"Windows can't open Add Printer. There are no more endpoints available from the endpoint mapper

Anonymous
2013-10-30T15:59:52+00:00

I am experiencing a similar problem. I have an HP desktop and a Xerox Phaser 6300. After the upgrade to Windows 8.1, my apps cannot find any installed printers. The Xerox shows up in the device list, but I cannot use it, even to print a test page. I have downloaded the new driver, and tried to re-install, but when I try to open the Add Printer function, I get the following error message: "Windows can't open Add Printer. There are no more endpoints available from the endpoint mapper." I contacted Microsoft via phone, and the rep told me i needed to go back to Windows 8. HP tells me that if I do that, I will lose all my data and installed programs, including Microsoft Office. I do not want to go through all that again, the computer is only a few months old. Please help!

<Split from: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-hardware/windows-81-upgrade-cant-find-or-install-printers/095084fe-75ee-4675-9836-ce5e446e4732  >

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
2013-10-31T15:50:54+00:00

Open services.msc

Scroll down to Print Spooler and double click on it

Click on Dependencies tab

Check what dependencies the print spooler has, if any

you may need to click  "+" on those dependencies to see more dependencies

Go back to the Services list

On each of the spooler dependencies, double click on it

Make sure it is set to Automatic in the Startup Type drop down menu

Now click on Start to start the service

Click OK

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-01-08T19:04:10+00:00

    Hi JW0914 ,

    That´s very interesting. I didn't know about that. So I will just use my windows 8.1 cd to repair it.

    Talking to you soon.

    Cheers,

    Bodo

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-01-08T17:54:41+00:00

    There is no 8.1 activation key, as it was a free OS upgrade (essentially, it's Windows 9).  With this being said, many have been confused about the licensing structure change Microsoft made with Windows 8 and Office 2013.

    First the background

    Microsoft completely changed it's licensing structure with the release of Windows 8 [Office 2013 as well, although the Windows change was more significant].  My guess here is that Microsoft, in an [failed] attempt at clamping down on piracy, decided to make some ill-fated changes to how Windows installs and activates.  Microsoft prevented the lay user launching Windows 8/8.1 installer without first providing a product key [not to be confused with an activation key, as the two are very different]; however, this backfired: When users who upgraded to Windows 8 first installed 8, they were permitted to access the installer with their activation key; however, once they did so, they could no longer use the activation key to access the installer because Microsoft changed it's licensing structure from 3 users to a 1 user license.  So if a user needed to reinstall Windows for whatever reason, their activation key no longer allowed them access to the installer to do so. 

    Whether Microsoft planned to do the following all along or not, about a week after the release of Windows 8 and loud outcries from consumers, Microsoft released the generic product keys for each Windows version installer [again, for the lay person, as an answer file easily bypasses the necessity of a product key to access the installer].  These product keys are not the same as activation keys, as the sole purpose of these product keys is to allow access to the installer, nothing more.  Once a person installs Windows with the generic product keys, they will need to activate Windows via PC Settings - Activate and will need to manually change the product key listed to their activation key.

    The generic keys can be found by googling "Windows [8 or 8.1] [edition - Core, Pro, etc.] generic product key".

    Generic Product Keys:

    8.1 Core: 334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT

    8.1 Pro: XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-01-08T17:24:11+00:00

    Hi JW0914,

    Yes I have windows 8.1 and a copy of it at home. However, I have just a windows 8 product key. 

    When I tried to install windows 8.1 directly, my windows 8 product key did not work. Do I need one for the repair?

    Cheers,

    Bodo

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-01-08T17:12:16+00:00

    No problem =]

    What OS are you running, and if you're running 8.1, do you have the actual install media for 8.1 (many users don't if they took the upgrade while on Windows 8).  If you don't have the media, let me know and I can give you a link to my GDrive that has it uploaded.

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