Print Spooler won't start (error 1053) after recent wave of updates to Win7 64-bit

Anonymous
2012-12-14T05:57:12+00:00

Hi, all.

I have exactly the same print spooler symptoms that many seem to have but none of the posted solutions worked.  I think the issues started at the end of November when I let Windows Update install the latest .NET updates and security updates.

Yes. I cleared out the \printers directory (nothing there)

Yes. I ran the SFC /scannow. All verified.

Yes. I checked my dependencies (just RPC and http and both running)

Yes. I checked the event log file. (the canon driver crashed a couple of times but the last time was back in March)

I just finished spending the day doing a "repair install" (re-installed the OS as an upgrade on top of itself).  That fixed the problem and I had my printer back for about 30 mins, but it broke again as Windows Update caught up with the 110 updates that it needed since SP1.

At this point, I'm almost certain one of the windows or .NET updates is causing this.  If anyone could figure out which one it is then I'd just re-install again and skip it.

Any more ideas?

Thanks,

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.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2012-12-29T07:45:18+00:00

Fixing this issue is very simple. Here was what I've done to start the Print Spooler:

  1. Click Start, type “services.msc” and hit Enter.
  2. Scroll down to Print spooler.
  3. Right-click Print spooler, then select Properties.
  4. Select the Log On tab, and uncheck the Allow service to interact with desktop setting.

(Microsoft recommends that you do not change the Allow service to interact with desktop setting. If you allow the service to interact with the desktop, any information that the service displays on the desktop will also be displayed on an interactive user's desktop. A malicious user could then take control of the service or attack it from the interactive desktop).

  1. Once you have uncheck this setting, select the General tab and click "Start" (the Print Spooler should be able to start without popping up the Error 1053 again).

Hope this helps!

Was this answer helpful?

10+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

78 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2013-01-01T14:47:24+00:00

    Happy New Year Gerry!

    I do not see Canon Utilities or Family Tree Maker in the Autoruns Logon Tab.  I uploaded a screen shot as a Word file to my Skydrive.

    I also uploaded System Log and Application Log events.  I continue to get the timeout error on the Interactive Services Detection service at 52 minutes past every hour.  There must be some sort of maintenance routine set to run at this time that is triggering the error on this service.   It is curious that the event did NOT occcur at 3:52am, but that there IS an error at 3:52am in the Application Log, specifically of taskeng.exe.

    Aside from these errors occuring in the Event Viewer, I do not seem to be having any problems with my system.   Perhaps these are normal events, something to be expected.   The printers are all showing (the Print Spooler service stays started). 

    Your help is much appreciated!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2012-12-31T23:43:13+00:00

    Free update for Movie Collector:

    http://www.collectorz.com/movie/

    I can only see a paid update for Power DVD 10:

    http://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdvd/compare-pdvd10_en_GB.html?&r=1

    and for Media Suite 7:

    http://www.cyberlink.com/products/cyberlink-media-suite/overview_en_GB.html

    Please note that the Advisor does not say that they are incompatible.

    Can you see Canon Utilities and Family Tree Maker in the StartUps using Auto runs?

    To identify what loads when you boot use Autoruns (freeware from Microsoft).

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902

    With Autoruns you can uncheck an item, which disables it from starting, or you can right click an item and then delete it. If you uncheck you can recheck to re-enable the item. It is a much safer approach than editing the Registry and better than using msconfig.

    A useful feature of the programme is that you can right click an item and select Search Online to get information about the item selected.

    If yes we can see what might be done.

    Please post new copies of the Event Viewer logs tomorrow so that we can see what impact your changes have made.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2012-12-31T21:32:10+00:00

    Thanks Gerry-- I will try to catch up on answering your questions.  Here is the link to my SkyDrive

    https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=29db8263e4ac2641&page=browse&resid=29DB8263E4AC2641!103&parid=29DB8263E4AC2641!101&sc=Documents&authkey=!&Bpub=SDX.SkyDrive&Bsrc=Share

    Malwarebytes:

    • Report is in the skydrive
    • Kicked out some registry values that were tied to something called PUP.Datamngr
    • I accepted the deletions/remediations recommended by Malwarebytes

    SuperAntiSpyware

    • Kicked out lot of tracking cookies
    • Kicked out PUP.CNETInstaller
    • I accepted the deletions/remediations recommended by SuperAntiSpyware

    On reboot, the print spooler started (yay!)  However, the Interactive Services Detection service could not be manually started.

    Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor

    • Report is in the Skydrive

    I do not do much photo editing and certainly do not need to load Canon Utilities at start-up

    I have Version 3.40 of Family Tree Maker (yes it is old!) and do not need this to load at start-up

    How would I get these out of the start-up queue?  They are not in the Start>Start-Up folder.

    I see in Control Panel>Programs that I do in fact have PDF Complete Special Edition, Version 4.0.54.  I don't know if this is causing the problem, but it was installed over a year ago; it must have come with my computer as I got this box less than 12 months ago.

    So do I really have a problem if my Interactive Services Detection service cannot start?  I wonder if there is some deeper problem with the windows operating system that this issue and the spooler issue are just symptoms.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2012-12-31T20:30:30+00:00

    You are using Pdf complete:

    http://www.pdfcomplete.com/cms/default.aspx

    Is the Add On is causing the problem?

    What version do you have?

    Please download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor and post a copy of the report here:

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=20

    Do you do a lot of photo editing? Do you need to have Canon Utilities loading at StartUp or could they be configured to load on demand?

    What version of Family Tree Maker do you have? Do you need to have Family Tree Maker loading at StartUp or could it be configured to load on demand?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments