Dear Sunshyn
Yes, I did check the "Hide all Microsoft services" box. Msconfig then appeared to be in a loop and nothing was happening. Clicking on the Startup tab produced no result. Firefox slowed to a crawl. Clicking on the Start button produced the Start menu, but nothing within it would work. i could type nothing in the "Search programs and files" box.
After an hour, I used Task Manager to end msconfig, but this did not unblock everything else. In the end, I switched off the PC, fearing the worst. On pressing the On button again, I was told that the system had shut down abnormally, but I went ahead with a normal start up and, to my relief, everything seems to be OK.
Sunshyn, I have decided to call it a day. You personally have been very obliging, but I am deeply unimpressed by HP software. Just look back over this conversation. And all I was trying to do was install an HP printer using official HP software specifically designed for my operating system!
Thanks for your help, and best wishes.
hitchin