[Techtalk] OT but I'm desperate.... Windows....!

[Michelle Howson]

> Geforce 256 video card, old 3Com ethernet card, horrible old Cmedia
>sound
> monstrosity (anyone out there got it configured properly? I'm still
> struggling)... aside from the sound card, everything is functioning
>normally to the best of my

Forgot to mention its a CMI8330.  Anyway onto the more pressing matter...

> knowledge, hardware-wise.  Oh, the offending printer is an HP
> deskjet 690C. I have the correct driver installed... to the best of my
>
> knowledge....! OS is Windows 2000 Pro, installation only a
>
>It sometimes is a good idea to actually scale back a driver.  You may
>want to try this...sometimes the latest, greatest driver has weird
>conflicts only testable on your configuration.  So that's an option.

Yes, that's something I'm aware of.  That it would be a problem with a
printer, though, especially one that's worked fine under 98se for years,
and XP, seems weird - the driver 2000 have should be exactly right.  Or so
logic says.

>(Drivers reinstall through My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware ->
>Device Manager -> (click device) -> Properties)

I'm very friendly with Device Manager.  Believe me.  *sigh*

> rescued my data, reformatted and reinstalled completely clean.  Oh
>yeah, 40Gb drive.
>
>Hrm.  Are you using a NTFS or FAT32 partition?  You can find this out by
>right-clicking on My Computer and going to Manage, then Disk Management.

NTFS - was recommended to me as a good way to go for a windows only box.

> um.......can't think of what else I should mention...........
> So, I think problem #1 is infact that I don't know what's
> going on behind the scenes - because the blue screen flashes up so
>quickly
> and no other errors appear, either before or after the reboot.  Can
--snip--
>Right click on My Computer and go to Manage.  Your Event Logs will be in
>there. :)
>Event Viewer is, IIRC, the spot you want.

Yes!  Fantastic.  I have some lovely (ha) error codes now I can run through
google and microsoft to see what can be seen.  Thank you thank you thank you

> And all this at the worst time.  I'm working on a major uni
> assignment,  which is already late.  So this is advance warning that
>I'm
> short on sleep, high on stress, and I may be a little less....  .
>Can't
> think of the word.   Oh I'm sure you all know what I mean, we've all
>been there
> at some point or another.
>
>Nrg. :(

It's murphy's law.  Or maybe sod's law.  :|

> So.  #1 - error log or something similar to clue us all in
> #2 - anyone experienced something like this?  Any known
> problems/solutions?  Any bright ideas at all?
>
>I can tell you error log...as for the rest, well...it *is* Windows. :)
>
>HTH somewhat...

Yes, it is windows....!  blargh.  But you have helped already, and my
thanks.

Now off to read the other replies that have shown up.

Michelle (still hanging in there)