printer installation screen vanishing

I am trying to install a printer through installation cd and also with downloaded driver but in both cases install screen vanishes half way through the screen shows the desktop again....

I tried through add printer wizard and also found new h/w wizard wizard...but still the install screen vanishes midway....
Tried installinh through MSCONFIG mode selective startuop...still failed...the screen vanishes...

I would just like to know if it is OS issue or printer driver issue or troiuble with the printer

 

Please post make and model of printer and OS.

 

IT is the only printer (HP) connected and OS is winXP....no other printer was ever installed...the driver was installed once but was later uninstalled and now when trying to install...the install screen vanishes...tried vid pid deletion of registry....still same issue