# USB Adapters: Two-Part Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-adapters-two-part-question/262101 "2004-08-29T16:48:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-adapters-two-part-question/262101/1 "2004-08-29T16:48:31Z")
Is there an adapter to mate a full-sized USB male end with a USB mini port? Also, even weirder…is it possible to find an adapter to go from a USB cable into a parallel port? I have the worst of all possible worlds. My desktop PC has a dead parallel port, and my external CD-RW burner has either a dead USB cable or a dead USB port. But, the port is mini…and I don’t have a spare USB cable which will mate. a) Do such adapters exist? b) Would it just be cheaper to buy a USB cable with a mini-end to test the USB port? What a mess! It’s a hardware conspiracy, I tell ya! 😉 - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-adapters-two-part-question/262101/2 "2004-08-29T16:49:48Z")
I should explain that the external drive has both a parallel port and a mini-USB port. Hope this helps clarify the situation. - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usb-adapters-two-part-question/262101/3 "2004-08-29T16:53:36Z")
For your printer problem, I think something like this would be right up your alley: [USB to Parallel cable](http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=309763&CatId=471)