Printer spooler won't start at startup - Windows 8.1

Anonymous
2013-10-30T06:00:37+00:00

Hi,

Problem started with trying to add a home network printer. I get the error message "Windows can't open Add Printer. There are no more endpoints available from the endpoint mapper."

Each time I boot the PC I have to go to Services and start the Printer Spooler, and then I can add printers, and print, but after a reboot I have to repeat this action again.

The Printer Spooler is set to automatic, but like I say it won't start automatically.

I also checked out the c:\windows\system32\spool\printers folder but it was empty. (deleting all files in this folder has been offered as a solution)

Has anyone worked this one out yet? There seems to be a few people suffering the same issue.

Thanks

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2013-11-26T18:24:31+00:00

SOLUTION!!!  This worked for me and I have tested it over and over again.

"As suspected by many, the problem is Kaspersky related.

I found a solution: download kavremvr.exe (Kaspersky Lab Products Remover), run the program, select "<Remove all known products>" and then click on "Remove".

Restart the computer, wait, do not panic, the first reboot is slow.

On the first reboot, still the spooler will not restart automatically.

Again, restart the computer, everything should be ok now."

I originally had Kaspersky antivirus installed from the manufacturer which I removed thru add / remove programs back when I had windows 8.  I guess not everything was removed when I originally uninstalled it.  You must do the 2nd restart as described above for it to work.  I found this solution on another thread while searching different keywords trying to get answers.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-03T14:05:40+00:00

    Method One worked perfectly

      Thanks

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-24T21:14:55+00:00

    It took a long time to find this answer.  And, I spent almost 2 hours on the phone with a MS Tech support specialist.  I mentioned this fix to him and he turned around and found it, recommending exactly what is quoted above.

    Problem solved!

    I have this same problem with Lenovo Carbo X1.

    I have tried the 2 fixes mentioned above with no luck

    1. Uncheck service to interact with desktop
    2. Remove http in the registry

    I do not have Kaspersky product installed, seems like this behavior is only appearing on Lenovo and not HP for me at the moment... Very strange.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-02-06T03:27:00+00:00

    It took a long time to find this answer.  And, I spent almost 2 hours on the phone with a MS Tech support specialist.  I mentioned this fix to him and he turned around and found it, recommending exactly what is quoted above.

    Problem solved!

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-12-10T16:41:41+00:00

    I still don't know if I was having a related problem or not, because my print spooler would always be running...but it wouldn't actually WORK until I stopped and started it again.

    I *seem* to have found a fix.   I disabled the fast boot stuff where it's kind of doing a hybrid boot.  Probably the print spooler would be part of that, saved in a running state.  Disabling that so it does a real, clean boot so far has completely fixed it.

    It's possible 8 had the same problem as 8.1 but I never noticed because I had that fast boot turned off in 8 also (it 'came back' when I installed 8.1).  I had it disabled for exactly this reason-the chance of weird behavior that would be hard to track down.

    This particular machine is running a Crucial M4 as the boot drive and a fast Ivy Bridge, so there's no decernable difference in boot times...but personally I'd rather just have a longer boot time to get a clean boot even with a 5400RPM drive than risk weirdness (like this!)  I wish the option to disable that fast boot was more obvious to get at.

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