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LOADING printer drivers?

I have a Dell Dimension with Windows XP. I bought a new HP printer. I cannot download the software from the disk provided or from HP.com I bought a new USB cable and I bought some new RAM -512 for a total of 768. These were no help. I took it to FRY's- a local electronics store- for them to load the program because I thought I was doing something wrong. It failed for them too. What happens is when it starts to load, it gets to a certain point about half way thru and it rapidly slows down and then stalls and freezes. It will not download....the guy at the store says it is a software problem. I called HP and the guy changed some tabs...but it still does not work..my neighbor is an IT tech but she did not have any quick fix ideas. I am out of ideas and patience. You may or may not be aware of how useless a computer is without a printer. I tried a Lexmark printer and it failed the same way too, but I returned it thinkiing it was the printer and bought the HP. Can someone please help me ? I do not want to have to buy a new comp just to have printer. There has to be an easy fix. Like other things, it is easy if you know how. Many thanks in advance.

Public Comments

1. Well Here is a possible fix for the problem.. Try unconnecting all printer from the computer . Then follow these simple steps..... Step 1 : Find where the inf file for the printers drivers are on the cdrom/dvdrom your have install them by left clicking on them then right clicking on the pop-up menu install. Step 2 : Try re-running the install software manual not auto from the dvd/cdrom disk. This would be done in 2 phases: Phase 1 : Open not auto run the install cdrom/dvdrom Phase 2 : Find first File with exe at end of it and try a double right mouse click on it. Step 3: If this fails then you either have a bad parrell port or a bad usb port depending on what is connected/ the port has been disable / crossed up irq wise in bios .
2. Try using the generic driver from Windows XP, if that fails, they trying going to the Dell website and downloading the driver from their.