Windows 7 printer spooler stopped and can't print re-install drivers or add a printer

Anonymous
2011-05-15T16:41:33+00:00

Original title: Windows 7: Print spooler fails, can't print with printers, can't re-install drivers for printers, can't add a printer. Basically everything for printers is no more.

This all started after the lates batch of May Windows 7 fixes were automatically installed.

Ran the MS 'Fix-it' but it was unsucessful; could do no more than stop and re-start the spooler service.

Tried using services to start, stop the spooler service without any luck. Shutdown the machine, rebooted numerous times, have gone back to previous restore point from a month ago.

Downloaded drivers to re-install but half way through the installation it barps - printer spooler stopped and so it aborts installing the driver.

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
2011-05-16T09:29:28+00:00

I would check the status of the Print Spooler Service.

Click on the Start button and select Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services. Locate Print Spooler in the list. Check that it has started and that the StartUp type is Automatic.

I suspect that it has stopped and that just starting it will not solve the problem.

You may need to show hidden files. Type Folder Options in the search box above the Start button and select View, Advanced Settings and verify that the box before "Show hidden files and folders" is checked and "Hide protected operating system files" is unchecked. You may need to scroll down to see the second item. You should also make certain that the box before "Hide extensions for known file types" is not checked.

Now access Windows Explorer and select c:\windows\system32\spool\printers. Normally this folder should be empty but there is a problem when files with “spl” and “shd” extensions stick there. Delete the files and restart your computer. This should resolve your problem.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-03-29T19:30:49+00:00

    Please upload and share with everyone copies of your System and Application logs from your Event Viewer to your Sky Drive and post a link here.

    To access the System log select Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer, from the list in the left side of the window select Windows Logs and System. Place the cursor on System, select Action from the Menu and Save All Events as and give the file a name. Do the same for the Applications log.

    Please say if you need help in using Sky Drive.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-03-29T14:02:48+00:00

    Hi Gerry,

    You seem to be the man with the answers here.  I'm having the same kinds of problems with my printers now on three different computers on my home network. 

    The symptoms are that sometimes my printers show up on my printer list and sometimes they don't.  When I try to "add a printer" it says Print Spooler not Running.  When I try to print a picture from Windows Live Photo Gallery it says "RPC Server Not running".  I am never able to print on any of the computers.  As soon as I try the spooler stops and the printers disappear until it is started again.  I cannot print from any application except on my desktop which only won't print from within office, but will occasionally print from a browser.

    I am running Windows 7 Ultimate on a Lenovo Y480 notebook.  This problem also exists on my wife's Toshiba running Windows 7 and on my desktop running Windows XP.

    So far I have tried the following things to fix the problem:

    -No files found in the C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Printer\ directory

    -Ran the SFC \scannow command and it went 100% complete with no errors found

    -Changed the services setting for the Print Spooler and unchecked to allow to "interact with desktop"

    -I also changed it so that it would attempt a restart every time it failed and not just after the first two times.

    -I've restarted the print spooler numerous times and done a full reboot numerous times.   I have only two printers on this computer and just completely reloaded everything and did all the windows updates 2 weeks ago.

    I'm running MS Office 2010.  The Toshiba is running office 2010 and the desktop is running Office 2007.

    Any other ideas I can try to find a fix??

    Here's to hoping your the man to solve my problems too!

    Tim

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-03-13T22:00:53+00:00

    Gerry, Thank you SOOOOOO much. I have been trying to get my print spooler fixed for over a year. I uninstalled my printer, and then could not re-install the printer  because the print spooler would not stay on. I tried your suggestion, got the printer re-installed and on top of it, it prints. Wow. You have saved the rest of my hair.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-03-12T04:48:23+00:00

    Wayne,

     

    Did you ever find a fix other than going back to a previous restore point?

    Well, fix might be to strong a word. Over the last 2 weeks, the system has booted about half the time with all the printers present. They other half of the boots left me with no printers, no print spooler. Over the most recent 4 days, it has booted every time with everything normal. Sadly, I have no idea why the issue "seems" to have disappeared. Maybe the fact that when I'm starting the system I stand on my left foot, facing due North with my right index finger in my left ear has something to do with it ;) I can't come up with anything else. I imagine it will come back to haunt me eventually, after I have forgotten everything I did and learned.

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