kriiis
asked on
How to delete all printer entries in windows 7 client to solve spooler issue
We deployed the printers in all clients using GPO.
But in some clients, it crashed spooler, so spooler is stopping when connect to print server.
So i want to delete all printer entries dll, driver, spool, registry values related to printers on the client. How to proceed ?
I already tried deleting spl and shd files. but it doest fix the issue. I checked all the config with another working computer, everything looks similar. But however the spooler is crashed when connected to print server.
So the idea is to delete all entries related to printer as like fresh installation of windows and then try to connect to print server.
But in some clients, it crashed spooler, so spooler is stopping when connect to print server.
So i want to delete all printer entries dll, driver, spool, registry values related to printers on the client. How to proceed ?
I already tried deleting spl and shd files. but it doest fix the issue. I checked all the config with another working computer, everything looks similar. But however the spooler is crashed when connected to print server.
So the idea is to delete all entries related to printer as like fresh installation of windows and then try to connect to print server.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Here's how I did it, step-by-step:
First Solution:
1. right-click on desktop, create a new shortcut with target as 'cmd.exe'.
2. right-click on the shortcut, "Run as Administrator"
3. Run the printui tool: printui /s /t2
4. Try deleting the printers. If that doesn't work...
5. CLick Start > Run > Services.msc
6. Locate the Print Spooler service, and right-click > Properties > stop service.
7. Open My Computer and browse to c:\Windows\System32\spool\
(you will need to say "oK" to get access to the folder).
8. DELETE the contents of that folder.
9. Restart the Print Spooler service.
10. Go back into the printui utillity (might need to restart it using same method as above) and try removing printers again. This time it should work. If necessary, check the "Ports" tab and remove any TCP/IP ports that are associated with the old printer.
11. Last but not least, I checked other computers on my home network to see if any of those had mapped to the old printer, and I removed those mappings, as the date of spooled documents suggested it was printed to long after it was physically removed.
Second Solution:
Windows 7 and Windows 8
From the desktop, click on the Windows start bubble. In the search panel, type 'Print Management'.
Open the Print Management utility.
When the Print Management utility opens, you will see a folder called 'Custom filters'. Expand Custom Filters and select 'All Printers'. This will list all of your installed printers. Locate the printer that you want to remove. Right-click the printer and select 'delete'.
Next, you need to remove the driver associated with the printer you just deleted. Click on the folder called 'All Drivers'. Scroll through the list of installed drivers. Select the driver(s) that pertain to the model printer you wish to remove. Right click a driver and choose 'Remove Driver Package'. This will uninstall the driver.
When you are finished, close the Print Management utility.
Before attempting to re-install a problematic printer, you may wish to reboot the computer.
First Solution:
1. right-click on desktop, create a new shortcut with target as 'cmd.exe'.
2. right-click on the shortcut, "Run as Administrator"
3. Run the printui tool: printui /s /t2
4. Try deleting the printers. If that doesn't work...
5. CLick Start > Run > Services.msc
6. Locate the Print Spooler service, and right-click > Properties > stop service.
7. Open My Computer and browse to c:\Windows\System32\spool\
(you will need to say "oK" to get access to the folder).
8. DELETE the contents of that folder.
9. Restart the Print Spooler service.
10. Go back into the printui utillity (might need to restart it using same method as above) and try removing printers again. This time it should work. If necessary, check the "Ports" tab and remove any TCP/IP ports that are associated with the old printer.
11. Last but not least, I checked other computers on my home network to see if any of those had mapped to the old printer, and I removed those mappings, as the date of spooled documents suggested it was printed to long after it was physically removed.
Second Solution:
Windows 7 and Windows 8
From the desktop, click on the Windows start bubble. In the search panel, type 'Print Management'.
Open the Print Management utility.
When the Print Management utility opens, you will see a folder called 'Custom filters'. Expand Custom Filters and select 'All Printers'. This will list all of your installed printers. Locate the printer that you want to remove. Right-click the printer and select 'delete'.
Next, you need to remove the driver associated with the printer you just deleted. Click on the folder called 'All Drivers'. Scroll through the list of installed drivers. Select the driver(s) that pertain to the model printer you wish to remove. Right click a driver and choose 'Remove Driver Package'. This will uninstall the driver.
When you are finished, close the Print Management utility.
Before attempting to re-install a problematic printer, you may wish to reboot the computer.
ASKER
thanks guys
@Praveen : I already tried the first solution. But in vain
`whenever i run the command printui /s /t2 nothing happens. And the Printer folder is empty. refer the screenshot " printer content " but when i go Spool folder ( screenshot spool containter ), i can see different folders and see drivers in folder driver and prtprocs. Whereas the folder Server contains folders with my print server names but the contents empty. This spool folder is similar in working computer and non working computer as well.
how about deleting the registry entries related to printer, dll files ?
I ask this spooler crash is happening when we updated the driver language from en to german. First we installed driver in english on print server and then updated driver to german and then reverted back to english. Since this some clients are having issues spooler.
Spool-Container.png
printer-content
@Praveen : I already tried the first solution. But in vain
`whenever i run the command printui /s /t2 nothing happens. And the Printer folder is empty. refer the screenshot " printer content " but when i go Spool folder ( screenshot spool containter ), i can see different folders and see drivers in folder driver and prtprocs. Whereas the folder Server contains folders with my print server names but the contents empty. This spool folder is similar in working computer and non working computer as well.
how about deleting the registry entries related to printer, dll files ?
I ask this spooler crash is happening when we updated the driver language from en to german. First we installed driver in english on print server and then updated driver to german and then reverted back to english. Since this some clients are having issues spooler.
Spool-Container.png
printer-content
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
these steps are to delete the printer entries ?
yes.
ASKER
You say 5 listed drivers. But there are more than 7 in your list.
Which 5 entries you are mentioning about ?
Which 5 entries you are mentioning about ?
Typo....
7 keys.
7 keys.
Similar cases reported several time on my network.
Solved by removing re-assigning the default printer to another. Remove affected driver and re-install the driver.
Some times drivers get corrupted, specially PS drivers.
Hope that helps!!
Solved by removing re-assigning the default printer to another. Remove affected driver and re-install the driver.
Some times drivers get corrupted, specially PS drivers.
Hope that helps!!
ASKER
my case is different. I can't even delete the printer, i get the message, printers in use. When i stop spooler all the printer drivers are disappeared. When i start print spooler i stays only couple of seconds and then disappears.
Have you try to do this on safe mode?
ASKER
In safe mode, no drivers are loading as well.
Restart the print spooler service