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Solved: Print spooler service is not running

1M views 28 replies 18 participants last post by  harrypot 
#1 ·
I am running Windows XP, and I have not been able to print in over three weeks. The printer is directly connected with a USB cable. There are no printers listed. When I try to add a printer or print from most of my software the following error message pops up: "Operation could not be completed. The print spooler service is not running." I have started the print spooler service several times, but the Print Spooler service will not remain started. In Services the Status is blank and Startup Type is automatic. I have tried to install a new printer driver downloaded from the printer manufacturer website. I have not been able to find any viruses or spy ware. I can not do a system restore because I found no restore points before the problem appeared.

I have not been able to find this exact problem while browsing this site, and I would appreciate any help you could provide.
 
#2 ·
Hi Liberty, I also ran into this problem. I have found a solution but I was looking for more information about it and saw your post. It is related to XP's data execution prevention.
I have added the print spooler service to the excluded list and it has solved the problem.
I am currently looking to see if this will leave the PC's vulnerable.

Go to System Properties>Advanced
Select Performance>Settings
Select Data Execution Prevention
Select Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select
Click Add
Paste this in to the file name box of the window that opens:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
Select Open
Select OK when you receive the warning
Select Apply

And you will be printing again. Good luck.
 
#6 ·
ChefTech said:
Hi Liberty, I also ran into this problem. I have found a solution but I was looking for more information about it and saw your post. It is related to XP's data execution prevention.
I have added the print spooler service to the excluded list and it has solved the problem.
I am currently looking to see if this will leave the PC's vulnerable.

Go to System Properties>Advanced
Select Performance>Settings
Select Data Execution Prevention
Select Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select
Click Add
Paste this in to the file name box of the window that opens:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
Select Open
Select OK when you receive the warning
Select Apply

And you will be printing again. Good luck.
Open run dialog and type Services.msc . I want you to visually confirm that the printspooler service is running in automatic mode and also make sure you UPnP services are also started. If you have no problems with other UPnP hardware installing though you can skip that step. unplug your printer and restart your computer. when restarted plug in printer and try again. Have you used this printer on WINXP before, as some (ALOT) of older printers are not compatible and have no valid drivers for WinXp.:)
 
#7 ·
I have to assume that by UPnP services you mean Universal Plug and Play Device Host, and it is set to Manual and is not started. I have never used this service that I know of. The Print spooler service is, as I said, Status: blank & Startup Type: Automatic. The printer worked for over five years with this computer, and it still works when connected to my other computer. If you did not notice in my original post, I downloaded the current driver from the printer manufacturer which was for Windows XP.
 
#8 ·
Let me start with a quote.
The spooler stopping is almost always due to corrupted printer drivers.
Uninstall and reinstall the printer.
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Windows Technologies - Printing & Imaging
http://www.coribright.com/windows

Also I assume that you have the printer networked to another PC? You have probably tried this but I will post anyway, in case;

>>>Start>Run>type NET STOP SPOOLER and press OK
>>>
>>> Start>Run>type NET START SPOOLER and press OK

If so...and no go...Did you instal the manufacturers software and drivers Before, or After you installed the printer physically, as you should always instal manufacturer drivers first to prevent windows from installing its own.
Also check out this thread...It appears to be an identical situation and a probable solution. http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm
The thread gives detailed instructions on removing all printer drivers and starting clean.
Please post back here if it helps. Thank you.
 
#13 ·
I have been unable to solve this problem. I AM NOT RUNNING ON A NETWORK. I am at my wits' end. If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know. Otherwise, I believe I will have to reformat my hard drive and start from scratch. Since I did not receive OS disks with my computer, I will have to purchase those as well.
 
#15 ·
You say the printer is USB. Try this and see if it works.

Disconnect the USB cable from the printer to the computer at the computer USB port and leave it disconnected.

Go into the computer and remove any existing printer drivers even if you have to go thru safe mode, and the printer USB cable is till disconnected.

Once all of the printer drivers are removed reboot the computer again with the USB cable still disconnected.

After the computer is booted put the install disk into the CD-ROM drive and start the installation with the USB cable still disconnected.

Go thru the installation and re-connect the USB cable from the printer when asked or if not asked when the computer is booting up.

The printer might have to go thru some basic setup for itself and should work hopefully.
 
#17 ·
Liberty, i had the same problem and FIXED THE PROBLEM
1. Start>Run>Type"services.msc"
2. Under Services look for "LexBce Server">Properties>Under General Tab go to "Start up type" and select Automatic. (My problem was it was Disabled)>click ok
3. go down to "Print Spooler" verify that Startup Type is set to Automatic>then Start the Service Status.>click ok
4. Control Panels>Printers>add>voila!!!
 
#18 ·
Hi everyone,

I finally broke down and bought a new hard drive to start from scratch. I made backups of everything, and now I have a whole extra drive for backup AND I can print. The system seems to bootup and shutdown faster, so there may have been other problems as well.

