Can't add Printer because the Spooler service can't be started

I am using a Dell Inspiron 531 with Windows Vista Home Premium SP2.  I have a Cannon MP470.  The printer stopped working.  It is not In Control Panel - Printers.  When I try to add the printer I get the message "Windows can't open Add Printer. The local print spooler service is not running.  Please restart the spooler or restart the machine."

When I try to restart the Print Spooler service I get the message "Windows could not start the Print Spooler service on Local Computer.  Error 1067: The process terminated unexpectedly." 

The Print Spooler service is set to Automatic and Start.  I tried restarting the computer.  The Print Spooler service does not start.

I can see the printer in Devices under Imaging Devices.  I Disabled it and Enabled it.  This did not help.

I have unhidden all files in Windows Explorer.  I tried to delete the files in \windows\system32\spool\printers but did not find any files there. 

Most recently I tried to download a new driver but got a message about the Print Spooler being stopped when I tried to install it. 

What can I do to get this printer working again?

Thanks

Don

This link will save you some time.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/89483-print-spooler-queue-clear-reset.html

Thanks for your response. 

Your solution is very similar to something I found on the internet. The document I found said to make sure there was no hidden files. So in Folder Options, the View tab I have

Show hidden files and folders checked, Hide extensions for known file types and Hide Protected operating system files (Recommended) both not checked. I am not aware of any other selections that need to be adjusted.

I do not need to stop the Print Spooler service. It does not start on boot up or a restart. I can’t get it to start.

I figured since the bat file was going to do the same thing as the second option I would do option 2. But since the service isn’t started and the PRINTERS folder is empty there isn’t really anything for me to do. I did try to start the Print Spooler service again but got the same error as the previous post.

I attached some screen shots of what I did.

I did boot the PC this afternoon and looked in the event viewer for a hint.

I found this error followed by four attempts to start the Print Spooler service. Is this error significant? I looked for a service by this name or anything similar and could not find it.

Log Name: System

Source: Service Control Manager

Date: 10/29/2014 2:55:23 PM

Event ID: 7000

Task Category: None

Level: Error

Keywords: Classic

User: N/A

Computer: Carol-PC

Description:

The Parallel port driver service failed to start due to the following error:

The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it.

Event Xml:

<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">

<System>

<Provider Name="Service Control Manager" Guid="{555908D1-A6D7-4695-8E1E-26931D2012F4}" EventSourceName="Service Control Manager" />

<EventID Qualifiers="49152">7000</EventID>

<Version>0</Version>

<Level>2</Level>

<Task>0</Task>

<Opcode>0</Opcode>

<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>

<TimeCreated SystemTime="2014-10-29T18:55:23.000Z" />

<EventRecordID>494216</EventRecordID>

<Correlation />

<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />

<Channel>System</Channel>

<Computer>Carol-PC</Computer>

<Security />

</System>

<EventData>

<Data Name="param1">Parallel port driver</Data>

<Data Name="param2">%%1058</Data>

</EventData>

</Event>

Here is the text from the Print Spooler error:

Log Name: System

Source: Service Control Manager

Date: 10/29/2014 2:55:23 PM

Event ID: 7031

Task Category: None

Level: Error

Keywords: Classic

User: N/A

Computer: Carol-PC

Description:

The Print Spooler service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 1 time(s). The following corrective action will be taken in 60000 milliseconds: Restart the service.

Event Xml:

<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">

<System>

<Provider Name="Service Control Manager" Guid="{555908D1-A6D7-4695-8E1E-26931D2012F4}" EventSourceName="Service Control Manager" />

<EventID Qualifiers="49152">7031</EventID>

<Version>0</Version>

<Level>2</Level>

<Task>0</Task>

<Opcode>0</Opcode>

<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>

<TimeCreated SystemTime="2014-10-29T18:55:23.000Z" />

<EventRecordID>494247</EventRecordID>

<Correlation />

<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />

<Channel>System</Channel>

<Computer>Carol-PC</Computer>

<Security />

</System>

<EventData>

<Data Name="param1">Print Spooler</Data>

<Data Name="param2">1</Data>

<Data Name="param3">60000</Data>

<Data Name="param4">1</Data>

<Data Name="param5">Restart the service</Data>

</EventData>

</Event>

I just saw farther down in your link some commands I could run from NoelDP. I pasted the results in the attachment. I tried to start the Print Spooler after I ran

these but got the same error as my previous post.

