Serial port

[LFROSS]

I bought a second hand HP DC7100U  with windows XP. It has lots of USB ports but no parallel or serial port. I had a printer which needs parrallel and a device which needs serial. I scavenged a plate from an old computer and plugged in the cables to the parrallel and serial connectors on the motherboard.The parrallel port is recognised but the serial port doesn't appear as an option in CMOS.
Does anyone know how I get the serial port activated?

thanks
Ross

[Broni]

Why not to use parallel/serial to USB adapters (under $20 each)?

[LFROSS]

yes, but that is money out of my pocket and local shop doesn't  have one.
I thought I could do it it for free. (I did get the parallel port going)

[WillyW]

...
The parrallel port is recognised but the serial port doesn't appear as an option in CMOS.

Not sure, but you seem to be implying that since the parallel port appears in bios after installing the card, that the serial port should too.

It is not a function of whether or not the port is physically there or not.   In bios, it should appear anyway.    I don't have extensive experience with newer motherboards,  but this is how it is with all the older ones that I've used.

If that serial port is not appearing in bios, you've got a different hurdle to overcome.    Again, I'm not familiar with new stuff,  but I've never heard of a
bios that didn't include serial port(s).    Let's see what others post.