Spooler service not running
I'm using XP SP3.
I've had a Samsung laser printer with this computer for a couple of years, never had a problem before. However today it won't print, the printer is not installed and won't install, and I get the message "Spooler service not running".
I've recently (probably since the last printout) been doing some cleanouts using software called System Mechanic and maybe I was a bit too enthusiastic about getting some of the computer's lost speed back and turned off something I shouldn't have.
I can't do a system restore - it fails (another question has been asked about this)
I've looked at web solutions and they seem to point to the printer. Samsung's Doctor Printer fails to solve it - says it can't communicate with the printer. (Yes the cable is in!)
Any other ideas welcome!
I've had a Samsung laser printer with this computer for a couple of years, never had a problem before. However today it won't print, the printer is not installed and won't install, and I get the message "Spooler service not running".
I've recently (probably since the last printout) been doing some cleanouts using software called System Mechanic and maybe I was a bit too enthusiastic about getting some of the computer's lost speed back and turned off something I shouldn't have.
I can't do a system restore - it fails (another question has been asked about this)
I've looked at web solutions and they seem to point to the printer. Samsung's Doctor Printer fails to solve it - says it can't communicate with the printer. (Yes the cable is in!)
Any other ideas welcome!
delete all the printers installed first then
install only the printer required and restart print spoiler.
install only the printer required and restart print spoiler.
ASKER
xDUCKx
Thanks, I tried that but got "System error 1068 has occurred. The dependency service or group failed to start". I don't know what this means.
abbasiftt
There are no printers installed (I'm sure I had a couple of others as well as my Samsung, but there are none there now). I tried to install the Samsung again but got the message that this wasn't possible because the spooler was not running.
Thanks, I tried that but got "System error 1068 has occurred. The dependency service or group failed to start". I don't know what this means.
abbasiftt
There are no printers installed (I'm sure I had a couple of others as well as my Samsung, but there are none there now). I tried to install the Samsung again but got the message that this wasn't possible because the spooler was not running.
As spooler problems are usually caused by a faulty driver, you need to completely remove the driver before reinstalling. Just deleting the printer and re-adding it will leave some of the old files. Try this:
Go to Printers & Faxes. First delete the printer(s). Then, from the File menu select Server Properties. Click the Drivers tab and remove any instances of the printer(s) from the list.
Then reinstall from the CD or from a downloaded driver.
Go to Printers & Faxes. First delete the printer(s). Then, from the File menu select Server Properties. Click the Drivers tab and remove any instances of the printer(s) from the list.
Then reinstall from the CD or from a downloaded driver.
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ASKER
OK, thanks.
hdhondt: there was no printer in the list to delete, so I went to File / Server properties and got the error box "Server properties cannot be viewed. The print spoooler service is not running".
This stopped spooler seems to be a catch 22. If I try to instal a driver, it says it can't because the spooler isn't running.
reach2sandeep: this seems encouraging. Your link led me to find that my print spooler depends on a lexmark service; I've no idea why, I've never used a Lexmark printer in my life, but maybe it is used by Samsung or some other printer I've used. It wasn't working. I seem to need to reboot so I'll do that now....
hdhondt: there was no printer in the list to delete, so I went to File / Server properties and got the error box "Server properties cannot be viewed. The print spoooler service is not running".
This stopped spooler seems to be a catch 22. If I try to instal a driver, it says it can't because the spooler isn't running.
reach2sandeep: this seems encouraging. Your link led me to find that my print spooler depends on a lexmark service; I've no idea why, I've never used a Lexmark printer in my life, but maybe it is used by Samsung or some other printer I've used. It wasn't working. I seem to need to reboot so I'll do that now....
ASKER
....and indeed it worked! I had set these back to automatic, and they now seem to be running OK. On reboot, I find a list of printers (including pdf "printers") all registered and working.
Apart from the nuisance, it was an interesting problem, as I've not seen these services and dependencies before. I'm starting to learn why so many services run in the background when I open Task Manager. I'll be less gung-ho closing things down in future!
Many thanks.
Apart from the nuisance, it was an interesting problem, as I've not seen these services and dependencies before. I'm starting to learn why so many services run in the background when I open Task Manager. I'll be less gung-ho closing things down in future!
Many thanks.
At the command prompt type:
net start spooler
If there aren't any errors, try printing again.