Hope something here is helpful.   Thanks for your help on this.

Don

Could not find how to do attachment.

But the Print Spooler service is not started.  The PRINTERS folder is empty. 

Here is the text of the commands from NoelDP

C:\Windows\system32>NET START SPOOLER

The Print Spooler service is starting.

The Print Spooler service could not be started.

A system error has occurred.

System error 1067 has occurred.

The process terminated unexpectedly.

C:\Windows\system32>SC QC SPOOLER

[SC] QueryServiceConfig SUCCESS

SERVICE_NAME: SPOOLER

TYPE : 110 WIN32_OWN_PROCESS (interactive)

START_TYPE : 2 AUTO_START

ERROR_CONTROL : 1 NORMAL

BINARY_PATH_NAME : C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe

LOAD_ORDER_GROUP : SpoolerGroup

TAG : 0

DISPLAY_NAME : Print Spooler

DEPENDENCIES : RPCSS

: http

SERVICE_START_NAME : LocalSystem

C:\Windows\system32>SC QUERYEX SPOOLER

SERVICE_NAME: SPOOLER

TYPE : 110 WIN32_OWN_PROCESS (interactive)

STATE : 1 STOPPED

WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 1067 (0x42b)

SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)

CHECKPOINT : 0x0

WAIT_HINT : 0x0

PID : 0

FLAGS :

C:\Windows\system32>

Is there a way to do an attachment?

Thanks

Don

In the "Print Spooler Properties" window, click on the "Dependencies" tab.
The top pane lists: "This service depends on the following system components:".



Make sure the "Status" of the components(services) listed in that pane is "Started" and that their "Startup Type" is set to "Automatic".

This issue can be caused by the following reasons:

1. Printer driver is corrupt.
2. Contents in printer spooler are corrupt.
3. Other incompatible printer drivers conflicts.

To resolve this issue, please try the following steps.

Method 1: Reinstall the installed printers

To reinstall the printers, please refer "How to reinstall a printer".

If the issue persists, go Step2.

Method 2: Reset Spooler

1. Click "Start", type "Services.msc" in the "Start Search" box press "Enter".
2. Double-click "Printer Spooler" in the Services list.
3. Click "Stop" and click "OK".
4. Click "Start", in the "Start Search" box type "%WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers" press "Enter", and delete all files in this folder.
5. Click "Start", in the "Start Search" box type "Services.msc" (without the quotation marks) in the open box and press "Enter".
6. Double-click "Printer Spooler" in the Services list.
7. Click "Start" and click "OK".

Method 3: Isolate each printer drivers and find if any driver is the root cause.

To isolate printer driver, please:

1. Click "Start", type "Print Management" in the "Start Search" box and press "Enter".
2. Click "All Drivers" in the left pane. In the right pane, right-click on one printer driver and choose "Set Driver Isolation"->"Isolated".
3. Start printing job and see if printer spooler crashes. If it still crashes, change the driver isolation of the driver back to "System Default (Shared)". Then continue to isolate the next driver.

Once the issue does not occur after you isolate a driver, the driver should be the root cause of the print spooler crash issue.

FlannelBack -  Thanks for your reply.

I checked these the dependencies.  Both Remote Procedure Call  and DCOM Process Server Launcher are Started and Automatic.  I did not have the RPC Endpoint Mapper listed as a dependency, nor is it a Service listed on this system. 

kaylagarcia - Thanks for your reply as well. 

Method 1 - I navigated to Control Panel, Printers.  I have no printers listed.  So there was none to uninstall.  I right clicked and choose Run as Administrator, Add Printer.  I get this message:   "Windows can't open Add Printer. The local print spooler service is not running. Please restart the spooler or restart the machine."

One thing I did notice - there is an Uninstall option if I look in Device Manager, Imaging Devices and right click Canon MP470 ser.  Do you think I should try to uninstall it there first?

Method 2 - there is no need for me to stop the Print Spooler service.  I can't get it to start.  As stated previously I do not see any files in the /windows/system32/spool/Printers directory.  My view options are still set to show the hidden files.  And attempting to start the Print Spooler service gives me this message:  "Windows could not start the Print Spooler service on Local Computer. Error 1067: The process terminated unexpectedly."

