Using Apple Laserwriter with Windows XP?

Hi -- I have an old Apple Laserwriter laser printer (model M0156, not
a Laserwriter II etc.) that I used to use with my Sun workstation.
Can I use this with a PC running Windows XP? It has a RS-232 port and
a switch with the choices: 1200, 9600, special, appletalk. (I used to
set it to 9600 and connect it to the printer port of the Sun.)

I looked on the Apple website for a driver and the only one they have
for Windows is for Windows 95. I tried to use it on XP and it
complains and refuses to install.

The printer still works perfectly; it would be a shame to throw it
out.

Thanks for any help or references.

Best,
Robert

Robert <renenkel@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hi -- I have an old Apple Laserwriter laser printer (model M0156, not
> a Laserwriter II etc.) that I used to use with my Sun workstation.
> Can I use this with a PC running Windows XP? It has a RS-232 port and

Probably yes, but how to go about it will depend greatly on whether the
printer supports PostScript. I think all the early LaserWriters did.

Some of the later ones didn't, requiring the Mac to either RIP the page
entirely or send QuickDraw commands that the printer processed.

In the latter case, you might look into some combination of GhostScript
and APSfilter. Both are open-source software, found in FreeBSD ports and
most Linux distributions. They're not trivial to configure, however.

HTH,

bob prohaska

On Jan 21, 8:27*pm, bob prohaska's usenet account <b...@www.zefox.net>
wrote:
> Robert <renen...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi -- I have an old Apple Laserwriter laser printer (model M0156, not
> > a Laserwriter II etc.) that I used to use with my Sun workstation.
> > Can I use this with a PC running Windows XP? *It has a RS-232 port and
>
> Probably yes, but how to go about it will depend greatly on whether the
> printer supports PostScript. I think all the early LaserWriters did.
>
> Some of the later ones didn't, requiring the Mac to either RIP the page
> entirely or send QuickDraw commands that the printer processed.
>
> In the latter case, you might look into some combination of GhostScript
> and APSfilter. Both are open-source software, found in FreeBSD ports and
> most Linux distributions. They're not trivial to configure, however.
>
> HTH,
>
> bob prohaska

The original Apple Laserwriter was one of the very first laser
printers to use Postscript. My first printer around 20 years ago was
an HP LaserJet with an Apple LW motherboard and wiring harness. The
difference between the LW and LW Plus was an upgraded Postscript ROM
set.

Hefty printer, and I repaired more than my share of them. I still
have some parts leftover from the glory days of fixing the old Apple
stuff.