By the way the printer is not a Lexmark.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Bye :)

A snail is purchasing an automobile, and he says to the salesman, “Can you put a big red S on the driver’s door?”
The salesman asks, “Why?”
The snail replies, “I always wanted to hear someone say, ‘look at that escargot!’”
 
#19 ·
I just resolved this issue for a client of mine. Here is the easiest way to resolve it.

1. Power off the printer
2. Click start, control panel, printers & faxes and delete the printer.
3. Re-install the printer with the original driver disc.

That's it! Problem resolved! :)

Scott
 
#20 ·
Windows XP; HP Pavilion a 1020n; HP Officejet 5610v All In One. Printer was working fine and then it stopped-no icon on the printer page of computer showing a printer was installed. I tried to uninstall and reinstall the printer as that usually corrects problems, but I could not reinstall the printer as I got an error message-"This service(Print Spooler) is stopped and needs to be running for this installation to continue. Click fix to have the installer start the service" There is a category listed of the service-"spooler, manufacturer Microsoft, version 0.0.0.0 "and the further message-All issues must be fixed before installation can continue. Clicking "fix" did not fix the problem.I e-mailed Microsoft, but no reply. I contacted HP and their "techs" suggested some things to try-still no correction of the problem. I tried some of the other solutions your members suggested (under Services ,data execution prevention-under the section "Turn on DEP"-tried to add "C:WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe" and got message "file not found. Please verify the correct file name was given". Under properties window of print spooler a message appeared-"configuration manager. A required entry in the registry is missing or an attempt to write to registry failed". Under service msc, where the print spooler is listed -there is no indication of status of started or stopped in the status area, just a blank space. When I select "start" to correct this issue, I get a message "could not start: Print Spooler service on local computer. Error 3: The system cannot find the path specified. "Basically the file is not found. This problem is over my head. I hope that I clarified the problem. Does something need to be downloaded to correct the problem or is it some other issue needing fixing? I would appreciate the help in finding a solution.
 
#21 ·
ChefTech said:
Hi Liberty, I also ran into this problem. I have found a solution but I was looking for more information about it and saw your post. It is related to XP's data execution prevention.
I have added the print spooler service to the excluded list and it has solved the problem.
I am currently looking to see if this will leave the PC's vulnerable.

Go to System Properties>Advanced
Select Performance>Settings
Select Data Execution Prevention
Select Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select
Click Add
Paste this in to the file name box of the window that opens:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
Select Open
Select OK when you receive the warning
Select Apply

And you will be printing again. Good luck.
 
#22 ·
karenski said:
Windows XP; HP Pavilion a 1020n; HP Officejet 5610v All In One. Printer was working fine and then it stopped-no icon on the printer page of computer showing a printer was installed. I tried to uninstall and reinstall the printer as that usually corrects problems, but I could not reinstall the printer as I got an error message-"This service(Print Spooler) is stopped and needs to be running for this installation to continue. Click fix to have the installer start the service" There is a category listed of the service-"spooler, manufacturer Microsoft, version 0.0.0.0 "and the further message-All issues must be fixed before installation can continue. Clicking "fix" did not fix the problem.I e-mailed Microsoft, but no reply. I contacted HP and their "techs" suggested some things to try-still no correction of the problem. I tried some of the other solutions your members suggested (under Services ,data execution prevention-under the section "Turn on DEP"-tried to add "C:WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe" and got message "file not found. Please verify the correct file name was given". Under properties window of print spooler a message appeared-"configuration manager. A required entry in the registry is missing or an attempt to write to registry failed". Under service msc, where the print spooler is listed -there is no indication of status of started or stopped in the status area, just a blank space. When I select "start" to correct this issue, I get a message "could not start: Print Spooler service on local computer. Error 3: The system cannot find the path specified. "Basically the file is not found. This problem is over my head. I hope that I clarified the problem. Does something need to be downloaded to correct the problem or is it some other issue needing fixing? I would appreciate the help in finding a solution.
Hello, If you could post all of this in a new thread it would get worked on much faster since this thread has been marked solved and also it is extremely difficult to wotk on more than one problem/per/person/ in a thread, it is just to difficult to keep track of who what is for.

Thank you and looking forward to your post.
 
#25 ·
I had the problems mentioned above. Uninstalling and then reinstalling the printer software solved the problem, but it was a little trickly, because the "uninstall" from my program list wouldn't work. But when I put in the CD for the printer, I found the uninstall icon on the CD, and this uninstalled everything. I could then reinstall (with the printer off and disconnected from the computer), and then everything worked fine.
I spent about 5 hours on this. The worst (most complex and unneccessarily dangerous) advice I got was from Microsooft bulletins ( eg., (324757, 919750, and 810894). How strange that I have to rely on unpaid good samaritans; why can't Miicrosoft montier these sites and provide a reasonable summary of solutions?
 
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