print spooler not running

[dav123]

any one know how to get print spooler back up and running without downloading any programmes please let ne know

[OutofEden]

Left Click "Start Menu"
Right Click "My Computer"
Left Click "Manage" option

In Computer Management Window expand left window cascading tree in the following manner
Computer Management (Local)
>
>
>Services & Applications
>>Services

Left Click Services
In the right hand panel a list of Windows Services should be listed.
Scroll this window down to "Print Spooler".
Left Click and then Select blue Link to "Restart" OR Right click and choose "Restart".
You may also try "Stop" and then "Start".
This may require a computer reboot.

While here, Right click and select Properties.
Select the "General" tab at the top.
In the center of the screen, the drop down menu "Startup Type" should be set to Automatic.

You may also need to return to the "Services" list and restart the "Remote Procedure Call (RPC)" Service, as the Print Spooler references this service.

[noelie]

You can also do a:

Start - Run

NET STOP "Print Spooler"

and a

Start - Run

NET START "Print Spooler"

You can also create a batch file with these lines in it:

NET STOP "Print Spooler"
NET START "Print Spooler"

A batch file (in this case) is simply a text (Notepad) file with the extension changed from .txt to .bat

[dav123]

thanks outofeden and noelie for your replies , but neither have worked. outofeden yours all came back with error msg. so im back to no printer.thanks again guys.

[noelie]

What were the error messages?

Do you have enough disk space?

If may be that you've got a corruption in the spool file.

Go to:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\PRINTERS

and delete any files in there while the spooler service is stopped.

Get back to me.

[dav123]

hi noelie error 1068 came back when trying to start print spooler

[getstoseven]

My question is do you NEED print spooling?
I have it disabled.

[noelie]

Hi getstoseven - you don't need the print spooler service if you don't print and if you think you'll never print from your PC - I wouldn't disable it though just set it to manual as you never know when it might jump up and bite you in the ass and then it takes you two hours to figure out why something else isn't working.

Hi dav123,

A 1068 is a service dependency error. Print Spooler can't start because a service it depends on is not running (probably).

Do this:

Start
Run
services.msc

Double click print spooler and click the dependencies tab. See if there are any other dependencies besides the RPC service. If so find them and make sure they are running (and are preferably set to automatic). Check that the RPC service is running also.

Try to start the "Print Spooler" service then.

If that doesn't work do this:

Start
Run
regsvr32 wintrust.dll

Try to start the "Print Spooler" service then.

If that doesn't work do this:

1. Click the Start button on the desktop
2. Click Run
3. Type in REGEDIT
4. Click on HKEY_LOCAL _MACHINE
5. Click on System
6. Click on Current Control Set
7. Click on Services
8. Click on Spooler
9. Click on Depend On Service on the right hand side
10. This should open a Edit Binary Value window
11. Delete everything else except RPCSS and then select OK
12. Reboot the PC

Be very very careful with your registry - one false move and you could kill your Windows installation.

If you get the spooler started you may have to reinstall your printer software (drivers).

[getstoseven]

noelie..........I have spooling disabled and "print directly to the printer" enabled.
Perhaps on a network spooling MUST be enabled?

gets

[noelie]

Nope - you've bypassed the spooler by printing dirctly to the printer getstoseven (most people don't do that). The possible problem with that is that if your printer hasn't enough memory to deal with a large job (pdf files and images etc.) then you'd end up with a buffer issue and/or garbled output that's why the sprint spooler 'spools' (feeds) the job to the printer.

[getstoseven]

noelie...........thanks for that!
I don't do large volume printing so I can get away with it...........
However when I just checked my settings I notices the dialogue said the printer will print more quickly by spooling documents.....................SO.................. SPOOLING it is............

[OutofEden]

wow, this turned into quite the technical thread. Dav, it sounds like you may have a complex problem that might need someone more professional than me. If it was me I would fiddle with it until it worked, but I'm not comfortable doing the same with someone else's stuff. usually.

[dav123]

thanks guys but i think it is all a bit too technical for me .as i am not the most computer literate person. will have to get someone to fix it for me. thqanks again for all your help dav 123