Shortcut Message & Epson Printer

Loobeylou

I am a complete computer nerd, and I was wondering if any of you wonderful techie people out there would be able to help please?

Have Windows98 upgraded to Windows ME.

I am having two specific problems.

1) I am at the present time trying to install a Epson R300 printer with no success.

2) I am getting a shortcut problem message up on screen after booting up.

I purchased the printer and had to then purchase new two USB ports which have been installed in my computer box, and I have installed the software - this to enable me to plug the printer in.

I then tried to install the printer, but it will not print.

I then uninstalled and tried to reinstall.

I was then advised by PC World to swap my printer and scanner USB connections to see if the problem lay there, but I don't think it does.

Following that, I was advised to uninstall all of the Epson R300, (I had already uninstalled the old Epson printer prior to getting the R300), make sure it was not coming up under "printers", and then to reinstall.

At that point I started to get the following message after booting up:

"Problem with shortcut - The shortcut 'Epson Background Monitor.Ink' refers to a location that is unavailable. The location could be on a hard drive on this computer, on a network, or on a different computer on your home network. Check to make sure that the disk is properly inserted, or that you are connected to the home network or Internet, and then try again".

I have no idea what this is all about. I am not networking - it is just a home computer. And which disk it is referring to I just do not know.

Although my Epson R300 printer is showing wording in the LCD screen, when I try to print there is nothing happening and the box on my computer screen is stating timeout. I have tried increasing the timeout, but nothing is printing.

Anyone out there able to help at all - please ....................?

PS - When I tried to install the USB port drivers I got yet another message up on screen, as follows:

"The file USBNTMAP.SYS was not found. Windows needs the disk labelled Windows ME to contiue. This disk may be provided by your computer or device manufacturer."

However, on putting in my borrowed ME disk from a friend, it states the file cannot be found - "setup could ot find a file on the specified path. If the path appears below, make sure it is correct. Click OK and try copying again." Cannot remember what the file path was, but it will not copy when pressing OK, so I had to "skip" the file. I put the USB drivers disk in again, upon which it reboots.

Problems, problems!!!

f107btx

Dont Know if this will will work.Paste following in task bar.

This should be on your instalation disk

C:\Program Files\EPSON\ESPR300\REF_G\INDEX.HTM

Chippy_Minton

Where to start?

A shortcut is simply a file which points to another file. See those icons on your desktop with a little arrow in the corner? Those are shortcuts. Clicking on or 'running' a shortcut just runs the program it points to.

Windows is running the Epson Background Monitor.lnk shortcut when it starts up, but the program the shortcut refers to is missing, hence the error message. Do you have anything related to Epson in the Windows Startup folder, i.e. Start - Programs - Startup? If so, right click it and click Properties and look at the Target field which tells the shortcut which program to run. Is the target correct? Does the target program and folder path exist? (Open the same folder in Windows Explorer to find out). If not, edit the field directly or click Find Target and browse to the correct program.

If there's nothing related to Epson in the Startup folder, run Msconfig and check for it on the Startup tab. If the start location refers to a registry key, you'll have edit the registry to change the start command.

For USBNTMAP.SYS see missing usbntmap.sys file for Windows Me

Loobeylou

Many thanks for those who have taken the time and trouble to respond.

I just find this whole thing so confusing and a total minefield!

F107btx – I have copied and pasted the address you gave me – however this is coming up http://c:/Program%20Files/EPSON/ESPR300/REF_G/INDEX.HTM – error – can’t find web site.

Chippy_Minton - I have gone into Start/Programs/Startup/Epson Background Monitor and then right clicked on properties. This comes up with a box headed Epson Background Monitor Properties, which lists:
Target type: (nothing listed)
Target location: Esm2
Target: C:\Esm2\Stms.exe
Start in: C:\ESM2
Shortcut key: None
Run: Normal window
Comment: (nothing listed)

However, really not sure how or where to look for this under Windows Explorer – duhhhh – can you advise please?

Also, many thanks for your link to usbntmap.sys for Windows ME. Managed – after a whole load of messing with registration – to download the required file. I then did a search for usbntmap.sys in files and folders, which comes up as usbregbntmap.sys and is mentioned under C:/AOLDownloads – I was really unsure where to download it to. Can you give any advice on this please? Do you think this could be a reason why the printer won’t print?

