Print Spooler Service won't stay running - Windows 11

Anonymous
2022-03-05T17:11:52+00:00

Is there a fix for the Windows 11 Print Spooler Service that I can't get to run? It was working fine until last Tuesday - then no printing. I've removed the printers, uninstalled/reinstalled the software, updated everything. Gone through the suggested steps but problem isn't resolved. I keep getting the following: "The local print spooler is not running. Please restart the spooler or restart the machine." I get this whether I try to print or run print properties.

I can print to the printer(s) from a Windows 10 machine (laptop) with no problems so I don't think it's the printer(s) (Canon Pro-300 and HP Office Jet).

In the control panel there is an Inkjet Printer that I cannot remove - says it's a Canon inkjet printer with Driver unavailable (I found a driver listed at one time - C:\Windows|system\32\drivers\ksthunk.sys). How can I remove this device?

Any suggestions before I start over.

Thanks.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-10-21T01:27:16+00:00

    Oh yes. I restarted my PC this morning and the printer service keeps running.

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  2. VARADHARAJAN K 9,726 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-10-20T17:43:36+00:00

    No , Only modifying the required particular service registry key for services is permanent,

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-10-20T17:28:38+00:00

    Interesting. Does the SC command make a permanent change (will it survive reboot)?

    I can't test this out though - as above, I managed to fix my instance of the problem by doing a deep de-install of all relevant printing components followed by reloading the Canon drivers.

    Can anybody else corroborate this solution?

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-10-20T13:04:48+00:00

    I have got the same problem. All the solutions provided on the web seem to focus on the "Remote Procedure Call (RPC)" service which the Print Spooler relies on. I checked mine and the RPC works properly, so that I began to look into the other "HTTP Service" that supports Printer Spooler running.

    Open cmd as administrator, type the following:

    sc config http start=demand & net start http

    Press enter and go back to the Service window. Try start "Print Spooler" again. It works.

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-09-27T17:25:17+00:00

    Good news, at least from me.
    Today I went back to the system that was having the problem printing to Canon printers (TS-705 and Pro 200). I cleared out everything Canon related - devices, drivers, registry entries, the lot. Then I re-downloaded the Canon software for the TS-705 and tried to install it. Guess what, the installation process itself stalled with "Processing cannot be continued because the Windows Print Spooler service has been stopped. Start the Print Spooler service and then try again". I've got a screen shot that shows quite clearly that the Print Spooler service was running as normal.

    So - the good news? I tried again, this time following some guidance on an HP website (given to someone who had problems installing an HP printer !): https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printer-Setup-Software-Drivers/Windows-11-spooler-error/td-p/8248723

    And joy of joys, this time the TS 705 install worked! And I could print a test page! And what's more, installation / operation of the Canon Pro 200 was also succesful! Woo-hoo! Just to be sure, I rebooted a couple of times, to make sure it kept working, which it did.

    Very satisfying. Provided of course I forget about the many hours of my life trying to sort this out...

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