Greetings all!

All of a sudden I can not print anymore. My hp printer and my acrobat printer/distiller is gone.

I have tried to open a Command Window and type in net start spooler. It tells me that print spooler service is starting and that it was started successfully. Now I go back to CP and to Printers and it gives me the same error!

I have also check in the computer management area and the setting is automatic for the spooler.

I have also used the windows resource tool kit to help solve the problem and it too has failed.

Spoolsv.exe doesn't show up in my process's running list either!

I need help! So if anyone can help I would be very greatful!

Thanks,
Jason

Hey jbigham,

Welcome to PCHF.

What version of Windows are you using?

It's normally a faulty printer driver that causes the spooler service to fail. If you go to Start, Run, and type events.msc. Start the print spooler and see what events show up here when it fails?

One of the error's states this:
But that is on startup then once I start it or stop it I get this:

Nothing really there that shows what's wrong either.

When this problem started, what was the last thing that occured? Was a new printer installed, or maybe in the middle of printing?

If you go to c:\windows\system32\spool\printers, if you see any .SPL or .SHD files in here, delete them, these are print jobs that could be causing your problems.

There is nothing in the spool/printer folder! But in the spool/drivers folder there is a w32x86 folder and that looks to be my pdf drivers. Should I keep them in there or delete them?

I am using an old HP832C with my computer. Never needed to buy a new one! Anyway it had started printing my pages in really big fonts and symbols so I hadn't used it in a while. That was maybe two weeks ago!

About 4 days ago I go to create a pdf with Acrobat Pro. and it tells me it can't find PDF Printer and Distiller Printer. I then say to heck with it because I needed something created fast so I go to word and do my thing then go to print and it says there are no printers associated with my computer.

That is where I am at!

Yep jbig,

The next stop would be to delete the printers themselves, and then reinstall them after we get the print spooler up and running. Bear with me, this process is a little teadious, and involves using the registry, so please be careful.

You'll need to reboot and go into safe mode, and then delete the contents of w32x86 folder, but not the folder itself.

Then open up the registry (start, run and type regedit). Navigate to the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Environments\ and right click on Windows NT x86, and export to a safe location. Within Windows NT x86, right click and delete any keys that are not called either "Drivers" or "Print Processors".

Next, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-? and and export this key. Underneath this key you will see your print drivers listed here. Right click and then delete them.

Next, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Monitors. Export and then delete anything that is no either "BJ Language Monitor", "Local Port", "PJL Language Monitor", "Standard TCP/IP Port" or "USB Monitor".

Disconnect the printer and reboot in normal mode. See if you can start you print spooler without it stopping again, and then connect your printer back up again.

Will try out your directions now! Just had to writethe info down!