Topic: Help re printer installation and missing microsoft progs

[Matthew]

I "helped" a friend to install his new Lexmark X73 printer as he said the installation disk would not work.  Prior to me getting there he had removed the printer from his attempted installation using add/remove progs.  He had also defragged his machine, uses windows 98.

I installed the printer manually, but on checking a word document to test the printer, an error message came up saying this prog needs to be run from the orginal place of installation.  On checking add/remove panel there are no progs in it.  Anyone got any ideas, he thinks I have wrecked his machine

[Clive]

Welcome to the forum Matthew.  You will have a reply from one of our techies within a few minutes.

[Adept]

Oh the horrors of helping a mate! Welcome to PC-Pals Matthew. I hope we can help you

It may be worth re-installing the driver again. If this doesn't work, I would download the latest driver from Lexmark and try that. The newer driver should overwrite any corrupt files.

Let us know how you get on

[bat69]

Welcome to the forum Matthew, hope you stay around ... try what has been mentioned and if that doesn't work get back to us

[Simon]

Hi Matthew, and welcome to PC Pals.

Hope the above suggestion from Adept works for you - come back to us if you need more help!  

[Matthew]

Thanks guys but I tried that and now he's not so bothered about the printer, just the fact that he can't load word/excel etc and so can't open any of his files.  They don't show on the add remove progs (in fact nothing does except the printer and software!!!!) and on clicking to open word he just gets "this prog cannot run please run from the original location where this prog was installed"  He has loaned someone his office disk anyway but won't let me try and reinstall as he doesn't want to lose his two years of work!  He keeps  no backups.

[Adept]

on clicking to open word he just gets "this prog cannot run please run from the original location where this prog was installed"  

I think a "repair" of Office will cure it. But you can't do that unless you have the Office CD

Did this error happen after installing the printer? I wouldn't have said the two things would be linked

[Adept]

I just re-read your original post. Do you mean that there are no programs at all in the add/remove list  

[Matthew]

I think a "repair" of Office will cure it. But you can't do that unless you have the Office CD

Thanks Adept, I thought so too, but he's worried that it will remove the files he has on there.

Did this error happen after installing the printer? I wouldn't have said the two things would be linked

I'm sure the two aren't linked, but since he is clueless its easier to blame someone else.  I only installed the printer and wanted to load a word doc to check the printer, when it wouldn't load, I'd "done" something!  Anyway, will get him to get hold of his disk and do a repair and then I will stay well clear  

[Adept]

Its always the same when you try and help a mate isn't it? You try hard and things go wrong Just ask a certain Simon of this parish, who had similar problems a while back

Why don't you stick around for a while now you are here, we could always do with another techie

[Matthew]

Thanks, I'll be popping in and out when I can, great site.  I tried a couple of others but this is real friendly and you were all so quick to try and help.  Many thanks, now to convince my former pal of the "fix" and keep a low profile there  

[Rodders]

Sorry I'm late, but I have got a note from me mum.

I reckon it's all Matthew's fault for messing about with computers.  Do what I do and simply wire your pocket calculator into the mains.

Here's a handy diagram:

Pocket calculator======Mains supply


 

[bat69]

Keep taking the pils Rodders  

[Simon]

Yes, Matthew, steer well clear of friend's PCs, and, even more so, relatives!

I once tried the relatively simple task of installing some additional memory, and a new graphics card in my cousins PC.  I had just built my own PC without any trouble, so didn't expect any problems, but something went very wrong, and we ended up having to use the restore CD which came with the PC.

Unfortunately it was a restore CD for ME, not XP, which we needed, but by the time we realised, it was too late, and the whole system was knackered!   She then had to 'borrow' an XP CD, and do a complete reinstall, losing all of her unsaved data, but again, something went wrong, and her main drive is now 'E', not 'C'.

Needless to say I have not touched her PC since!

[Matthew]

What a horror story Simon, wish I had spoken to you before trying to help my friend out!  Needless to say I'll stick to my own machine in future, though I've done the same things on my own machine time after time without problem, the moral must be to stick to your own