Default Printer keeps changing

[PSRumbagh]

Using Control Panel --> Printers and Faxes I set the default printer to my
Brother HL-2170W laser printer by right clicking on it's icon then "set as
default printer". Upon re-boot the default printer has been automatically
reset to my HP-PSC1300 ink jet printer. How do I make my prefered printer
selection stick?

Note, left or right clicking on Brother printer icon does not produce a "set
as default printer" messages in printer task, top left pane.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

One or more options/settings in an ever-growing number of third-party
applications may be disallowing the changes from "sticking." These include
anti-spyware applications (e.g., Ad-aware's Ad-Watch, Spybot Tea Timer,
SpywareBlaster, SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor, CounterSpy, WinPatrol, etc),
anti-virus applications & security suites (Norton, McAfee, ESET/NOD32,
Kasperky, Trend Micro, etc.), and third-party firewalls (e.g., Zone Alarm,
etc.).

Note that temporarily disabling the application(s) or rebooting into Safe
Mode may not disable the application's system protections.

 

[Elmo]

Using Control Panel, Printers and Faxes I set the default printer to my
Brother HL-2170W laser printer by right-clicking on its icon, then "set as
default printer". Upon re-boot the default printer has been automatically
reset to my HP-PSC1300 ink jet printer. How do I make my preferred printer
selection stick?

Note, left or right clicking on Brother printer icon does not produce a "set
as default printer" messages in printer task, top left pane.

Two things to try:

- Remove, then reinstall the Brother printer.

- http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Line 30. Windows XP Doesn't Save User Settings

 

[PSRumbagh]

I used the "Restore Wizard" to restore my laptop to a date before this
problem started, i.e. restore to 8 January 2010. Printer setting now
"sticks". Also, some unknown icons in the system tray vanished after the
restore (good). These problems seemed to start after a McAfee spyware update
from AOL in late January.