xp sp2 upgrade and print spooler service not running

[Mark Fertel]

I recently installed xp sp2. Since then I have been unable to print
to my HP Laserjet 3330. When I first tried to print after
installation of sp2 I was informed that I had no printers installed
and I would need to install a printer. I went to printers and faxes,
noticed that my laserjet printer icon was gone, and I clicked add
printer. I then received the message that the print spooler service
was not running so I would not be able to install a printer. I then
checked services.msc and found that the print spooler service was set
on automatic and had started. I stopped it and then restarted it. I
also clicked start -> run and typed net start spooler. I went back to
printers and faxes and my printer icon had returned. I then tried to
print a document but I received the same "print spooler service not
running message." I went back to printers and faxes and the printer
icon was again missing. I did the steps listed above again and had
the same lack of success. I then unistalled sp2 and was able to print
without any problems. I reinstalled sp2 and the same printing
problems returned. I have gone through many of the posts in this
group and tried the suggestions listed, including using the
cleanspl.exe utility in the windows resouce kit, all without success.
Please help.

 

[Bruce Sanderson]

If you haven't already, visit the HP web site
(http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html) and download the "hp
LaserJet 3300/3330 PCL6 driver" (lj224en.exe).

1. Clean up the drivers as you did before (or see
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm),
2. double click the downloaded driver file to expand it
3. start the Add Printer wizard
4. when you get to page to select the printer make and model, click "Have
Disk", the Browse and navigate to where you expanded the downloaded file
5. select the file hp332Ep6.inf and click Open
6. complete the rest of the Add Printer Wizard

Does this help?

 

[Mark Fertel]

Sorry, it doesn't help. I followed steps 1 and 2. Step 3 states that
I should start the Add Printer wizard. When I went into Start ->
Printers and Faxes (noticing that my printer icons were gone) and
clicked on Add Printer I got the message "Operation could not be
completed. The print spooler service is not running." I then went
into Start -> Run and typed "net start spooler." While my printer
icons now appeared, clicking on Add Printer resulted in the message
"operaration could not be completed."

 

[Mark Fertel]

UPDATE-UPDATE-UPDATE

The first time I followed your instructions I used the program
cleanspl.exe to clean up the printer drivers on my computer. It
didn't work - I couldnt' get past step 2. On a hunch I decided to
follow the directions on the website and clean the drivers manually.
That worked! I can print just fine now - thanks for your help!

 

[Bruce Sanderson]

Good that you can print. I'm curious about the problem you had with
cleanspl.

Which step do you mean by "step 2" and what symptom (error message, crash
etc.) did you observe?