Method 3 - When I type Print Management in the Start Search window and hit enter a window flashes but goes away too fast for me to see what is in it.  It looks like it may be a DOS window but I can't tell for sure.  I tried this on another PC running Wndows Vista and it acted the same way.  Is there another way for me to get at this information?  Does this maybe need the Print Spooler service to work?  Although I did check the other PC and the Print Spooler service was working on that other PC.

Thanks you both for your help.  Is there anything else I can look at?

Don

I checked these the dependencies.  Both Remote Procedure Call  and DCOM Process Server Launcher are Started and Automatic.  I did not have the RPC Endpoint Mapper listed as a dependency, nor is it a Service listed on this system.

Sorry for the confusion.  That pic is from a Win 7 x64 computer. I meant for you to check any components listed in your "Print Spooler Properties" window.
 

One thing I did notice - there is an Uninstall option if I look in Device Manager, Imaging Devices and right click Canon MP470 ser.  Do you think I should try to uninstall it there first?

If you have the installation CD that came with the MP470 printer then yes.

Do you have the installation CD that came with the printer?  If so, I would turn the printer off, disconnect it from the computer, un-install any of the MP470 software including any drivers.  Turn the computer off, wait about 10-30 seconds then turn the computer back on, leaving the printer disconnected from the computer.

Check to see if the print spooler is started.  If it is then re-install the MP470 software.  If the spooler is not started then it is something other than the MP470 software/driver(s) that is the problem.  It's a process of elimination.

"Print Management" is a Microsoft Management Console(MMC) snap-in.  Windows Vista Print Management Step by Step Guide.

FlanelBack

Thanks for your response.  I am not going to be able to get back to the problem PC until Monday at the earliest.  I do have a couple questions though. 

I will find out Monday if there is an installation CD available.  If there is no CD, can I get what I need for the installation some other place? 

On the Print Mangement - I have a PC running Windows Vista here.  I wanted to see what Print Management looked like on my system.  I figured out if I click Start and type MMC I get a MMC in Programs at the top of my Start menu.  I right clicked and Ran as Administrator.  It opens a window Console1 - [Console Root].  I tried to figure out how to get to Print Management.  Under File there are three entries at the bottom 1 devmgmt.msc, 2 services.msc and 3 compmgmt.msc.  When I click on each one they open Device Mananager, Services and Computer Management.  I can't figure out what I need to do to get Print Manager to work.  I have searched in Windows Explorer for msc files, thinking I could find one for Print Manager.  I can find some .msc files but I can't find these.  Can you tell me what directory I could find these files so maybe I could navigate there using the File, Open choice?  Or am I off track here?

Thanks for your help

Don

If you can't get your hands on the CD, you can try:

Canon U.S.A. : Support & Drivers : PIXMA MP470

Make sure JavaScript is enabled when you go to the Canon site.  That way the site will detect your OS and display the recommended driver package.  You also won't be able to download the driver(s) if JavaScript is disabled.
I believe this is the one you want:

Details - MP470 series MP Driver Ver. 1.01 (Windows 8.1/8/7/Vista/XP/2000)

Best to use the one they recommend though.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to a Vista based computer so can't help much with the "Print Management" options.
Here is another Print Management Step-by-Step Guide that has more info about use.  On that page I noticed this:

"Print Management is installed by default on computers running Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Windows Vista Ultimate"

You might try typing Printmanagement.msc in the "Start">"Search" box instead of "Print Management".

Closest I can get to "Print Management" in Win7 is printui.exe.  Printui.exe has no "Set Driver Isolation" option though.  But it will let you remove printer drivers.

If you wish to try using printui:

• Press the [Windows]+[R] key combination.
• In the run box type printui /s and click "OK" or tap "Enter"
• In the "Print Server Properties" window, click the "Drivers" tab.
• Select the print driver to remove.

Before un-installing/removing any print driver(s), be sure to disconnect the printer from the computer.

FlanelBack

Thanks for your reply. 

