I am sure neither of the edges are edge2 both work on the ME set up by just plugging them straight in.
In device manager on the XP machine it states that LTP1 and LPT3 are present and working properly.
I am using Omega 2.0 and the sentinel driver is 5.41 I think, but I have tried updating it to 7.5 but it made no difference also to be sure all was well I formatted the PC and installed on a clean XP with the driver in before the super pro was plugged in and then Omega installed.
I thank you for all your help and suggestions but i am convinced that it has something to do with the PCI parallel port and think I will try another make,
The older Edge (I don't like calling it the "bad" edge) must be about 25 years old it has the big black knob and lifts up sideways as oppsed to the factory reconditioned edge which opens backwards, and as i said earlier we still use the older one for stickers and stuff we know is going to miss the blank line and the quality of the machine is still great, we have the Super sprint cutter which came with it albeit converted to LMK and no monitor and recently we picked up a second hand super sprint for spares, and when I tried it it is cutting great, as opposed to the castering blades of all the other cutters I find the the driven swivelling and lifting blade holder absolutely fascinating. We also have a GS15 plus cutter which is the one we mostly use with the edge, all these cutters make quite peculiar noises in operation and not one of them is the same they all have there own character, my only problem with them is controlling the speed I think the GS15 plus could do with going a little faster and the super sprints one is way to fast and the other a little to fast but as we have no monitor for them I can't change them, funny thing is though we picked the one for spares up in England and it had been lying unused somewhere but in remarkably good condition, its serial number is exactly 100 higher than our old one. Originally when bought in the eighties in Belfast the edge and cutter was about £25.000 which would equate for around $30,000 to $50,000 dollars depending on the exchange rate at the time.
No doubt about it it has given value for money, and still does, generally speaking keep them clean and they are trouble free.
Thanks for the help, I will keep you informed.