XYZed

Background monitor is a program that your printer uses to mitor the printer and its activities. the program usually boots with windows, using a shortcut. If you have un-installed the program, then the shortcut may have been left, and it can no longer find the program to run it.

You should be able to cure this by deleting the shortcut. (when you install your new printer, it should make its own, new shortcuts). Look in the startup folder, if there is a link to epson background monitor, right click it, choose delete from the menu.

Your other issue seems to me that it could be a failed install for the usb ports, which mean your pc and printer wouldn't be able to talk to each other. You can check it by looking in device manager, (right click on my computer, choose properties, then hardware or device manager.. sorry, they put it in different places on different O/S's, and I haven't used ME, so I'm not sure). Device manager will list all your hardware, and tell you if it has a problem. You may get the chance then to re-install the driver by right clicking on the problem device.

Your file USBNTMAP that you downloaded should be saved in the sys32 folder within the windows folder. You could copy it from where you have it now, and paste it into sys32, and try it. If it fails still, you can delete it from sys32 and still have the file in your download folder. If it works, you can delete if from your download folder.

HTH

Zed

Chippy_Minton

Remove the http:// from the start of the "http://C:/Program Files/" address and it should work - IF that INDEX.HTM file exists. Here, you're asking your browser to open a web page on your local machine instead of the internet.

To run Windows Explorer: Start - Programs - Accessories - Windows Explorer. Or just click My Computer and then the Folders button.

I don't know whether the C:\Esm2\Stms.exe is for your old printer or the new one. Certainly when you uninstalled the old printer Windows should have deleted any startup shortcuts. If it is for the new printer, check whether C:\Esm2\Stms.exe exists.

You've downloaded USB-WinME.exe which is a self-extracting zip file containing several files, USBNTMAP.SYS amongst them. Double click it and it asks where you want to unzip the files to. Accept the default of c:\usb-winme and click Unzip. Next, using Windows Explorer, copy USBNTMAP.SYS from c:\usb-winme to c:\windows\system32\drivers.

After this, reboot the machine and reinstall the new printer software and drivers.

Loobeylou

Got both your messages - you are both absolutely wonderful for taking the time out to try to sort my computer problems.

Small success - I have managed to get rid of the Epson Background Monitor.Ink box which kept coming up when booting up. Many thanks for that.

With due respect, when looking through the devices - my computer/properties/device manager - I am not sure whether things look right or not, or whether there is anything there that should not be there or whatever.

So, if I take it step by step, I think I next need to address the drivers to see where to put the downloaded file - I only downloaded the usbntmap.sys not the whole usb-winme.exe I think it was, and try to put it in the correct place on my computer.

Will come back to this when I can spend more time. I shall be collecting two little boys from school shortly and I shall have my hands more than full with them.

However, as previously explained, I am a complete computer nerd, and therefore I really do need someone who is willing and able to take me through step by step. I tend to give up on the whole caboodle otherwise!!!

f107btx

I run Windows ME had same trouble

Had to phone help line on 0870 4437766 took about 20 minutes.

If you have installed printer disk instructions are there.

Try This

http://esupport.epson-europe.com/ProductHome.aspx?lng=en-GB&data=6E8B3D31E2B05D225E2509DC1D0CFCE6FA6BBA327219F199B91BF193F791A5E2

Good Luck!

derrick

You could try the Epson helpline,they are very helpfull, but don`t use the 0870 number, this one gets you to the same place 01952 670003

Helpline hours:-
Mon-Fri 0900-1730
Sat 0900-1800
Sun 1000-1700

Loobeylou

Success!!! Came back to the problem last night and this morning to try one or two of your suggestions. However, I got to the stage where I just felt that I had messed around trying to get it to work for long enough.

Phoned the Epson Helpline on the 01952 number - who were wonderful I have to say - and within twenty minutes I had managed to print out a test page and something from my files.

To all of you who contributed - my thanks to you all.

urbanite

Loobeylou wrote:

Have Windows98 upgraded to Windows ME.

I personaly would call that a downgrade not upgrade

win2kpro or a *nix is an upgrade