Excel crashes when copying to Word??

[L.S.]

WinXp(home), Office 2k. all updates
(Moved this from public.office.misc)

Replaced a HP-722 with a USB HP-5440 and the problem started.
When I open an Excel sheet, copy one cell and then try and open
Word/Outlook, Excel crashes and closes. Get the msg "MS Excel has
encountered a problem and has to close. We're sorry----." Then gives option
to send report or not.

I've narrowed it down to the printer by changing default printer away from
the 5440 and problem goes away. Reset default printer and problem comes
back.
I've Googled the heck out of this and found other with same problem but not
a fix.
I have all updates for both HP and Office.

Does anyone know of a fix?

 

[Dave Peterson]

I'd contact HP and let them know that their driver as a problem.

In the meantime, I'd change my default printer to something else and then only
change the printer back to the HP when I really wanted to print.

 

[L.S.]

Have posted on the HP forum.
Will just open programs needed before copying/pasting.

Know the printer is causing the problem but not sure if it's a glich in the
print driver or Office.

Thanks,

 

[Dave Peterson]

Lots of crashes in Office are caused by printer drivers.

I think I read a statistic from MS that said that 60% or 70% of all windows
crashes are caused by printer drivers. (But don't quote me on that. It's been
a long time since I saw it.)

 

[L.S.]

If print drivers are a major cause of crashes, would it help to let WinXP
load the driver instead of using Hp's?
Would it matter?

 

[Dave Peterson]

I don't know.

But I always thought that the device specific drivers (like printer drivers and
video card drivers) were supplied to microsoft by the device manufacturer. That
way they could be included when the OS disk was released to manufacturer (to be
burned and distributed).

I would imagine that as soon as the file is transfered to MS, it's out of date
(much like a newspaper is old as soon as the news changes).

For most purposes, I'd recommend that people use the most current driver
(available from the manufacturer).

But in your case, it wouldn't hurt to try to see if using the older driver
helps. (Be aware that you may lose some of the new features added later.)

On the other hand, I do my best to turn off automatic updates for my printer
(also an HP). It works ok for what I use it for and I don't want to test the pc
gods!

If print drivers are a major cause of crashes, would it help to let WinXP
load the driver instead of using Hp's?
Would it matter?

 

[L.S.]

Thanks. Will uninstall the newer driver and let XP pick it up.

 

[L.S.]

Follow up.

Didn't work..

Thanks. Will uninstall the newer driver and let XP pick it up.

 

[Dave Peterson]

Thanks for posting back--but I bet you didn't expect it to work, either.

Follow up.

Didn't work..

 

[L.S.]

One could only hope.
I swapped printers and now have it (5440) running on this system. It's
working fine even though both machines have the same programs loaded.
(winxp(home), office 2k)
Go figure.....

Know that was an easy fix but I'm the type that likes to know what's
happening. Maybe I shouldn't be as curious as I am.

Thanks for you suggestions and help.
IF I ever find a true fix, I'll try and let you and everyone else know.
Seems this happens to more than just me.

Thanks for posting back--but I bet you didn't expect it to work, either.

 

[Dave Peterson]

Personally, I've given up trying to find out why on lots of stuff. PC's are
just so complex, that it's impossible to know.

Same thing in life <vbg>.