Can't clear print queue

  • Thread starter Thread starter Herzl Regev
  • Start date Start date
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Herzl Regev

How do I clear the print queue?
I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in
/WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.
 
Herzl Regev said:
How do I clear the print queue?
I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in
/WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.
Click to expand...

What happened when you deleted the files in the Printers folder? Did any of
them stay behind? Any screen message?
 
Herzl Regev said:
How do I clear the print queue?
I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in
/WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.
Click to expand...

Have you restarted the PC?
 
You just need to right-Click on the systems tray icon for the printer and
then select open. You can now delete the jobs listed in there but you need
to be an administrator or a user who sent the job in the first place.

hth
 
First of all, the problem went away, but it might return. Re the replies:

before trying the way I listed, I already tried the way suggested by LD55ZRA.

when I deleted the files in /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, nothing was
left, but the printer queue stayed occupied. I didn't reboot the PC. What
seems to have worked was that I closed that window that I got from "opening"
the printer. Before that I disconnected the printer, turned it off - didn't
help.
 
Herzl Regev said:
First of all, the problem went away, but it might return. Re the replies:

before trying the way I listed, I already tried the way suggested by
LD55ZRA.

when I deleted the files in /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, nothing was
left, but the printer queue stayed occupied. I didn't reboot the PC. What
seems to have worked was that I closed that window that I got from
"opening"
the printer. Before that I disconnected the printer, turned it off -
didn't
help.
Click to expand...

I think you were deceived. Cleaning out the Printers folder is a
non-approved way of doing things and your printer screen will not update
itself automatically. If you did a screen refresh (e.g. with F5) then you
would immediately see an empty print queue.
 
Herzl said:
How do I clear the print queue?
I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in
/WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.
Click to expand...

You may have to build in a pause (the "ping" command).

The following batch file works for me:

@echo off
echo.
echo Purging the print queue . . .
net stop Spooler
echo Deleting all print jobs . . .
ping localhost -n 4 > nul
del /q %SystemRoot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*
net start Spooler
echo Done!
ping localhost -n 4 > nul
 
HeyBub said:
You may have to build in a pause (the "ping" command).

The following batch file works for me:

@echo off
echo.
echo Purging the print queue . . .
net stop Spooler
echo Deleting all print jobs . . .
ping localhost -n 4 > nul
del /q %SystemRoot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*
net start Spooler
echo Done!
ping localhost -n 4 > nul
Click to expand...

Actually, when taking a second look at the batch file you will see that
all that the ping command does is give the user a bit of time to see and
read the echo...

John
 
John John - MVP said:
Actually, when taking a second look at the batch file you will see that
all that the ping command does is give the user a bit of time to see and
read the echo...

John
Click to expand...

The batch file comes out of my kitchen and yes, this was exactly the purpose
of the ping command. Some day, if you're interested, I'll explain the
contortions I had to go through to get around the UAC restrictioins under
Windows 7 . . .
 
Herzl Regev said:
How do I clear the print queue?
I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in
/WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.
Click to expand...
 
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