HP Printer Software wiped out Registry

Yesterday I brought home a new printer (HP 8600 Plus N911g).

The printer comes with software disc version 24.

I've installed the printer on Windows XP SP3 machine via my wired home network.

at some point during the end of the installation process, the computer restart by itself. then when reboot, the windows startup loading is weird (big), upon entering the desktop, the computer is like it has just been reformatted. All the icon/settings in the desktop is back the way it was.

there is also a new weird power meter icon (i'm using UPS w/ bulldog software) that has never been there. i un-tick: always show icon on the taskbar; however, the next time the computer restart, it is showing up again.

it is as though all the settings has never been saved.

pic of power meter: http://www.ssw.com.au/ssw/standards/BetterSoftwareSuggestions/Images/PowerMeter.gif

furthermore, on the my computer; the 'user document' icon that is next to "shared document" icon is missing.

to cut the long story short; upon opening regedit, all the entry is empty. it is just blank in there.

 

I would contact HP about this - they may or may not blame some other component, but you should definitely make them aware of it, as they may have come across it previously.

Do you have a restore point to fall back on? I don't see how your OS is functioning at all with a completely vacant registry. If you don't have a restore point, try removing the printer driver(s) and software, and see if your system is as normal on reboot.

 

Something is fishy here. If the registry were indeed "empty", your computer would not start at all, and you would certainly not be able to log in. Do you mean actually empty, or some branches being empty? Other than that, while it is true that HP's printer software figures far ahead of the pack in being among the absolutely worst garbage I have seen in my entire career, it should not, by itself, have such drastic effects as you describe.

 

I disagree, contacting HP about this will be a complete waste of time, and an exercise in futility. As just one example of many, I happen to own a C7280 printer, and the software that comes with the thing consistently and reproducibly crashes when attempting to scan documents on 64-bit Windows 7 and Vista machines. This has been discussed on HPs own forums for years, yet HP has never even acknowledged the issue, let alone made any attempt whatsoever to fix it. There's plenty more stories along those lines around that particular printer alone, and this is multiplied by pretty much every single printer model HP sells. Their hardware is excellent, by the way, but their software and their support suck dead bunnies through a straw. I will never, ever, buy another HP product again.

 

It's blank... no entry whatsoever....

i have compared it with my other computer. same OS or otherwise. there should be heaps of entry... this one is just blank.

i'll post a screenshot when time allows... hopefully within the next 24-48hours.

 

Interesting, since that is not really possible. You cannot boot, let alone log in to a Windows system with an empty registry. Try to download a third-party registry editor from the internet, and see what that one says. Something is wrong with your regedit, or your registry, or both, but it cannot be empty. Might be a virus, might be some other form of corruption, although I have never come across something like this.

P.S.: Try to start the system in safe mode, and then run regedit. What do you see then?
Also, make sure you have Explorer set to show system files, then go to C:\Users\<username>, and check for the file NTUSER.DAT. This is your user-specific part of the registry. What size is it? Do the same for C:\Windows\System32/config, and look for the .DAT files there (your system registry). What files do you see?

 

This is the mostly likely cause a O/S that is too old to handle a new hardware or recognize it and how does that hardware work with your other computer? Also you don't mention what O/S those other computer have or use or how they are connected to the printer. We need more background info here that seems to be missing to know what is going on with the setup.

We need to know what kind make and model of computer to know why it is doing that????

This isn't possible to happen otherwise your computer wouldn't start or even boot to desktop and the BIOS would say missing or no O/S bootable device detected.

 

I'll agree the support stinks. I have a L7780 that with Vista 64 bit worked great but it took forever to swee windows 7 software. Now with windows 8 it is again seeming to taek forever and with the printer being so old maybe never.

I will say alot of people, even with this model, have multiple issues. It gets extremely poor user rartings. In our house it has served well over 13,000 pages since 07. My only issues with the scanner and autodulpex is with heay paper it does not like to auto feed the reverse side............

 

no restore point unfortunately... i turned it off.... kind of regretting that right now...

my bad. i selected different entry.

there is indeed entries with the regedit.

out of all the chances i click one in my computer with only one entry in it... (default) and with the other computer i got more than one entry...

i'm not sure if i'm doing it wrong... i didnt start it up in safe mode. but i cannot see c:\users folder

posting picture

posting picture.

-The software says that it is compatible with xp.
-The software that came with the disk v24 does not work well with this particular computer. although before i uninstall it, it seems to connect fine with the printer. i uninstall the software because the computer self-restarts during installation - before the configuration wizard finishes, hence me wanting to start over. (preferences not set).
-The software that is downloaded from HP support site does. v28. i'm having no problem in regards to functionality right now.

This particular desktop computer is a custom built one.
core2duo e6600
asus commando
nvidia 9800gt
creative x-fi elite pro

- The other computer xp sp3 dell desktop (2005 model i think). running xp sp3. and the other is thinkpad x300 running Vista SP2. The software that it cames with the computer works fine with these 2 windows computer.
- the software that it came with also installes BING toolbar for IE.
It also put an entry titled "microsoft default manager" in the "all programs" menu.

I also have macbook pro running Mac OS X 10.6... software runs ok there.

the network is routed through a modem/router BILLION 7800N.

the printer is attached with ethernet wired through the 7800n
this particular computer is connected through wired.
so does the dell.
the x300 and macbook pro is wireless.

[PRINTER]----ethernet-----[ROUTER]-------ethernet-------[COMPUTER]

 

i fix the missing user icon form the my computer via the regedit...

now only the apparent annoying thing left is the power meter...

I can make it gone if i untick "always show icon...". however, after the computer restarts; it is showing up again.

 

thread in regards to power meter is here..
http://forum.notebookreview.com/mic...e-remove-power-meter-taskbar.html#post9056757