One of my clients' computers has a problem with the Printer Spooler. The computer has XP SP3. The printer doesn't work. I tracked down the problem and it turns out that the printer spooler service is not working. It it set up to start automatically, but as soon as it starts, it immediately shuts down. This occurs even if I try to start the service manually. Any ideas on how to fix this? I tried running sfc, but it didn't detect any problems. System Restore is not activated on the computer either.
Printer Spooler shuts down unexpectedly
- Thread starter Arcadio
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NETWizz
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It's dependencies are probably broken. Probably had a Lexmark installed at some point and removed... now the spooler won't start because it has the wrong dependencies listed. i.e. The Lexmark software was removed but the print spooler was never re-configured back to the Windows Default configureation... one of its dependencies no longer exist...
On the "Dependencies" tab you should have only Remote Procedure Call (RPC), which listed in the services menu with a Path the the Executable like this:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost -k rpcss
Hence, to re-configure the Print Spooler Service (only do it if you have different dependencies listed):
Open the command prompt and type
sc config spooler depend= rpcss
(note that is no space after "depend" before "=" but there is a space after "=" before "rpcss")
The Print Spooler Properties should now list Remote Procedure Call (RPC) as the only dependency, and you should have the Print Spooler set to automatic.
Start the service and print.
__________________________________
You may also try manually flushing the print spool queue:
Delete ALL files in here: C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\PRINTERS\
Last edited:
Encrypted Existence
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Also, make sure you have the spooler set to restart after the first and second failure. (recovery tab)
Martyn
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Check Event Viewer...........
I did that. There only event related to the printer spooler is the one that says that it shut down unexpectedly. It doesn't specify why.
Martyn
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Check the print spool directory hasn't got some old jobs in it, if it has delete them. You could move the spooler folder elsewhere as well
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308666
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308666
NETWizz
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You have been at this for over a week... throw in the towel and nuke & pave. I have never seen a print spooler this stubborn, but if it isn't corrupt system files, broken dependencies, malware, jobs that hung and need to be flushed, or something that shows up as a clue in the Event Viewer, your hands are pretty much tied.
Nobody is likely going to tell you more than we have...
1on1 Computer Services
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I had this happen to me once. After weeks(months) maybe of searching off and on, finally figured out it was the Remote Control Software we were using at the time PC DUO.
Just throwing that out there.
Just throwing that out there.
xxsilk109xx
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Hey man, maybe this well help..
I had a clients computer the other day I went on site to do some virus work. Turned out there was some viruses, rootkits, etc. Well I was pretty sure I had it clean, but the print spooler kept starting and then stopping. Turned out the virus was not completely clean. Make SURE its clean before you start messing with other stuff or you will be just wasting your time.
Use MBAM, tdss killer, gmer, if you cant find anything manually...
good luck
I had a clients computer the other day I went on site to do some virus work. Turned out there was some viruses, rootkits, etc. Well I was pretty sure I had it clean, but the print spooler kept starting and then stopping. Turned out the virus was not completely clean. Make SURE its clean before you start messing with other stuff or you will be just wasting your time.
Use MBAM, tdss killer, gmer, if you cant find anything manually...
good luck
NeutronTech
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I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say it shuts down right away, but I had one yesterday that reported the spooler was running yet whenever I tried to use a printer an error popped up saying the spooler service wasn't running. It drove me nuts. Turned out to be the AVG I had just installed. The firewall was preventing me from printing, so I had to manually configure the firewall to allow it.
Yet another reason to hate AVG. *No offense to any AVG resellers here*
Yet another reason to hate AVG. *No offense to any AVG resellers here*
I just had this issue with vista, drove me nuts, I was on a remote connection. Print spooler shut down on every boot, 2 printers disappeared, could get them up briefly by starting spooler manually from the services window. system restore, chkdsk, sfc, no virus nothing worked. Heres how I solved it!
1. go into the registry and delete all printer drivers:>
> Start -> Run - Regedit -> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> ControlSet001 ->
> Control -> Print -> Environments -> Windows NT x86 -> Version -3 -> Remove All Printers From Here
2. reboot, reinstall the printers drivers BUT be sure you select USB ports (mine said virtual usb) if they are usb, for some strange reason the wizard was installing them to LPT1.
reboot, all better!
1. go into the registry and delete all printer drivers:>
> Start -> Run - Regedit -> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> ControlSet001 ->
> Control -> Print -> Environments -> Windows NT x86 -> Version -3 -> Remove All Printers From Here
2. reboot, reinstall the printers drivers BUT be sure you select USB ports (mine said virtual usb) if they are usb, for some strange reason the wizard was installing them to LPT1.
reboot, all better!
NETWizz
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This is a really good idea actually.
There are 4 Folders: Windows 4.0 (for 9x), Windows NT x86 (for 2000/XP), Windows IA64 (For Itanium), and Windows x64 (64-bit Windows)
You will want to do this under the CurrentControlSet not ControlSet001, unless you are 100% sure that Driver profile loaded.
This is a good way to delete a bad driver that could be crashing the Print Spooler, when you can't get hte Print Spooler running to delete the drivers the ordinary way.
Yes, that was the big problem, I couldn't delete the printers because of the spooler disconnecting them before I could. The only clue I got from my customer about why this had happened was he had tried to print from his iphone which was tethered to the pc, just another heads-up for future reference. I did find a strange printer driver in the registry which I deleted.
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