parralel to usb scanner help

You can try if you like but after a decade I've yet to see it work.

So far a scanner is cheaper.
Bob

for printers only.

The problem actually lies with the scanner's drivers which look for the scanner on a parallel port and not a usb port.

Bite the bullet and give up on the old tech and either get a new USB scanner or an older PC with parallel port that you can connect the scanner to then network the older PC with the new laptop.

You can get a Canon CanoScan LiDE110 2400 x 4800dpi 48bit USB Interface Flatbed Scanner for $55.00 with free shipping that is likely better and faster than that old parallel port model

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16838111056

Or you could go to Walmart and get either their HP Deskjet 2050 printer/scanner for $39.00 or a Canon Pixma MP280 all in one for $38.00 and both have USB connections. (or for $50.00 you can get a HP Deskjet 3050 Wireless All-In-One Printer
and skip the USB)
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?

I agree with Bob & Edward.
But I'm sure you like your scanner. I enjoy my old one & it works better than my newer one, so I understand where you are coming from.
I'd get an I/O card for the system, plug the parallel into it & keep going. You can usually pick one up at your local computer shop. If you can't install it, I'm sure they'll be able to do it for you quite cheaply. Just think of the pairing with a newer printer that can do half tones, whew the results are mind blowing (of course the forced margins will irk you).