AH! Printer nonsense, Spooler gone bananas. Help! Options

[elphaba2]

A few months ago my printer went off the wall and decided it wasn't going to listen to my computer, or by extension, me anymore. In technical terms, I believe it was unintalled during one of my brother's misinformed anti-virus deletion binges. Now, this hasn't been much of an issue over summer, but I've got to get things printed before my school starts up again. I've downloaded the drivers from Epson's website, but each time I attempt to "add a printer", my spooler declares itself in on the boycott. I've gone through the services list in the control panel and attempted to start the spooler (it's listed as "stopped") but I keep getting the same error message. Both the Microsoft and Epson websites seem confounded by this concern and keep sending me to the same blasted "how to install a printer" articles. (Running XP, by the by).

Has anyone met this particular dragon before (and lived?) How do I make the stupid bit of plastic and metal obey?

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

That's just started me on the whole "Control P PRINT" thing Eddie Izzard did...I'll have to get back to you in a few minutes when it's finished! (There's an on switch on the printer is there?)

Ok, finished with that now. If the software or drivers been partially deleted by your brothers half-arsed virus purge, I recommend totally uninstalling it, do it manually if you have to, though I'm not sure where you'd find out exactly which registry entries to delete, try using the uninstall utility in the control panel first, save's messing around with something as potentially dangerous as a registry. Once you've removed all trace of it from your computer try re-installing again. If that doesn't work, slap your brother around the head and tell him to learn how to use a computer to leave the bloody thing alone!

Yes I've selected A4 paper instead of toilet paper!

[elphaba2]

"Fixed it" in the manner of "lost my computer for nearly a week while a very kind man tinkered with it and made it function". Hooray! Let this thread join the ranks of the useless!

(and also, thank you for the advice, SPS. My foolish sibling nearly lost an ear to my wrath, but I thought of your relatively mercifal proposed action and merely beat him about the face and neck.


He hasn't moved for a while yet.)