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
    2013-11-26T17:23:59+00:00

    It definitely has something to do with restart.  I have removed all drivers and printers from my system and after I do a restart the print spool will not start automatically.  If I do a shutdown then turn my pc back on the print spool starts automatically.  This is only the case if the print spool is running.  If the print spool is stopped and I do a shutdown the print spool is still stopped when I turn the pc back on.  Once I manually start the print spool I can shutdown as many times as I want and the print spool will be restarted automatically.  I guess for now I just have to always do a shutdown or remember to manually start the print spool after a restart.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-11-25T18:40:12+00:00

    Currently I am at my office and I don't have any printers setup here.  Only one installed is my home printer.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-11-25T17:50:03+00:00

    Hi,

    I'm not sure why that is happening, but Shutdown and Boot, and a Restart work a bit differently on Win 8\8.1...

    Win 8\8.1 has a feature called Fast Startup that works only with a Shutdown and Reboot...

    It is kind of like it is a partial hibernation, for lack of a better description...

    It saves a lot of the drivers and etc. in what is a kind of partially installed state, where as a Restart reloads everything from scratch...  So it seems it is saving your printer settings where Restart is not.

    I'm not 100% sure how the Fast Startup works, so that's about the best I can do with a description...

    Is it possible that one of the printers that wasn't connected and\or turned on before, now is, altering how things work ?

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-11-25T17:21:16+00:00

    Just figured something out.  The spool will not turn on automatically after a restart.  When I go to services and turn on the spool manually then do a shut down of the pc it will stay on.  If I do a restart then it will not turn on automatically.  Once the spool has not started automatically it will not turn back on whether I do a shutdown or a restart.  I then have to manually start the spool again.  So it seems that only when I do a restart the print spool will not start up automatically.  If I do only shutdowns once the spool is already running then it will always be running automatically.

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