That is the driver file I had attempted to install before but since the Print Spooler was not running it didn't work.  So if I do get it running and don't have the install CD I will to use that.  If I do get it installed with the CD it might be a good idea for me to install the newer driver anyway. 

I did some looking on my PC which is running Windows Vista for the rest of this reply. 

I saw that guide and it basically said Print Mnagement is part of the MMC install.  But I don't have it.  I tried looking it MMC, File, Add/Remove Snap-in but it is not listed. 

I tried typing Printmanagement.msc in Start, Search on my PC but it didn't find any matching items.  I'll try it on the problem PC too. 

I tried Printui.exe on my PC and was able to see the print drivers that way.  But then I Stopped my Print Spooler service, tried it again and it would not work.  It gave me a message to start my Print Spooler service. 

While my Print Spooler was stopped, I tried to look at Control Panel, Printers and none showed up.  This is the way the problem PC acts. 

So I am thinking Printui.exe is not going to help me until I can get the spooler running. 

I googled "print management missing from MMC windows Vista".  It lead me to TheITBros site - remove-windows-vista7-printer-driver.  I saw there what Print Management should look like in MMC.  But the alternative they offer if Print Management is not available is to delete it inside Regeidt.  It shows to navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\.  My drivers were in Windows NT x86\Version-3.  I am seenig this with my Print Spooler stopped, so I am thinking I could delete the drivers this way.  What are your thoughts? 

I will also delete the printer from Devices, Imaging Devices.  Are there any other places you can think of for me to look to delete the printer?

Thanks for your help with this.

Don

I will also delete the printer from Devices, Imaging Devices.  Are there any other places you can think of for me to look to delete the printer?

Hold up on the deleting process unless you've already started the process. Not off of the top of my head.

Another method to try and start the "Print Spooler".
 

• Open a "Command Prompt" window: [ Windows ] + [ R ] key combination.
• Type CMD in the "Run" box and tap [ Enter ] or click the [ OK ] button.
• At the prompt type: sc config spooler depend= RPCSS and tap [ Enter ]

Note, there is no space between the word "depend" and the equals sign but there is a space between the equals sign and "RPCSS".

• In "Services", start the "Print Spooler" service.
• In the "Command Prompt" window type exit and tap [ Enter ] to close the window.

FlanelBack

You did catch me before I did any deletes.  I have fixed the problem.  Early on in my research I came across a site called Techsupportall.com.  They offered a free Print Spoller Repair Tool.  Before I did my deletes I thought I would give it a try.  I would like to know what they did to fix it so when I get home I might contact them to see if they can will tell me.  I'll make reference to this case so they can see what we tried. 

Today the first thing I tried was your most recent suggestion.  I had to run CMD as administrator,  I copied the command into the wwindow.  This was the result:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]

Copyright © 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>sc config spooler depend= RPCSS

[SC] ChangeServiceConfig SUCCESS

C:\Windows\system32>

I was feeling pretty good since it said SUCCESS.  So I tried starting the Print Spooler service but got the same message I have been getting: "Windows could not start the Print Spooler service on Local Computer. Error 1067: The process terminated unexpectedly.". 

I rebooted and tried again but got the same error. 

I brought copies of spoolss.dll and spoolsv.exe from my PC with the idea I would rename them and copy mine into their place.  I found the system32 direcotry is locked down pretty tight.  I opened a CMD window as Administrator but still couldn't delete them.  I googled how to delete files from a system32 directory in Vista.  I found some instructions on how to delete files from the system32 directory but thought I might be getting myself into some trouble there. 

So before I tried to delete the printer (I did find the installation disk here, by the way.) I thought I would give this Print Spooler Repair Tool a try.  I was gald I did.  It fixed it.

So thanks for your help.  I appreciate you sticking with me through this.  The printer is working now.

Don

Well done sir!  A good start to the week.

Yes, I'd like to know what their tool does too.  Also would like to know what causes the problem in the first place.  Oh well can't have everything.

Print away! And thanks for letting us know what you did to solve the problem.

I tried everything I could find, including all of the above, and after a day and a half this is the thing that finally worked for me. It's a Microsoft FixIt tool and I had to use the "Full" version instead of the "Light". Hope this helps someone else too. It's listed as "KB2793718 You experience Print Spooler error messages after installing or upgrading a Third-Party print driver http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2793718"