[RESOLVED] A TOUGH ONE TO SOLVE

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This is a really really puzzler. Wife's Brother Pinter HL-2040 sometimes causes the computer to shut down when she tries to print anything. I haven't a clue as to what is happening. When she turns on the printer, the tower just shuts down; just as though she had re-booted. Any ideas anyone or maybe some experience? I have the printer plugged into a strip and it is operative. I have just moved the power cord into another plug in and will see what may happen in the days to come. As always, TIA

[jdc2000]

Bad USB port?

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USB was my very first thought but the printer is cable connected. I had always thought it was a USB printer and there aren't any other drivers available for it.
BTW it is an HL-21 40 and not an HL-2040 as I reported.

[SuperSparks]

In that case try using the USB connection instead, and see if that stops it happening.

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Well I'll just jump up and fall back down !!! That USB connector on the back of the printer is 'almost' hidden from me. Finding/seeing the connector is a bit difficult where it is placed on the printer. Specs also told me it is USB. OK, it is now USB connected and with the printer cable removed, I'll have her to print to her heart's content and report back if that fixes things. Thanks guys for your help and have a great weekend.

[SuperSparks]

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed

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Sorry Nick but you can un-cross those fingers. Was just coming back to post that the trouble still occurs. I re-connected to the previous connection and took away the USB. I have never read of anyone having a similar problem. Oh yeah, I also tried a different USB slot.

[jdc2000]

If the computer is just shutting off like you pulled the plug on it (no warnings on the screen), then it is most likely a hardware issue. You could try the printer on another computer to see if the same thing happens. Also, it is possible that there is a power supply problem, although that is less likely.

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That is precisely the action occurring when the printer tries to print. I was going to describe what you have now said when I found the time to come back to visit the thread. I have a new in the box printer just like the one that is acting up on her machine. I had thought about installing it to see what may happen. Guess now I will do that when time allows.
Thanks for your continued help with this phenomenon.

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Hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving.
Well the Brother printer is now connected to my Compaq via USB and it also causes the tower to shut completely down when I try to print anything. There doesn't seem to be a problem if the first try at printing is successful. I mean I don't have a problem then should I choose to print more items.
Of course, all this points to the printer, I think.

[bruce_b]

How far from the computer is the Printer ? ? USB has a physical distance limit of about 3 meters (9 feet for USB 1.1) and about 5 meters (15 feet for USB 2.0) before it will not work properly. If you need to go further, stick a powered USB hub in the line.

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Thanks for your inquiry Bruce but the printer may be 5 ft away. I use a 7ft USB cable. You have probably read already that I did have it connected to wife's computer using a print cable and it still caused the shutdown of the tower.
Crazy right!!!! (And I strongly suspect the problem is with the printer but can't prove it.)

[bruce_b]

Did you try a new USB cable ? ? Sometimes, an inexpensive one will be flaky.

[SpywareDr]

Shot in the dark ...

Do you have both the computer and printer plugged into an el-cheap'o powerstrip by any chance? According to Brother, the HL-2140 pulls 460 Watts when printing.

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Yep. But old one must be OK because there are times that I can print. If I had already sent the item I wanted to print to the printer before hitting the print button the tower shuts off but the item will still print.