JustUs said:
Two of the errors I was able to correct with more research and hand cleaning
the registry. Here is the one that is left:
The Par1284 service failed to start due to the following error:
The system cannot find the path specified.
Hi JustUs
Par1284.sys is a parallel port driver installed by various printers.
Windows is complaining it can't find the file. Have you perhaps
uninstalled a printer or some kind of printing software recently? Some
(ahem) less well-behaved uninstall routines delete the file but leave
the Registry "call" for it behind. . .
If all your printers/printing programs are working correctly, disabling
the Registry entry should stop Windows looking for it and fix the error.
Try looking here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Par1284
(If it's not there, you'll have to search the Registry for it, but
that's the most likely place.) Change the Start value to 4 to disable
it. If everything's still working properly after a few days, it's
probably safe to delete it if you want to, though to be safe, I'd
suggest you export the key to a .reg file first, just in case
Also, I have been working with HP on the following two errors. I have
upgraded (flashed) the BIOS per their instructions - successfully

.
However, that did not solve the problem. I suspect that the BIOS is bad, but
they won't tell me that. They gave me instructions to take it to a repair
facility. I am quite capable of installing a new BIOS. Over the past 12+
years, there isn't much I have replaced, upgraded, or built - home PC that is.
On the other two errors, I think HP is being more than a little naughty
in telling you to pack your PC off to a repair shop

This Microsoft
article explains what's happening:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283649/en-us
You've done all you can do in upgrading the BIOS, and this second
article explains why you may still be getting the messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/pnppwr/powermgmt/BIOSAML.mspx
(see particularly the section "Windows XP and Legacy BIOS ASL
Implementations"). Basically XP is allowing the BIOS to do what it wants
but will still flag it in Event Viewer as an error.
You'll notice both these articles are a few years old; HP really must be
aware of the issue. Perhaps you might politely point that out next time
you contact them
