Connect an other computer to the parallel port

The solution of the disaster was: This version of WinZip thought the computer on the parallel port is a changeable media.

1995-10-21:

It's time to change to Windows 95. I have my own ESCOM Paradigma notebook with 20 MB RAM and 340 MB harddisk and I am in the apartment of my father in law. He has my old ESCOM Companion notebook with 4 MB RAM and 120 MB harddisk.

Before I install the new operating system, I want to transfer the most important files to the notebook of my father in law. On the notebook are about 40 MB free. I connect the other computer with a cable to the parallel port.

I start Win Zip. I usual use Win Zip for backup copies from my database. My database is about 22 MB long and uses compressed 6 diskettes. So the software is switched to multi disk spanning and wipe disk.

I transfer first my database to the notebook. Some minutes later, I want to see how much space is left on the harddisk of the notebook.

113 MB free ?!? What happened ?!? Before I transferred my database, there was only 40 MB free ?!?. The directory shows only 1 ZIP file on my fathers in law's computer.

The solution of the disaster was: This version of WinZip thought the computer on the parallel port is a changeable media. It was set to multi disk spanning - wipe disk for exchangeable media.

So the software wiped disk on the computer connected to parallel port.

I got some weeks later a new WinZip version without this danger.