[jamespetts]

I have just been trying to install a new HP Photosmart D7360 on a computer running Windows XP Home (with all latest service packs/updates). There came a time during the install when the software asked me to plug in the USB cable. When I did so, I received the following error:

"This system is shutting down. Please save all work in progress and log off. Any unsaved changes will be lost. This shutdown was initiated by NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM

Time before shutdown: 00:00:XX

Message
The system process
'C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe' terminated unexpectedly with status code - 1073741819. The system will now shut down and restart."

The system rebooted. The same thing happened the next time that I tried. The time after that, I elected not to plug in the printer immediately, but install the driver software first. The driver software finished installing, but, as soon as I plugged in the printer, the same error occurred.

If I leave the printer plugged in after I restart, then the error sometimes appears some time after I first log on. The computer is also unusually slow (whether or not I receive that error message) to respond, and some things simply fail to work: bringing up system properties, for example, has no effect, and selecting "add printer" in the "printers and faxes" dialogue is wholly non-responsive. Running most software other than things like Windows Explorer and the Task Manager will result in that software freezing after a short time. When I unplug and restart, "add printer" comes up with the correct dialogue, and software runs normally.

I have tried two different USB cables and three different USB ports (one through a hub), all with exactly the same symptoms.

Additionally, whenever I plug in the printer cable, I get two instances of the "removable device plugged in" noise, and I see an "unplug device" icon in the task bar whose window often becomes non-responsive when opened. I also see the "new hardware attached" icon, although without any tooltip bubble. Clicking/double clicking it has no effect. Whenever I plug the printer in, most software that is running fails to work, so it is hard to test the printer. I do notice, however, that the printer does not appear to be installed in the "Printers and faxes" dialogue.

Having searched for solutions to the problem before posting here, I have found only one mention of it in connexion with printer installation, here. In that instance, somebody trying to re-install an HP printer found that the problem was a conflict between the new drivers and those which had previously been installed. That cannot be the case in my situation, however, as the printer was being installed for the first time.

It cannot be conflicting with the drivers of the previous printer, since the previous printer was an Epson printer, not an HP printer. I did, however, notice that, although I thought that I had uninstalled the printer, the icon for it still appeared in "Printers and Faxes". Deleting it did not immediately have any effect: it stayed there. It was only after I selected the option to delete all of its jobs, then deleted it again, then tried to open its properties window that it finally went away.

There are drivers for an HP printer installed for it to be able to print from a much older HP printer (DeskJet 970Cxi, circa 1999) on another computer on the network, which need to stay there to enable it to print from both printers.

This problem is indefinitely delaying the installation of an expensive printer that will be relied upon heavily, so any help would be very, very much appreciated indeed.

[Joanyoung]

Sounds like you have the sasser virus, You need to go to windows update and download all the updates. And then run the microsoft tool for malware too

joan

[Joanyoung]

http://www.pchell.com/virus/sasser.shtml

this might help too

joan

[jamespetts]

As I wrote in the original post, I have all the latest updates. The vulnerability exploited by the Sasser worm was patched in 2004. Furthermore, it is highly improbable that malware would have effect when and only when a specific printer was plugged into the USB port.

Edit: According to the information in the supplied link, the error message generated by the Sasser worm is substantially different to that which I encounter, citing a problem in "lsass.exe", as opposed to "services.exe".

[Joanyoung]

Is your firewall turned on?

joan

[jamespetts]

Yes - why?

[Joanyoung]

If I were you I would post a hijack log, let someone have a look

joan

[jamespetts]

By "hijack log", do you mean the firewall's logs? If so, why do you think that those would be relevant to what seems to be a USB/drivers problem of some description?

[Joanyoung]

I mean post a log by highjack this to the forum

http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php

download hijack this follow the instructions, save the log and post it here
just to rule out any virus or spyware

joan

[Joanyoung]

joan

[jamespetts]

I did not intend to come accross as unpleasant: without vocal intonation, text forum postings can often be hard to decipher in that respect. I was trying to understand why you are suggesting that the first thing to be investigated should be malware rather than driver and/or USB issues.

[Joanyoung]

I had the same problem when I tried to reinstall my HP 4180 printer. The Windows XP uninstall program does a pretty crappy job of getting rid of ALL the files of the program (printer driver in this case). I manually went though and deleted over 100 more HP files that were left all over the Hard Drive. This fixed the problem and I could finally get my HP driver loaded without causing the status code 1073741819 error with the automatic 60 sec shutdown !! This error is created when there is a conflict with the old files still left on the computer Good luck

http://forum.tweakxp.com/forum/Topic147089-28-2.aspx read here hope this helps

joan

[jamespetts]

For information, the solution to the problem is here.

[Joanyoung]

Glad you got your problem sorted james


joan