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Cant add printer - Print Spooler not running error

I have a HP desktop running Vista 32bit. The printer has stopped working. The printer is fine and so is the USB cable. I have tried a few USB ports that work with other devices. I tried reinstalling driver - I get the popup that driver installs correctly and device is ready to use

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however no printer shows up under PRINTERS. If I go Control Panel > printers the pane is empty!

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Trying to ADD a printer I get error

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I can't reinstall the OS as the system controls a medical machine and the installed application is not easily recovered. System Restore is not enabled either!

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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Thanks dude youre a life saver

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To elaborate on Bobbys answer since mine was a touch different; Windows Search "services" -> Print Spooler -> Properties -> Genernal Tab -> Start

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I had a ѕіmіlаr issue, My printer stopped working.

Print Spooler was not running.

Finally I managed tо rеѕоlvе the рrоblеm

Follow this guide here: http://bit.ly/PrintSpooler

Hоре thіѕ helps

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thanx for solution....my problem for windows 7 solved sucessfully.

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Just uninstall your antivirus. That's all you need. Add Printer back and you're good to go.

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I succumbed to reinstalling the OS and system is fixed now.

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*Make sure the Print Spooler service is running ...

1.GO to Start then run and type services. msc and then click OK.

2.Scroll down and find Printer Spooler service under the Name column

3 Right click on Printer Spooler and select Properties. From dropdown menu choose automatic for Startup type. Check Service status, if service is stopped click on Start and than OK button, but if service is started first stop it with Stop button than click on Start and OK.

*Also..check for dependencies... while in the Print Spooler service properties..

1.Click the Dependencies tab. The first box lists all of the system services that must be running for Print Spooler to start. These are the dependencies.

2.Make a note of each service, click OK

3. Now go through the list and start each service upon which Print Spooler is dependent( if the service is not already started). If a service was not started, right-click it, click Properties and then confirm that the Startup type is Automatic.

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23 Comments:

Thanks Ronnie, I have checked that the PrintSpooler service is running and have stopped/started it. I will check the dependencies though as I have not done this yet.

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The printspooler dependencies are running

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it works ,, tnx a lot men^^V

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it really workssss...............thnx dear

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thank you very much...

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*Print Spooler will not just stop for any reason.

The print spooler is set up to restart 5 times after a failure. If the spooler continues to fail, there is an underlying issue causing it to fail.

Go to: c:\windows\system32\spool\printers

Delete all files inside this folder.

Try and restart the spooler and monitor the event log to see if it is still failing.

If it is still failing, the issue is a corrupt printer driver.

Go to: c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers

If your OS is 32 Bit go to : W32X86

If your OS is 64 bit go to : x64

*WARNING - THIS WILL DELETE ALL INSTALLED PRINTERS*

Delete all files in this folder and reinstall your printer.

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Yeah agree there must be a reason... I have already deleted the files from spool\printers and will try deleting the drivers manually from \system32\spool\drivers\W32x86

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deleting the \drivers\W32x86 folder does not help.

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Try this :

1. Start > Start Search > C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (Right click > Properties)

2. Click on Security Tab > Advanced > Owner. Take ownership of the file and give full permission to the file. Once done, close

everything and try to start the service again.

3. Delete the following folders, including all contents.

c:\windows\system32\spooler\printers

c:\windows\system32\spooler\drivers

4. If this fails, sometimes Windows 7 Pro X64 has issues with IE9 and the spooler

Go to the Control Panel > Internet Options > Advanced Tab > Reset > Tick Personal Settings

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5. If this still fails, you will need to aquire a working registry set from a working machine.

To do this;

On the donor machine Copy the C:\Windows\System32\Spool directory

On the donor machine run Regedit and copy HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print right click it

choose 'Export' and save it somewhere, make sure it has a .reg file extension

Replace tha bad machine's C:\Windows\System32\Spool directory with a copy of the fresh one

Find the backup of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print registry settings from the good

machine, and double click the file to enter the info into the registry on the (now better) bad machine

Restart the print spooler service ( Start > Type in cmd > Right Click on cmd > Run as admin > and type; net start spooler)

If you cannot souce these files from a working machine, let me know and I will upload a fresh reg copy for you :)

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thanks jclark - I will look at the options you have suggested. As luck would have it I have access to a "donor" machine tomorrow so I will copy the files and registry as you suggest and see where it gets me. The systems are essentially identical however the printer installed on the "donor" system is a different model (both syst have Brother printers) BTW you mentioned Win7 my system is Vista.

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I had the Spooler Printer not running problem and used the following from above that worked like a charm;

*Make sure the Print Spooler service is running ...

1.GO to Start then run and type services.msc and then click OK.

2.Scroll down and find Printer Spooler service under the Name column

3 Right click on Printer Spooler and select Properties.

In place of #3 I simply clicked on Printer Spooler and it presented it's settings on the left side of the box, and I just clicked on Start the Service...

worked like a charm...not sure why the printer spooler stopped working, possibly from some recent power spikes from power outages (but I could be wrong on that).

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U r awesome. Thannks

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Hi Guys

there is last solution in case all the above is not solving the issue

Go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers and delete all the files which is belong to the printers and restart the spool printers > after that go and add your new printer .

regards,

Ahmed Ali

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In Services, right-click Print Spooler and then click Properties.

Click the Dependencies tab. The first box lists all of the system services that must be running for Print Spooler to start. These are the dependencies.

Make a note of each service, click OK and then start each service upon which Print Spooler is dependent, if the service is not already started. If a service was not started, right-click it, click Properties and then confirm that the Startup type is Automatic.

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1 Comment:

@wefixcanon please keep advertising out of your posts.

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Wow. Thanks. I was almost about to discard my printer. God bless you guys

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i was in trouble for one week with the spooler issue , i just resolve the problem with removing the dependancy HTTP service from REGEDIT , i kept only the RPC service .

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Richdave will be eternally grateful.
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