Lexmark X75 locks out Win98SE at startup

[pudda]

Gateway 2k machine, Intel 300Mhz CPU, 32mb ram, Win98SE.
The new Lexmark USB printer works fine after installation, then the problems start.
Either a reboot or shutdown/startup causes a strange thing- the monitor does not wake up (no signal from the AGP video card), nor does the keyboard work.
Have checked all the settings in the BIOS, set the boot sequence to CD-ROM,Floppy,Hdd,Other. Changed the order to all combinations to no avail. If I unplug the USB cable and restart the OS comes up fine.
The Device manager showed a yellow exclamation behind "Other Devices" so I added the USB drivers off the Lexmark CD and it went away, but the problem is still here.
The printer works fine after plugging the USB cable back in, just will not allow Windows to load.


The test continues...

 

[KimberTech]

Are you using the most updated drivers for that printer?

Sounds at first glance like you may have a conflict with a driver or other software. I would be suspect of the drivers for USB on the lex CD.

What else loads on startup, and where does the machine freeze up in the boot process?

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[Jontmke]

This sounds like a power issue. If this happens in the boot process then it is not related to the OS. I suggest getting a "Powered" USB hub to plug the printer in to. It may be trying to draw to much power and is goofing with the other devices, especially the bios.

JON

 

[pudda]

Sorry for the late reply, but DSL was down- again.
Got the system fixed with a PCI USB card, allowing Win98SE to control USB instead of the BIOS, which was pre-USB era. There were no settings in the BIOS to enable the onboard ports except for the legacy USB keyboard which I enabled, but still had the same problem. Then went to

http://www.usbman.com/Guides/Cleanup Device Manager Safe Mode.htm

and followed his instructions to remove all USB items in Windows Safe Mode, installed the PCI USB card, reinstalled the printer, and it works flawlessly.
Thanks for all the support!
pudda

The test continues...