Progress report, insight into the problem, and the solution to the problem.
After installing Windows XP Pro from a CD created using HFSLIP. To date I have included all three printer updates (see quote box below), and most of the other updates on mimo's update list. It now appears that one or more of these printer updates is (most likely) causing the problem I am experiencing below.
Problem: Printer 'Microsoft XPS Document Writer' is not created (as should happen) when
'Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and .NET Framework 3.5 Family update (KB951847) x86'
is installed. I installed this via Windows Update (or Microsoft Update) immediately after installing Windows.
The three updates below (on mimo's update list) are related to 'Microsoft XPS Document Writer'.
KB971314 says "
Therefore, all PCL inbox printer driver installations are unsuccessful."
So I began to wonder if installing one/all of these three printer updates (remember these updates were included in the HFSLIP build) on a machine with the problem (defined above) might cause the missing printer to show up. So I tried it on my workbench machine (running build from experiment c, see
my earlier post), and it worked - the missing printer suddenly showed up.
Here's what I did...
o I first installed *KB961118*.exe, restarted computer, printer still missing.
o I next installed *KB971314*.exe, restarted computer, printer still missing.
o Then I installed *KB91276*.exe, restarted computer, and BAM the missing printer was now there. Actually, the printer showed up (under Control Panel > "Printers and Faxes") as soon as I finished installing this update, before I restarted the computer. I expected that *KB91276*.exe alone was enough, and futher testing confirmed this.
mimo's update list (Last list update: 2010, March 31)
Quote
2009-08 Printer Update (when XPSEPSC will be installed) Optional
KB971276
WindowsXP-KB971276-v3-x86-ENU.exe (only in English) HF
2009-08 Printer Update (when NET 3.51 SP1 will be installed) Optional
KB971314
WindowsXP-KB971314-x86-ENU.exe HF
2009-08 Printer Update (when NET 3.51 SP1 will be installed) Optional
KB961118
WindowsXP-KB961118-x86-ENU.exe HF
Experiment -f-
I excluded the three printer updates above (also HFAAO, .reg tweaks, sysoc defrag util, and all updates required by Microsoft/Windows updates except those marked High Priority).
Test results: This install does not have the problem described above. In other words, after installing the .NET Framework component (via Windows Update), the printer 'Microsoft XPS Document Writer' now exists (as should happen).
Experiment -g-
I added back all except the three printer updates. In other words, my normal build except that I leave out these three printer updates.
Test results: same as -g- results above.
Experiment -h-
Do a test to confirm that including these printer updates causes the problem described above. To do this test I added back in the three printer updates. In other words, this test includes the same files as -g- except that here I INCLUDE the three printer updates EXCLUDED in -g-.
Test results. Indeed, the problem (as described above) exists with this build.
My conclusion: Including these three printer files in my HFSLIP build caused the problem I explained above. It is possible that only one of them is causing the problem, but determining this would require further testing. At this point, it makes sense to me to exclude all three since .NET Framework is not part of my HFSLIP build.
Lilla
This post has been edited by Lilla: 05 April 2010 - 11:38 PM