Install problems/SP1/New printer/you name it !!!

Lo.j

Hi

I hope somebody can help me please. I am running Windows Vista 32 Home Premium edition. I got a new HP Printer and tried to install the software.After following the instructions on the HP support website I rang them today and was told to contact Microsoft as I need to have Service Pack 1 installed. Contacted Microsoft and was told how to download SP1 and then referred on to Philips ( make of laptop). Okay - SP1 would not install either and I couldn't find a fix for the error code ( 0x8000FFFF and Link =101139) online. Also, I had my windows updater set to update every day and lo and behold , system has been trying to update things every day and most of them have been failing and I carry on oblivious to it all !!! When i tried to update ( said there were 20 i needed )it spent all afternoon thinking about it and had to eventually restart.

All I wanted was a printer !!!!!!! lol

If there is any kind soul with 5 minutes to help me,I would be most grateful. I am not terribly computer minded, but am good at following instructions.

Many thanks in advance

Lorna

gaming_guy

have you tried downloading vista SP1 from here? (warning - its a 400mb+ file, so may take a while to download)

i find that when machines dont want to install service packs from windows update, the network installer (link above) usually works

Lo.j

Thanks for replying ,sorry to be thick, I clicked on the link you gave me,I downloaded the SP1 from the Microsoft site earlier today (looks same place) and yes it did take ages. It downloads fine but then when it starts to install I get an error after a few minutes. Does it sound right that I need this SP to get my printer software installed ? Cos really that's all I want !!! .

Paradigm

I hate Vista! You need administrator rights I believe

"

Detailed Instructions to activate the Administrator

1. Logon to Vista using your normal username and password.
2. Click on the Start button
3. Click on Start Search.
4. Type,cmd.
5. Right-click cmd, select 'Run as administrator' from the shortcut menu.
6. In the black 'DOS box', type the following at the command line:
   Net help user
7. The idea of the last command is just to observe the options for Net User. In particular, examine the syntax to set the password.
8. The next instruction is the crucial command. I have chosen password = p£ssworD, you may want to choose different characters.
9. Net user administrator p£ssw0rd
10. Net user administrator /active:yes
11. Check the message : The command completed successfully
12. Switch User, or logoff
13. Logon as Administrator Password p£ssw0rD (Your password may be different!) "

You can miss out step 6.

gaming_guy

right click on the file, select run as administrator. click continue on the (user access control) prompt that should appear.

it may take over an hour to install though

edit: just seen the post above, you don't need to set a password for the admin account as i didnt do it when i upgraded a vista machine to sp1 using the network installer

Paradigm

gaming_guy wrote: »

edit: just seen the post above, you don't need to set a password for the admin account as i didnt do it when i upgraded a vista machine to sp1 using the network installer

Correct, my bad

Step 10 should be all you need to activate it. Sorry!

gaming_guy

Paradigm wrote: »

Correct, my bad

Step 10 should be all you need to activate it. Sorry!

i never activated it either

just finished an install of vista and it appears without activating the account

Lo.j

Hiya again

Well I did the above for administrator rights.I am currently the only person who has access to the laptop and thought I was already the administrator. Anyway, I did the above and it said it was successful, clicked to switch user but it just went back to my own wee picture and looked for the password that I have been using already.So sorry to be so silly. Do I just click on the wee arrow at the side of the padlock symbol to switch user or did you mean me to change user by another way ? Sorry that my knowledge is dire.

Many thanks in advance.

gaming_guy

you just right click on the SP1 file you downloaded from microsoft and it should be the second/third option in the list (in your user account)

Lo.j

Right, sorry, can now change to administrator - duh ! I have to download the SP again cos it's in my other account, so I'll do that and try again. Hopefully this will sort my problems !!! Many thanks, Lorna

gaming_guy

Lo.j wrote: »

Right, sorry, can now change to administrator - duh ! I have to download the SP again cos it's in my other account, so I'll do that and try again. Hopefully this will sort my problems !!! Many thanks, Lorna

just copy and paste the SP1 file into the public folder, then you won't have to download it again.

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-GB/help/2f8b4639-9ef3-4a21-996a-615989b5c2de1033.mspx