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

Anonymous

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.

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

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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90 additional answers

Anonymous

2012-02-22T21:33:30+00:00

Found this fix after several hours. Had exact same problem on two different PC's accessing network printers. Other network users were not affected and could print normally.

Fix-it could only find stopped spooler and try to restart but spooler would fail within a minute and stop again.

I have 10 Dell desktops and one Dell laptop PC's. I have Dell+Ricoh+Lexmark+HP printers, all network attached, and could not access any of them from the two PC's with the spooler problem. Saw several posts on this subject about Dell T/S recommending replacement of printer. Why??? Printers working fine with other users.

Thanks for the fix. Found a 1/2 dozen '.spl' files along with multiple '.tmp' files in the '...\spool\printers' directory. Deleted all and the printers are working fine now.

In the time I wrote this reply, the print spooler would have stopped and restarted at least a dozen times, but since I followed your tip it appears solidly fixed now.
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Anonymous

2012-02-22T22:57:25+00:00

You're welcome.
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Anonymous

2012-07-19T12:33:20+00:00

Print Spooler issues in Windows 7

hi guys

I need to install printer for a user but I cant ,I checked the services

I have a proplem in (Print Spooler) service if I start it it will stop after 10 second , again will start after than again will stop every 10 or 15 second.

please help
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Anonymous

2012-08-23T13:55:49+00:00

Thank you very much, Gerry! I wish that I had found this 2 days ago. I guess i need to improve my search techniques!

Tony Martin

Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA
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