parallel port not working with emc?

I have installed the Feb 2005 version of EMC and everything seems fine
except that the motors do not spin. My controller worked with an
older version of emc but I have moved and had to start over.

I can run a gcode file such as the sample file "cds.ngc" and view the
(hypothetical) output on tkemc's (view > backplot ). The "backplot"
shows the moves and "io_show" shows the parallel port pins, in charge
of direction, toggling. EMC will run all the way through to the end
of the sample file. So I think the install is ok.

I have a dual boot set up so I was able to test the exact same
hardware via a windows program that came with the stepper driver (a
stepperworld FET-3 driver and the program vbstepdirxp). The windows
program will spin the motors so I know that (at least in windows using
vbstepdirxp) the hardware path all the way to the motors is ok.

I suffered for a time over the IO port designation within EMC. In
windows the correct port name is 378h but looking under the system in
tkemc I find two "parport0" addresses 0378-037a and 0778-077a so I'm
using the designation 0x378.

I tried to test the output voltage at the end of the parallel cable
with a hand held voltmeter but the results are confusing at best.

So I am wondering what I am doing wrong. Any help would be appreciated.