XP Add Hardware wizard keeps failing

[altonb1]

I have XP Pro and a Compaq A3000 3-in-1 printer (USB). when I log in to XP, I get the "New Hardware Found" prompt and the system tries to install the A3000. If I follow the prompts through the wizard, I eventually get an error that the install failed because of missing info in the .inf. I have downloaded the latest drivers from Compaq/HP, and the same things happens.

I HAVE been able to get the printer installed by manually playing with the settings, so the printer and PC are talking fine. However, I can't seem to find the prompt (that I have seen once or twice) that allows me to not detect this hardware any longer. I can cancel the error as well, and XP states the hardware is not setup correctly, yada yada yada, but I'd like to tweak something so the prompt doesn't appear at all. It's just a nuisance now.

 

[altonb1]

* BUMP *

Any ideas how to tunr this option off for my USB printer? The printer works fine; I used it again yesterday, but New Hardware wizard still thinks it needs to be installed. Maybe a registry switch to change from 1 to 0? I haven't searched the registry yet to see if I can find it, but if someone knows where to change the switch, I'd appreciate the help.

 

[SwampsterFL]

Try removing the printer and uninstalling everything you are able to uninstall that relates to it. Make sure left-over folders are deleted, etc.

With the printer unplugged from the computer, use the Compaq SETUP file to install the software and it will tell you the appropriate time to plug the USB cable into the computer. This should resolve the issue, plus all the other switches you haven't found as yet will be properly set also.

 

[altonb1]

Thanks, but I'd rather deal with the annoying wizard popping up then uninstall something that took me several hours to get working again. When I run the install from Compaq, it works the first time, but fails during install. Everytime I try to run the self-extracting installer after that, I get an error that the package has been corrupted. It's really a pain. I'll do some registry searching eventually, I guess, and see if I can fix it that way.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: altonb1
Thanks, but I'd rather deal with the annoying wizard popping up then uninstall something that took me several hours to get working again. When I run the install from Compaq, it works the first time, but fails during install. Everytime I try to run the self-extracting installer after that, I get an error that the package has been corrupted. It's really a pain. I'll do some registry searching eventually, I guess, and see if I can fix it that way.

what is the missing .inf its asking for...and if its saying the pkg is corrupt it is possible your download was glitched or worse Compaq has a bad softpaq

 

[altonb1]

Originally posted by: ScrapSilicon

Originally posted by: altonb1 Thanks, but I'd rather deal with the annoying wizard popping up then uninstall something that took me several hours to get working again. When I run the install from Compaq, it works the first time, but fails during install. Everytime I try to run the self-extracting installer after that, I get an error that the package has been corrupted. It's really a pain. I'll do some registry searching eventually, I guess, and see if I can fix it that way.

what is the missing .inf its asking for...and if its saying the pkg is corrupt it is possible your download was glitched or worse Compaq has a bad softpaq

Actually, the error is not so much that the .inf itself is not found, but it says that it doesn't contain needed data (or something like that. I'm at work, so i can't give exact syntax) The softpaq itself works fine the first time it is is run, but then once I get the error, the package starts to extract/install and then says it is corrupt. I do not believe the package is actually corrupt. Now that I think about it, I'm thinking I finally got it running by going back to my Compaq CD, so maybe the next time I reboot and get the error, I'll see if I can install the package from the driver CD that actually shipped. Hmm...maybe I'll try that tonight.

 

[altonb1]

Well, trying to install the driver by having the system search the CD for the proper driver did not work. anyone have any suggestions?