Windows 95 Freezes while printing to Network Printer

I have a windows 95 computer that is connected to multiple network drives. All of the drivers are up to date, and there have been no major changes to the computer I'm referring to - nor any other servers or hardware devices.

This Windows 95 computer just recently started to freeze up whenever you try to print to any network printer, from any installed program.

It does not give you any error message. If I try to print a test page, it prints the test page, and then everything locks up. If I press ctrl+alt+del, then it gives me the blue screen. It either says that the service is busy, or it will say something to the effect of there being a system overload. It gives you the option to press any button to return to windows, or press Ctrl+Alt+Del again to restart the computer. None of the options work - I ultimately have to just shut off the computer.

Also, this happened while there were no other programs running.

Up until a week ago, this never happened, it just started.

Any thoughts on how to fix this problem? Or will I need to reinstall the operating system?

Thanks

 

I would uninstall all the printers in the Printers folder. Also check in Add/Remove programs for any printing utilities that have been installed directly on that computer and "Remove" them.

Reinstall the (different) printers as you need them.

I am wondering about the network side, but since you can print test pages, that seems unlikely. Anyway, pull out and reseat the network cables (swap the cable?) and look at updating/reinstalling the drivers for the ethernet adapter.

Matt

 

Windows Explorer Also freezing

Thank you for posting the advice on the printer - I am going to be testing out that solution today.

I wanted to add to this issue - today I found out that this same computer is locking up when the user uses Windows Explorer.

Is it possible that the two problems are related?

Thanks

 

Update

Ok, I would now like to add the I have tried the suggestion above, and unfortunately my problem still remains.

After I did everything, and I tried to print, the test page prints, but then everything goes VERY slowly. If I click the mouse on something, it takes about 3-5 minutes for it to actually register. During that time, I can move the mouse, but I cannot do anything else. If I press Ctrl+Alt+Del, then the computer will complete lock-up. If I press Ctrl+Alt+Del a second time, it doesn't do anything, and I have to power it down.

Also, like I said in my previous message, the computer locks up completely while trying to use Windows Explorer. This also happens when I try to search for files in Word or Excel. In this case, after it freezes, if I press Ctrl+Alt+Del, then I get a blue screen error saying that the "system has become unstable ". At the point, my only option is to shut it down.

During one of the start-ups, while the Windows95 splash page was displayed, I pressed the Esc button, to view the start-up avtivity. And it did say that there was an error in the Config.sys file, in line 4. Is this something I can fix or replace without having to reinstall Windows 95? Or is a reinsall eminent at this point? Could it be the config.sys file that's giving me all of these problems?

THANKS!

 

Quite likely I would think.

Config.sys and autoexec.bat are important startup files for Win 95. You can use Notepad to look at the Config.sys file and use the System Configuration Editor tool edit it
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/232558/en-us
Config.sys is in the root folder, so
C:\Config.sys
I haven't researched very far on making changes to that file, but I will tell you what the possible avenues are.

Find the wording of the error message and the wording in line 4. Put them into searches at Windows KB
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1
or Google. I tried
95 config startup error line
( using All Products, since Win 95 is no longer listed) at Knowledgebase and there were several specific references.

In the root folder (C:\) you will see several backups of the Config.sys file where Windows or a third party program has backed it up when making changes. You will also see corresponding backups of the Autoexec.bat file (examples are Config.bak and Autoexec.bak). My 98 system has 11 Autoexec backups and 9 Config backups. You could try installing the backups that predate the addition of line 4 (along with the corresponding Autoexec.bat file, look at the Last Modified dates in Windows Explorer).

You could find out which device/setting the line is loading and reinstall the drivers/program (check for updates).

Matt
Edit: BTW, this might help you find what is being loaded:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/135481/en-us