Alps MD 4000 needs old os

I have a new, old Alps MD 4000 printer. I got it new from old stock when they quit making them. They will print foil and in white and do things many newe printers won't. I have nopt printed 6 pages total. I only use it and a dedicated old computer to print decals.

The old computer has died and the only drivers avail will work only in windows XP, NT, and 2000.

I make all originals in other programs (word, photoshop) then put on a disk and move to "old computer".

Who has an old xp or 2000 computer. Is that the way to go? I would prefer a smaller one as my work area is small. Can a laptop be bought and formatted and OS put on it? I have original friver disc for printer as well as XP professional. Office pro 97, ME and 98 upgrade, windows 7.

What is the most econo9mical way to get goin here? Is anyone out there who is familiar with this printer. It sounds like it wants to print then I get 2 or 3 different messages. From "your print job will take 5 cartriges, I only print 5 or 6 words. AND "printer not communicating with source". For some reason, when I try to re-install the driver it creates it's own port. Obviously I need help.

Thanks to the brain trust out there. I live in the hiway 6 and Clay road area.