To troubleshoot the Print Spooler we need to know if it is running or not. If the print spooler service is not running you can’t print. So that is the first hint that there might be a problem. If it is running and you still can’t print just restart it anyway, that usually fixes the problem. But you should power off the printer and start it back up in tandem with the Print Spooler Service. To learn how to restart the spooler, look down the page at any of the three methods.
There are multiple ways that hint to us if the print Spooler is running or not, but by default in any windows OS it starts up automatically. You can see in the services console if the Print Spooler Services is running. Look at the Methods 2 or 3 down the page how to get there and make sure if the print spooler is started. In addition you can check the task manager (image below) under processes to see if the spoolsv.exe is running. Sometimes if the spooler service can’t be stopped it is easier to preempt it by using task manager. In windows 7 or vista you have to make sure that the 1# Show processes from all users check-mark is checked. Then look for the spoolsv.exe select it and #2 end task. To start up the print spooler back up follow the tutorial further. Sometimes in extreme situations there might by other processes which might be locking the print jobs (and they can’t be deleted) even if the spooler is not running. Usually these processes load the CPU the most and they also have to be preempted (end task). To view which ones are loading up the CPU just arrange the processes by the CPU column, to view the top CPU frames consumers.
Now if the spooler is stopped, something must have stopped it. So you will have to look in the Folder: C:\windows\system32\spool\printers if you see any files there just delete them because they are the spooled jobs that caused the spooler to stop. So you won’t be able to start the spooler because it will stop again since it will try to send the jobs to the printer again. It could also be that the Spooler is still working and the files cannot be deleted. To delete them just stop the spooler first and then delete the files. To get to any folder location on your computer use method 1 or 2 but put in for example C:\windows\system32\spool\printers instead of “cmd” to get there and see if you have the spooled files or not.
In windows XP Vista and 7 the service can be found in the services console. There are multiple ways to get to the print spooler. So the easiest way for me is like this:
Method 1. Press the Windows Key on the keyboard in combination with the “R” then type cmd in the pop up dialog box and press enter or click the OK button. On the pop up window with black background type in: “net stop spooler”, after you receive the confirmation message, type in “net start spooler”. That is it.
Method 2. Another way is instead of running ”cmd” in the Run Command Dialog box you can run “services.msc” after the dialog box with services pops up scroll down to print spooler service. If you can’t find it, just select any service by clicking once and then press the “P” key on the keyboard it should take you in the P range of services.
Method 3. Another method is to right click on “my computer” and from the popup menu select “Manage” in the Computer management dialog box on the left hand side look on the bottom and expand Services and applications then click on services, from there on look at Method 2 to get to the print spooler.
Further troubleshooting. Restart the computer and then follow the entire process but make sure that C:\windows\system32\spool\printers location has no files in it.
Furthermore look at this FixIt tool from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2000007 Download the tool, run it and follow the wizard. Select the reset spooler to defaults. Just a heads up your printer/printers will get uninstalled if you run the FixIt app. So you will have to reinstall them.
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