Print Spooler keeps restarting

Anonymous
2009-08-31T19:54:08+00:00

I screwed up my print spooler in windows 7. It's in a restarting loop and does not allow me to do anything. The fix it tool from Microsoft that usually works great and clears out all the print drivers so that I can start fresh does not work in windows 7.

How can I fix this issue in 7?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2009-09-01T11:23:56+00:00

Hello Methodman85,

 Thank you for using Microsoft Windows Forums.

 Sorry you are having this problem with your printer.  I would suggest submiting your question at the link below for Windows 7 Forums.  You can also search FAQ's as well as submit a question.  Thanks!

Windows 7

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/category/w7itpro/

I would also try the steps below to see if this helps out.  This is from the same site where the Fix It tool is located. 

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/8c11977e-8244-408f-a036-7978a618d7a21033.mspx#EOD

A print spooler is software that temporarily stores print jobs on the computer hard disk or in memory until the printer is ready to print them. If you've been waiting an unusually long time for a document to print, or if you see an error message about the print spooler, spooler subsystem, or spooler resources, you might need to change and then restart the Print Spooler service on your computer.

To do this, we recommend that you save your work, and then restart the computer to restart the Print Spooler service. If you don't want to restart the computer, try these steps instead.

 To change or restart the Print Spooler service

 You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps.

1.  Open Administrative Tools by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Administrative Tools.

2.  Double-click Services.  If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

3.  Right-click the Print Spooler service, and then click Properties.

4.  On the General tab, next to Startup type, make sure that Automatic is selected.

5.  If the service is not already running, under Service status, click Start, and then click OK.  If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.


James Microsoft Answers Support Engineer Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-02-19T05:37:35+00:00

    Hi,

    I am still having the "System error 1068 has occurred. The dependency service or group failed to start"

    I am using Windows 7 Home premium 64 bit and my printer is HP PSC 1310 series".

    I downloaded the latest driver in HP website but it will not continue installation as the print spooler is not started.

    I tried "restarting the print spooler under services, it does not work, with the above error message

    I check the dependencies and it only say HTTP and RPC

    I check further on RPC and both dependencies DCOM Server Process Launcher and RPC Endpoint Mapper is started

    i went to regedit and found the keys as follow which I don't know if its correct :

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Spooler]

    "DisplayName"="@%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1"

    "Group"="SpoolerGroup"

    *"ImagePath"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,*

    *74,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,*

    00,70,00,6f,00,6f,00,6c,00,73,00,76,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,00,00

    "Description"="@%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-2"

    "ObjectName"="LocalSystem"

    "ErrorControl"=dword:00000001

    "Start"=dword:00000002

    "Type"=dword:00000110

    *"DependOnService"=hex(7):52,00,50,00,43,00,53,00,53,00,00,00,68,00,74,00,74,00,*

    70,00,00,00,00,00

    "ServiceSidType"=dword:00000001

    *"RequiredPrivileges"=hex(7):53,00,65,00,54,00,63,00,62,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,*

    *00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,49,00,6d,00,70,00,65,00,*

    *72,00,73,00,6f,00,6e,00,61,00,74,00,65,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,*

    *00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,41,00,75,00,64,00,69,00,74,00,50,00,*

    *72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,43,00,68,*

    *00,61,00,6e,00,67,00,65,00,4e,00,6f,00,74,00,69,00,66,00,79,00,50,00,72,00,*

    *69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,41,00,73,00,73,*

    *00,69,00,67,00,6e,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,6d,00,61,00,72,00,79,00,54,00,6f,00,*

    *6b,00,65,00,6e,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,*

    *00,53,00,65,00,4c,00,6f,00,61,00,64,00,44,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,65,00,72,00,*

    50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,00,00

    *"FailureActions"=hex:80,51,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,14,00,00,*

    00,01,00,00,00,60,ea,00,00,01,00,00,00,60,ea,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Spooler\Performance]

    "Close"="PerfClose"

    "Collect"="PerfCollect"

    "Collect Timeout"=dword:000007d0

    "Library"="winspool.drv"

    "Object List"="1450"

    "Open"="PerfOpen"

    "Open Timeout"=dword:00000fa0

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Spooler\Security]

    *"Security"=hex:01,00,14,80,78,00,00,00,84,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,30,00,00,00,02,*

    *00,1c,00,01,00,00,00,02,80,14,00,ff,01,0f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,*

    *00,00,02,00,48,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,8d,01,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,*

    *05,0b,00,00,00,00,00,18,00,ff,01,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,*

    *20,02,00,00,00,00,14,00,fd,01,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00,01,*

    01,00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00

    I go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, there is nothing there 

    Any other advice would be greatly appreciated

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-02-02T17:12:18+00:00

    Akshit, thanks to you and Thomas Linden for helping me solve my issue!  I followed the directions and I was then able to download drivers which allowed me to install my HP F4580 wireless printer. My computer, which I had installed Win 7 on,  was not reading information on the installation CD.  I don't understand how the print spooler is related to the downloading of the printer driver but it worked and I thank you.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-16T16:31:59+00:00

    Thanks!  This worked for me!  Printing just fine now ... after deleting everything in c:\windows\system32\spool\printers

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-12-18T03:28:59+00:00

    Hey,

    Goto the Start Menu and in Run type "cmd", if you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, search "cmd" and then right-click and click "Run As Administrator" and allow the program to run.

    Then type the following statements:-

    net stop spooler

    del /Q /F /S "%systemroot%\System32\Spool\Printers\*.*"

    net start spooler

    Hope this helps! :D

    Thanks,

    Akshit Soota

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