I have an HP LaserJet 1000 attached (via USB) to a Gateway 6400 with dual Pentium 1.1gHz running Windows XP Pro. The only peripheral attached to this computer is the printer.

Windows keeps loosing this printer, which reappears intermittently (sometimes when cables are disconnected and reconnect, sometimes when the computer is restarted, and sometimes on its own). I haven't been able to narrow it down to anything specific.

I have tried changing cables with another printer, deleting and reinstalling the drivers, changing USB ports, and praying. Evertime I think it is fixed, it goes down again!

Any ideas?

Did you ever see office space and how they handled their copier? Your answer lies there.

I had a similar problem with my MS USB wireless adapter on my Toshiba notebook.

I connected a powered USB hub to the laptop, then to the usb wireless adapter. Works fine :-)
Might not be your fix :-)

do you have another usb device you could try on that plug? Even just a usb thumb drive. If so plug that in instead of the printer and see if that loses it's connection. If so then I would blame it on the usb connection on the computer.

If not then it could be the usb connection on the printer.

I like basset's USB hub idea. USB devices can be surprisingly tricky with power usage, although usually that happens with devices like mice, keyboards, and other things that get power from the hub. Still, it's a good thing to try.

I second the Office Space solution!