Posted on 03/19/2006 7:35:13 AM PST by Lando Lincoln
My son installed software provided with a H-P 7310 printer that we purchased yesterday (it had a photo package). On re-boot, the computer will not initialize beyond the blue screen with the Windows XP logo. Upon initialization, I have tried starting in safe mode, resetting the defaults, etc. All with the same end result. I've exhausted my meager abilities. Any ideas??
Sounds like Windows died. Have you tried rebooting off an XP CD and using the repair option?
Things like this are why I use a Mac.
Buy a Mac.
Disconnect the printer and retry. At least you'll know where to start
Make a cocktail of orange-juice, mango, grapefruit kiwi and olive-oil
and add vitamin C according to taste. You can also use Head & Shoulders with
active balm for lightdark hair. Pour this over your monitor and computer,
now boot the system. The smoke and funny smell you'll notice are normal,
they simply indicate that the virus has been killed successfully.
If you can boot into safe mode, run system restore and go back to a restore point prior to the install.
make sure you still dont have the cd in the boot drive
Ignore the Mcnuts.
There are several ways to approach this, few of which I can explain w/o the box in front of me.
First, it is clear that the install corrupted the registry.
Perhaps it did not completely install and the box hangs on the splash screen.
If you can get into safe mode go to the control panel and see if the new program is there. - if so, remove it and reboot.
If you can do a selective startup then your can go to the command line and use the repair command.
You can use the CD to startup and run the box and then repair the registry.
Or if you can boot in safe mode, you should be able to access the Control Panel and Add/Remove programs. Then uninstall all the HP 'stuff' and reboot in normal mode.
Also, here's the HP web page with all the system data for that printer. BTW, that's one heck of a nice printer. It shouldn't have caused any problems if the system requirements are met.
Good luck.
ps: if it's a Dell computer, fugetaboutit - just shoot the dang thing and be done with it.
(semi kidding from another 'satisfied' Dell owner)
Your problem doesn't surprise me, call HP's technical support, their number is 1-800-474-6836. Also, be prepared to buy a replacement for your OfficeJet 7310 next year because no one I know has owned an OfficeJet all-in-one printer for more than 18 months. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are people out there with OfficeJet all-in-one printers over 18 months old. However, it seems that after 18 months most OfficeJets die for no reason what so ever.
#6 and #7 have good tips for you. Yes: safe mode, system restore, and mind the CD isn't still in the machine.
I also endorse the sentiment in #9 about HP's drivers. Their software is horrible, and their consumer and small-office printers are, increasingly, crap. (Perhaps their big-iron laser printers for bigger offices are better?)
I had an OfficeJet 5850 irretrievably jam at one year and three days, and H-P would do nothing for me. I'm an H-P stockholder (for now) but have bought my last H-P product.
For all-in-one printing, I recommend Brother's MFCs, which are well-priced, PC- and Mac-compatible, and usually feature network and sharing capabilities that their rivals reserve for much costlier units. That's very nice if you have more than one computer in your family or office. Based on my past year's experience with an MFC-420CN, being shared with my two PCs (I work from my home) and my wife's and kids' PCs and Macs, the Brothers are quite decent. Not the very best print quality or speed, but good features and reliability for the money ($120 in the case of the MFC-420CN). Our eight-year-old Epson color printer/scanner is also still going strong but is too old to work with the latest software; it would still be our primary printer otherwise. (Brother and Epson are both divisions of Seiko, IIRC.) By comparison, including the 5850 I mentioned, I've gone through three HP printers or printer/fax machines in eight years.
(In fairness: I just remembered that an HP printer came with my son's Mac six months ago, has given us no trouble yet, and has spectacular print quality. But then, I haven't tried using it with a PC so can't comment on whether its software is as horrific as for the other HPs I've owned.)
If you go with a Brother, here's a tip: when installing the drivers on a PC, don't touch it during the install process. There are several times when a dialog box pops up and sits there for a few seconds, but don't punch any buttons yourself; the automated installer will do so and you don't want to get its knickers in a twist.
Thanks to all for the suggestions. The machine remains dead but I have made minimal effort to bring it to life. My whole family has decided to get the flu - very unusual for us. Hey, maybe the machine infected us!! I think I'll climb the highest tree in my yard and give it the "drop test". Thanks again.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Thanks for the help. I've tried those ideas several times. This is the computer my teen sons use all the time and it needs a major overhaul. I might even take it in to the Geek Squad once I feel better. It's a powerful machine so it will be worth it.
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