Tried to install a printer driver, now system spontaneously reboots

[scottgray]

I have a very irritating problem.

I downloaded the XP driver for the HP Deskjet 3930 from this site, the FEAD unpack process started, got about 80% done, and then the system spontaneously rebooted.

Now it frequently spontaneously reboots.

The only way I can be SURE it will COMPLETE a boot is in Safe Mode WITHOUT networking. Anything else is a gamble, and most times during a boot attempt it will start booting again as if from power-up. It can take 12 or 15 attempts at booting to get it to complete a boot in a mode other than Safe mode, and even when it succeeds, there's no telling how long the system will be up before it spontaneously reboots again. Sometimes during the boot it doesn't even get to the "Windows XP loading" screen before starting over as if from power-up; other times it gets all the way through to showing the desktop, most services up and running, and such... even to the point of letting me start one application before it starts all over again.

This problem did NOT occur until I tried to install that printer driver and the FEAD system caused a spontaneous reboot about 80% through the unpack process.

Yes, the system is running fine temperature wise, and just 2 weeks ago I cleaned all the heat sinks, fans, etc. with compressed air. Yes, all the hardware shows as being correcty enabled and working. Yes, all the RAM checks out as good. And so on and so forth.

NONE of these symptoms existed until Saturday evening when I tried to install the driver for the HP Deskjet 3930 that I downloaded from here.

What can I do? What's gone wrong, and how do I fix it?

Any help would be VERY much appreciated...


HP Deskjet 3910 / 3915 / 3918 / 3920 / 3930 / 3938 / 3940 Driver v 60.051.641 for Win 2000/XP

 

[fastco]

Start the computer in safe mode, uninstall the driver, restart the computer. The next time you try to install the driver make sure you shut off all running software like Anti-Spyware and Anti-Virus.

 

[scottgray]

Okay... so how do I uninstall the driver? It's not listed in the "Add/Remove Programs" list...

Thanks.

 

[fastco]

Uninstall the printer..

 

[scottgray]

Uninstall the printer..

The printer isn't listed as one of those that's installed. The install process never finished... as I noted, the FEAD unpacker ended up causing a spontaneous reboot about 80% of the way through its unpacking process, and the computer has been suffering the reboot problems outlined above ever since.

 

[N3051M]

boot into safe mode and try to reinstall the printer drivers.. maybe it'll help..

 

[Eddy Rassy]

Go into device manager (in safe mode) and see if the printer name shows up. If it does delete it. Check also under com ports in device manager if the printer is there, delete it.
Also, if the printer is a scanner as well you might find it under imaging devices or multifunction adapters in device manger. delete..........

 

[mailpup]

Try going into System Restore and restore to a point before you tried to install the printer driver. Find System Restore under Start Menu, Programs, Accessories, System Tools. Remember, you can always undo the system restore if it doesn't help.