parallel port no longer detected by LinuxCNC and neither by dmesg, failed?

Yes I have two PCs. The original is a Dell T1500 driving a chinese 6040Z, used to work perfectly. For my new/second CNC, a workbee I am trying to build a Dell 9020 to run it. So Ive been struggling for 2+ days to get a test bed going with the newer Stretch based LinuxCNC version I messed the screen shots up so deleted that post and re-did a new post. Rather tired after 2 days and 14+ hours days struggling with it. Anyway I took the T1500, a known working machine using old LinuxCNC wheezy off my 6040Z to try it on this the other BOB intended for the Dell 9020 (a new MESA 7i96 I ordered has been lost in the US for 6 weeks now) as the stepconf is identical as far as I can tell, and that didnt work either. Trouble is the T1500 no longer works either. I am wondering if the BOB is bad in some way and has damaged the PP cards or Ive wired it wrong, but I cant see how when its supposed to be optically isolated. Pic of test setup encl. The TB6600 is just for a test I have James Newton's drivers I have to yet solder up.

Ok the parport module was no longer loading by itself.

forum.linuxcnc.org/38-general-linuxcnc-q...port-problems-solved

modprobe parport_pc

lsmod | grep parport

shows it loaded as does dmesg after a reboot. 6040Z now works again but the time with the PCI-e parallel port (or its original PCI port) no issues so the hardware is fine.