PentaIS
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Can't delete Print Drivers (Vista Print Spooler Issues)
I have a HP laptop with Vista Business that is having Print Spooler issues in that the service doesn't start automatically. In the trouble shooting steps I have found I should delete all printers and then the drivers and driver packages. I was able to delete the one local printer and all but one file in the driver package for it as well as the network printer. However the previous local printer (Dell) will not delete. When I attempt to delete the driver and driver package for the Dell and for a Network printer, both tell me I can't delete because they are in use. I'm not sure if this is going to prevent me from solving this problem. I don't know how to force Vista to allow me to delete the Dell and the drivers & driver packages.
I did check the Registry key (also in the troublshooting steps) and it is already set to depend on RPCSS
The page I am working from is:
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm
The page says XP but numerous sites refer to this as a fix for the Vista problem as well.
I did check the Registry key (also in the troublshooting steps) and it is already set to depend on RPCSS
The page I am working from is:
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm
The page says XP but numerous sites refer to this as a fix for the Vista problem as well.
Delete them in safe mode.
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ASKER
The print spooler not starting automatically is the original problem so that when the laptop boots there are no printers available until you manually restart the print spooler service. I will try both suggestions when I am able to get to the laptop again. Thanks!
Set the print spooler service to Automatic.
ASKER
It is set to Automatic.
When I stop the Print Spooler and try to delete I get another error saying "Printer cannot be removed. The local print spooler service is not running. Please restart the spooler or restart the machine.
In Safe Mode there is no icon for Printers in the Control Panel and searching for Printers yields no results.
When I stop the Print Spooler and try to delete I get another error saying "Printer cannot be removed. The local print spooler service is not running. Please restart the spooler or restart the machine.
In Safe Mode there is no icon for Printers in the Control Panel and searching for Printers yields no results.
ASKER
This step worked! It deleted it for me even though the only things listed in that folder were Shockwave files. Now to see if I can successfully reinstall the printers and keep the spooler functioning!
Open a command prompt and type:
"net stop spooler"
Now open windows explorer and browse to:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\
Delete any files that may reside in here.
Now return to the command prompt and type:
"net start spooler"
You should be able to delete the printer now if it is not gone already.
Open a command prompt and type:
"net stop spooler"
Now open windows explorer and browse to:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\
Delete any files that may reside in here.
Now return to the command prompt and type:
"net start spooler"
You should be able to delete the printer now if it is not gone already.