[vinny_the_hack]

I chose this forum, but it would be just as fitting in the OS forum. In the interest of brevity, I will leave out much of the aggravation I experienced in getting to the root (pun inended) of the problem.

My Win/XP system suddenly started to halt during the boot process; in safe mode as well. I isolated it to the printer. When I disconnect the printer USB cable from the system, it boots normally. What can I do to regain the use of my printer? No system changes have been made in some time.

[Advertisements]

Try re-installing the printer driver from the printer CD. It may be a corrupted driver.

[pip22]

Try re-installing the printer driver from the printer CD. It may be a corrupted driver.

[vinny_the_hack]

Thanks for your response, pip22. I'll try that when I have time.

[vinny_the_hack]

Pip,
Re-installing has resolved the boot problem. Unfortunately, the situation has reverted back to the way it was immediately before I started experiencing the boot problem. When Windows comes up, the printer is offline (little "x" through the icon on the task bar) and the system runs at 100% cpu utilization. When (I'm) idle, the task manager varies between 2 and 3 percent and "system" varies between 97 and 98 percent. I can't operate like this, but for purposes of troublshooting, I can leave it so while we exhaust any ideas you may have.

Thanks for your time.

Edited by vinny_the_hack, 13 December 2007 - 11:49 AM.

[Dngrsone]

Vinny, try plugging the printer into one of the other USB ports... like a front port vice the rear.

Are you running SP2?

[The Skeptic]

Please download Process Explorer from Sysinternals.com. Extract the zipped file. Expand all the items and report, under System, or anywhere else, which processes are heavy consumers of CPU resources.

[vinny_the_hack]

Dngrsone,
I had already tried using a front port back when it wasn't booting. Windows came up, but it had this same symptom--100% cpu util.

Yes, I'm running SP2.

Skeptic,
As I said, "system" is basically consuming all the cpu. Will Process Explorer be of any help?

[The Skeptic]

There are many processes running under System. Process explorer will show all of them and will enable much better resolution.

[vinny_the_hack]

Skeptic,
I'm looking at the Process Explorer window but I'm skeptical. I don't see anything at all that looks informative. You can either give me some guidance or I can post a screen shot.

[The Skeptic]

Quote from a previous post: .... When (I'm) idle, the task manager varies between 2 and 3 percent and "system" varies between 97 and 98 percent. I can't operate like this, but for purposes of troublshooting, I can leave it so while we exhaust any ideas you may have."

I refer to the above quotation. You mentioned that "System" varies between 97-98%. Or were you mistaking System Idle Process to System? If you didn't please look at System Idle Process. What value do you see under the CPU coloumn? Usually it varies, so give us an average figure of about 10 seconds of looking at it when the computer is idling. Under normal conditions it should be over 95%. If it's there then there are no problematic processes. If it's below that please Expand (click the + sign) in System Idle Process, then expand System. A whole list of processes will show up. Please write down if there is any of them that under CPU shows significant value.

[vinny_the_hack]

By "system", I meant "system". The only item under "system" that shows any cpu usage is "services", and it only shows a constant 2-3%.

[vinny_the_hack]

Are we plumb out of ideas?

[Dngrsone]

Okay, I haven't heard of this kind of issue in some time (like two years), but of course that doesn't mean it isn't still out there.

Try going into your computers BIOS, check for settings relating to USB such as Boot from USB device high on the list or BIOS Plug and Play.

Does the printer work if you boot the machine up first then plug it into the USB port?

Do other USB devices work properly?

[vinny_the_hack]

I already checked the BIOS and it's fine.

If I plug the printer in after boot-up, the system completely freezes the second I plug it in.

Other USB devices work properly--speakers and microphone.

It's bizarre enough, but for this to happen suddenly with no warning and no significant changes. <scratches head>

[Dngrsone]

Sounds like the problem is the printer, then.

Have you managed to get it to work on another computer or with an alternate OS?