WinXP problems if Default Printer (a networked printer) is not online/powered...all sorts off stuffs screws up!! HELP PLEASE

My system had been running W98SE and I upgraded to WinXP pro SP1. The
following problem only occured after the upgrade. It's not directly
a printer problem...but I think that's the root cause. I have a home
network, but in most cases only my main pc is on, connected via
Ethernet to a 4 port Linksys router.

My printer is an HP MP6, hooked (parallel port) to an Intel Print
Server,which in turn is connected to one of the router ports. This
networked printer is set as my default printer. When I operate my
system with the Printer and Print server powered on everything is OK.

But out of a 8 hour day I may only print a few pages...so mostly the
printer and print server are powered off. However, I also tried
keeping the print server on all the time but it didn't help.

OK---to the problem. I'll give a few EXAMPLES...I think they all more
or less point to the root cause..

Using MS Access (2000) if I attempt to open a REPORT (not print-just
open and view on screen)the system freezes for up to 2 minutes, then
comes back with an error saying it cannot INIT the printer. In MS
Excel 200, trying to view graphs on screen gives the same/silmilar
result.

In MS Word 2000, with an open document, clicking on "Print Preview" or
similar has the same effect.

Using Pegasus Email program, when I try to view an email that's
already download...I get the same result with the error message:

"OpenCurPrinter- error initializing the printer"

In every case it seems like the App (or Win) is trying to init a
printer which is offline....and the result is bad. Considering this
behavior appears with both MS and non MS apps, I have the feeling that
an OS function (~init_default_printer or similar-which may or may not
make sense, but having a networked printer offline should only fail if
you try to PRINT????

Perhaps there is a place to adjust the behavior of the call? I might
understand the long (first time wait), but even then the App function
(which doesn't need to do ANY printing yet....fails!


HELP HELP HELP and (please) Help!