[Snowdiver]

Serial no. GRB6A 110 04440

The printer is connected to USB on the back.

I did not get the VGA driver installed.

No other devices connected.

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they say thats NOT a valid serial number...try this link for a serial number lookup tool...

[happyrock]

they say thats NOT a valid serial number...try this link for a serial number lookup tool...

[Snowdiver]

Buying this computer was a mistake to say the least. The serial number is the right one, I called Gateway. I plugged the number into their site with them on the line and it also said it was NOT A VALID NUMBER. They told me to search under keywords for the model number. This is frustrating. They are no help.

[happyrock]

did you try the serial number lookup tool...

[Snowdiver]

Yes, doesn't work.

[happyrock]

try uninstalling printer completely..not just unplugging it....reboot..
how long does it take to boot after doing that...time it

Edited by happyrck, 17 May 2008 - 07:19 AM.

[Snowdiver]

I uninstalled the software and left the printer plugged in. It still took five minutes on the first screen and two more minutes to finish booting. It only boots normal if the printer is unplugged.

[Snowdiver]

I then left the printer unplugged and yesterday reinstalled the software and plugged the printer back in and it boots normally other than it still shows that new hardware is found. VGA controller with no driver? Thanks to you I seem to be getting somewhere.

[happyrock]

go to windows update...custom...look for hardware updates on the left side get ALL that windows says you need...
see screenshot

Edited by happyrck, 21 May 2008 - 06:21 PM.

[Snowdiver]

FIXED! Thanks so much happyrck. I still don't quite understand the initial problem and how it occurred.

Thanks again!

[Snowdiver]

What about Windows SP3, should I install it?

[happyrock]

your welcome...glad its working right again...

I just installed SP3 and had problems...had to uninstall it...so NO ON SP3...


ALSO


IF YOU HAVE A AMD PROCESSOR and/or a HP computer...DO NOT GET SP3 UPDATE...

if your not sure what processor you have..right click on my computer...properties...on the general tab...
towards the bottom of the window...see screenshot

HP Thursday confirmed that some users of its AMD-based desktops have had problems after installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), and said it would issue a patch this week to prevent machines from spiraling into endless reboots. HP also told users to delay installing XP SP3 until that patch was released.

Microsoft, meanwhile, acknowledged Thursday that it's working on a hotfix of its own.

The confirmations were the latest additions to the weeklong saga of problems some users have encountered after upgrading Windows XP to SP3. Last week, reports began showing up on Microsoft 's support forum of "endless reboots" crippling machines running Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) processors. Many of the users said that the out-of-control PCs were from HP.

Users, led by Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft and currently an MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional) who works at Amazon.com, identified several causes , including one limited to HP-branded systems. According to Johansson -- and later, Microsoft itself -- HP used a disk image created on an Intel-powered machine to factory-install Windows XP on AMD-based PCs. Microsoft had advised computer makers against doing that as long ago as 2004.

An errant reference in Windows Registry for an unnecessary device driver -- "intelppm.sys," a power-management driver designed only for Intel -based PCs -- causes the XP SP3 upgrade to install that driver to AMD systems, said Johansson. That causes the PC to fail to reboot when it restarts after the update. Because most XP machines are set by default to reboot on a failure, the PC reboots repeatedly; some users have had trouble interrupting the endless reboots and regaining control of their computers.

HP did not explicitly admit the problem was its fault, but confirmed some details of Johansson's analysis. "The affected HP systems do not have an Intel driver loaded onto them, but there is a services registry entry that SP3 appears to be recognizing as an instruction to load the Intel driver, subsequently causing the failure," HP said in an e-mailed statement Thursday.
"HP is working diligently with Microsoft on a software update and will be proactively distributing a patch this week through HP Update that will prevent this error from occurring," the company continued. "HP recommends consumers with AMD-based desktops wait until after HP's or Microsoft's updates have been deployed on their systems to install Service Pack 3." The patch will be posted to this page of HP's support site when it's available

Edited by happyrck, 21 May 2008 - 07:13 PM.

[Snowdiver]

It seems like the same thing is going on. If I unplug the printer it boots normally. If I plug it in and boot it takes ten minutes. I don't understand why this is occurring? It's a hassle to plug and unplug the printer every time I need it.
Thanks