Making USB work on Windows NT

Yes, that is not a joke.

In our lab, we have a very old (but ultra reliable) instrument that we use
sometimes. The control software for this is written for Windows NT. The
computer is a Dell Optiplex GX1 (its that old).

The data that this instrument generates is quite voluminous (generating
about 100 MB of data in an hour's worth of measurements is a normal
occurrence). The computer is equipped with a floppy drive, a CD-ROM (not
RW) drive and a 100 MB zip drive. It is not networked because of two
reasons :

1. Exposing a primitive operating system like this one on today's internet
is like signing your suicide note and sending it by express mail. (Putting
Windows XP on the internet is like sending it my priority mail, but never
mind.).

2. Windows NT is no longer supported by Microsoft and gets no security
updates (such as they were), and a sound local IT policy prevents
networking of machines that are no longer supported by the vendor.

We have in the past tried to install Windows XP on another machine and load
the control system software onto that. The result was a spectacular failure
as the control system software does not install properly and crashes
immediately upon running on Windows XP.

Why not get new version of the control system software ? Well, we have tried
in the past, but it is hard to buy anything from a vendor that has walked
off into the sunset. Ah, the joys of closed source software. This is the
last version of the control system software they ever produced (that works
for this instrument).

Another vendor now writes control system software for this class of
instruments, but their oldest version is too new for this one. According to
a helpful email they sent us with a price quote, they would be happy to
sell us another instrument along with the brand spanking new software for a
very low price of $87,850 (after academic discounts).

The instrument is working perfectly well, so such munificence on the part of
the new vendor has not exactly set our hearts on fire.

Though not quite as close to the age of the dinosaur, the era of zip drives
is also roughly at an end, and our current workflow involves doing
measurements, leaving the lab, hunting down the only machine in the office
that has both a zip drive and a USB port, and transferring files on to our
USB sticks etc. This wastes precious time, and interrupts other processes
in the lab (not to mention annoys the hell out of the poor chap who uses
that machine for his work).

So, what are the recommended strategies for adding USB support to a Windows
NT machine like this one ?

I am about this far away from popping in a Linux live CD and doing it by
rebooting, but am holding off on that.

"Geico Caveman" wrote:

> In our lab, we have a very old (but ultra reliable) instrument that we use
> sometimes. The control software for this is written for Windows NT. The
> computer is a Dell Optiplex GX1 (its that old).
>
> The data that this instrument generates is quite voluminous (generating
> about 100 MB of data in an hour's worth of measurements is a normal
> occurrence). The computer is equipped with a floppy drive, a CD-ROM (not
> RW) drive and a 100 MB zip drive. It is not networked because of two
> reasons :
>
> 1. Exposing a primitive operating system like this one on today's internet
> is like signing your suicide note and sending it by express mail. (Putting
> Windows XP on the internet is like sending it my priority mail, but never
> mind.).
>
> 2. Windows NT is no longer supported by Microsoft and gets no security
> updates (such as they were), and a sound local IT policy prevents
> networking of machines that are no longer supported by the vendor.

I wouldn't be overly concerned - fully patched NT4 is reasonably secure.
Have a read of http://nt4ref.zcm.com.au/patch.htm for more detail.

> We have in the past tried to install Windows XP on another machine and load
> the control system software onto that. The result was a spectacular failure
> as the control system software does not install properly and crashes
> immediately upon running on Windows XP.
>
> Why not get new version of the control system software ? Well, we have tried
> in the past, but it is hard to buy anything from a vendor that has walked
> off into the sunset. Ah, the joys of closed source software. This is the
> last version of the control system software they ever produced (that works
> for this instrument).
>
> Another vendor now writes control system software for this class of
> instruments, but their oldest version is too new for this one. According to
> a helpful email they sent us with a price quote, they would be happy to
> sell us another instrument along with the brand spanking new software for a
> very low price of $87,850 (after academic discounts).
>
> The instrument is working perfectly well, so such munificence on the part of
> the new vendor has not exactly set our hearts on fire.
>
> Though not quite as close to the age of the dinosaur, the era of zip drives
> is also roughly at an end, and our current workflow involves doing
> measurements, leaving the lab, hunting down the only machine in the office
> that has both a zip drive and a USB port, and transferring files on to our
> USB sticks etc. This wastes precious time, and interrupts other processes
> in the lab (not to mention annoys the hell out of the poor chap who uses
> that machine for his work).
>
> So, what are the recommended strategies for adding USB support to a Windows
> NT machine like this one ?

USB access to mass storage devices like external HDDs and Flash memory keys
IS possible on NT4. Have a look at http://nt4ref.zcm.com.au/usb.htm for
details.

Hope this info helps,

Calvin.