Win98se Tower: Parallel Zip100 Drive Stopped Working!

Hi! My Win98SE Tower at my mother's house's Iomega Parallel Zip100 stopped working a few hours ago. At first I thought it was a device driver incompatibility problem. Then, I realized that it didn't work in Windows mode either. One symptom is that, when I insert a disk, it made a sound that was unusual even for a COD. I might need a new one--maybe two, as I also broke one for a DOS laptop by trying the wrong power supply. Is there any way to see if maybe it's not a hardware problem?

 

Try on Another System: If possible, connect the Zip drive to another computer with a parallel port to see if it works there. This can help determine if the issue is with the drive or the computer.

Unusual Sounds: The unusual sound you mentioned could indicate a mechanical failure within the drive. Can you describe what you hear? Does this happen with another disk?

 

I can't quite describe the sound, but it clicked hard twice upon insertion. It happens on every disk. I will try your suggestion now.

 

I got a different error.

 

It used to be called "The Click of Death", and was one of the reasons why I used the LS120 drive instead of the Zip. The unit is probably toast, but I'm pretty sure I recently saw some on eBay.

 

But I missed the main point: a working 98SE machine? I'm jealous.

 

Umm...it is toast. The last time I was at my mother's house, she bought me a new one, but she at the time didn't have enough money at hand for two. I'm wondering if I should install an IDE one on my Win98SE tower there, and the Parallel one my mother bought can be for my DOS laptop there.

 

Don't be too jealous: it's way high-end but can't do UMBs or EMS under Windows at all, and DOS mode is missing sound.

 

I just miss 98SE, which was my first OS. I always preferred an internal drive whenever possible and, with my LS120, I also had a USB drive that traveled with me on service calls.