Desktop

make sure that not only is it plugged into the usb port but also that it is pluged into an external power source.

Have you checked the main board web site for problems with usb connections? And try a self powered usb hub your computer milli amps may not be enough for the device. Look at the specs for the multi device to see how much power it needs.

It does sound like a power supply issue to me. What else is plugged into the system? If the power supply is not rated high enough (watts)to handle the load that the various devices require it will sag and cause you system to reboot. Even if the printer, etc is self-powered the system board will still require x-amount of power. Try unplugging something else or disabling a drive (CD, floppy) and see if plugging in the printer still crashes the system. If it does not then you should probably upgrade the power supply; if it still does, then there is some other cause.

I did (at last) unplug my cd-rom and voila. It works. I had tried unplugging one of PCI cards before, but I guess that wasn't enough. Turns out (I hadn't checked) my disposable HP Piece of Crap has a whopping 100W power supply. So, 1 last question: if I buy a self-powered external USB hub, will that do the trick? Or do I have to upgrade my PSU?

Thanks for the help guys,
Macha

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