not sure if this is a windows or hardware problem.

i have an external iomega ditto 2gb tape drive. this is connected to
parallel port. my hewlett packard 4l laser printer is then connected to the
iomega. this arrangrement worked fine then started giving trouble. i had to
connected them seperately one at a time to get them to work.

i now find i have a similar problem with my other computer. this time i
tried to daisy chain a scanner with the laser printer.

again this would not work. i had to coonect them seperately. the scanner
manual which is written in very bad pidgen english seem to suggest that i
need to disable bi-directionality on the printer/printer cable and change
one or two other things but i havent been able to much.

any ideas anyone? is this a general windows/hardware problem ? or am i just
getting some unlucky conflicts?

regards

ian gomeche