, with cables, back to
>Pico to take a look.

To close this off:

Today they came back with the bad news that both the adapter and the
main ADC-200 are damaged beyond repair:

"USB Parallel Port: Very High Voltage Damage, PCB Blackened, Tracks
Disintegrated

ADC 200/50: High Voltage Damage, Digital ICs damaged along with Hex
drivers - unfortunately we no longer hold the ICs for these units so
we are unable to repair."

The accident that triggered the house circuit breaker must have
somehow allowed 240V mains AC into the 'scope probe.

I'm therefore looking at a new PicoScope but cannot justify the 50 MHz
version (which in any case lacks the data logging facility I like) so
it will probably be the 25 MHz 2205A.

I'm going to post a question about that.

-- 
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

On 01/25/2016 05:14 PM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
> Terry Pinnell <me@somewhere.invalid> wrote:
>
>> mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
>>
>>> On 1/20/2016 11:44 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
>>>> mike <ham789@netzero.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On 1/20/2016 2:05 AM, Terry Pinnell wrote:
>>>>>> I use a PC oscilloscope from UK company Pico Technology. An old model
>>>>>> called ADC-200 which is no longer supported but meets my hobbyist
>>>>>> needs well. It connects to a USB socket on my XP PC via a special
>>>>>> adapter, the 'Pico USB Parallel Port'. Suddenly, it's stopped working.
>>>>>> The Picoscope software tells me 'The ADC-200 is not connected. Looks
>>>>>> like the adapter is broken. (Its LED is not on and it's not listed in
>>>>>> Device Manager.) Probably somehow due to a PC crash in my
>>>>>> shed/workshop when I triggered the house circuit breakers while
>>>>>> fiddling with a Veroboard.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Pico don't sell the adapter any more (apparently one chip it needs is
>>>>>> no longer being manufactured). After an entire day of research I have
>>>>>> been unable to source a replacement.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Q1: Does anyone have one of these or know of any possible source
>>>>>> please?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Q2: Another option is to upgrade to a PicoScope 2204 or 2205. Does
>>>>>> anyone have either? I had a brief trial a couple of years ago but
>>>>>> disliked it because it now has internal relays and these were
>>>>>> frequently clicking on/off. I haven't seen any mention of this online,
>>>>>> however, so I'm looking for others' views.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Q3: I changed the shed PC a few years ago. I've just realised that
>>>>>> there is a parallel 25 pin port on it. That seems to mean I should be
>>>>>> able to dispense with the adapter. But when I try to do so, I get that
>>>>>> same 'not connected' message. Can anyone help on that aspect please?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Terry, East Grinstead, UK
>>>>>>
>>>>> Can't give any specifics.
>>>>
>>>>> What's the number of the chip it needs?
>>>> No idea!
>>>>
>>>>> Can't tell from your description if the USB to parallel
>>>>> converter is internal or external.
>>>> External.
>>>>
>>>>> If it's external,
>>>>> put a monitor on it and try to access it from a diagnostic.
>>>> Not clear what you mean by 'put a monitor on it'.
>>>
>>> My monitor is an old Radio Shack RS-232 spike suppressor.
>>> It's a dongle with DB-25 on each end rewired straight thru with a
>>> resistor/led on each pin.
>>>
>>> Anyway, as I said,
>>>> it seems pretty clear it's dead. No way to get to its innards (by me
>>>> at least).
>>>
>>> Looks can be deceiving...
>>> I'm a little confused about the history.
>>> "Suddenly, it's stopped working" seems to conflict with
>>> "I changed the shed PC a few years ago".
>>>
>>> Is the current computer
>>> and OS and setup EXACTLY the same one that you used when the
>>> scope worked?  I'll proceed as if the answer was NO.
>>> Maybe a clue will emerge.
>>>
>>> Early USB stuff never got windows driver support ootb.
>>> You'd need the original
>>> driver that shipped with the device and hope it still worked in your
>>> current OS.  Of course, the program itself must be compatible
>>> with your current OS.
>>>
>>> For USB,
>>> There's a test program called usbdeview.
>>> http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html
>>> It can examine your USB device and disclose the vendor and device ID's.
>>> But early usb devices may not have readable ID's.  If you can get the ID's,
>>> you can google to find the chip used and maybe find a driver that works.
>>>
>>> For a real Parallel Port,
>>> If you're running a program that requires direct address to the
>>> hardware parallel port, it won't run in XP and newer operating systems.
>>> There are a number of programs that remove that restriction.
>>> I like userport.exe
>>> http://kougon.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-access-parallel-ports-on-windows.html
>>>>
>>>>> Might be something as simple as misconfigured port.
>>>> All looks OK in that area for both Q1 and Q3. For Q3 I've tried a
>>>> dozen variations in the BIOS config for the parallel port - all with
>>>> same result.
>>>>
>>>>> I've had serial/parallel port stuff stop working when I updated the OS.
>>>>> Just yesterday, I was trying a parallax usb scope on win7.
>>>>> Turns out that there are two versions of the software and I had been
>>>>> using the XP version.  Symptom was, "unable to access the device".
>>>>> Are you using the same OS as when it worked before?
>>>
>>> The answer to the above question would be very helpful with disclosure
>>> of the old working and new non-working environment including OS and
>>> setup of the ports.
>>>
>>> If I were a betting man, I'd bet that your scope works fine unless
>>> it really did stop working suddenly on the same system.
>>> Likely a USB setup problem or failure to unlock direct access to the
>>> hardware parallel port.
>>
>> Best to ignore my aside about changing the XP PC years ago. I
>> mentioned it only to highlight the fact that the replacement XP PC did
>> have a parallel port, unnoticed at the time. And so, logically, I
>> should have reverted to using it instead of the special adapter.
>>
>> The USB adapter has been working fine for years on the current shed XP
>> PC. Until the crash that presumably caused the problem under
>> discussion.
>>
>> Using the parallel port and cable now also fails to work. I tried many
>> configurations of the port in the appropriate parts of BIOS and the
>> PicoScope software was correctly configured.
>>
>> And I also setup the software on my house XP (Pro, SP3) PC. Both the
>> USB and parallel port methods failed with the same 'ADC-200 not
>> connected' message. So, despite its LED being on in both scenarios
>> (unlike that of the USB adapter), I think the crash may have damaged
>> the ADC-200 it as well.
>>
>> This morning I posted both adaptor and ADC-200, with cables, back to
>> Pico to take a look.
>
> To close this off:
>
> Today they came back with the bad news that both the adapter and the
> main ADC-200 are damaged beyond repair:
>
> "USB Parallel Port: Very High Voltage Damage, PCB Blackened, Tracks
> Disintegrated
>
> ADC 200/50: High Voltage Damage, Digital ICs damaged along with Hex
> drivers - unfortunately we no longer hold the ICs for these units so
> we are unable to repair."
>
> The accident that triggered the house circuit breaker must have
> somehow allowed 240V mains AC into the 'scope probe.
>
> I'm therefore looking at a new PicoScope but cannot justify the 50 MHz
> version (which in any case lacks the data logging facility I like) so
> it will probably be the 25 MHz 2205A.
>
> I'm going to post a question about that.
>

Well, at least it didn't put the 240V across you.  A noble sacrifice on 
the Pico's part.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

-- 
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics

160 North State Road #203
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

hobbs at electrooptical dot net
http://electrooptical.net