Internet Access for Spooler?

[Curious George]

I was checking the list of exceptions in Windows Firewall and noticed an
entry for "Spooler Subsystem App" (\system32\spoolsv.exe). I think this was
added by a rather difficult install of an HP printer, but is there any good
reason to let it stay as an exception? Is there ever any legitimate reason
for the spooler to have access to the Internet? How about access to my LAN?
I do have a networked printer (it has its own print server and is not a
shared resource attached to a computer on the LAN).

 

[Paul Baker [MVP, Windows - SDK]]

IMO, all it might need is a "File and printer sharing" exception that is
added automatically.

Windows Firewall doesn't block outgoing connections by default, and most
communication goes through the Print Spooler's RPC server anyway which,
would be take care of by that exception, anyway.

There is also that thing where you use IIS's HTTP server as a relay to the
print server (I forget what that's called), but it's a bad idea in this day
and age and I don't even know if the feature is available any more.

So I am racking my brain and have not been able to come up with a legitimate
reason for the Print Spooler to require network, or even Internet, access
beyond this.

If I were you, I would remove the exception and see what happens. But don't
be suprised when your silly HP software balks. I tend to try to install a
minimal driver rather than the software the big printer manufacturers want
to give you. The ones that are built in to Windows may or may not be a
little older, but they have to be certified so don't come with all kinds of
cr*p.

Paul

 

[Curious George]

That's more or less what I thought, and why I had already removed the
exception.

Unfortunately, the newer HP printer install CD only offers the options of
"install the hugely bloated software package plus driver" or "install the
slightly less bloated software package plus driver."

 

[Paul Baker [MVP, Windows - SDK]]

If you don't like the HP install CD, I would just not use it. I do not allow
software I believe to be unecessary on my own computer.

What version of Windows do you have and what model of HP printer? It may
well have a driver built in that is compatible if not designed for the
specific model you have. This would almost certainly be so for a laserjet,
less likely to be so for a photo printer The HP photo printer I got a
couple of years ago had a Windows Vista driver built in so I used that.

If you find you have no choice but to install things you don't want, you can
always try to uninstall parts of it later and, if that fails, disable it
using various methods

Paul

 

[Curious George]

This is an HP 6988 wireless deskjet connecting to XP Pro sp2. I think, but
am not sure, that the driver for the hp 990C will work for the 6988, but I
also think that I would have to configure the TCP/IP port manually. I have
tried (not very hard) to add this printer using the Add Printer wizard, but
the wizard isn't able to see it by browsing the network or by entering its IP
address or netbios name.

In fact, I have begun deleting some of the non-necessary hp stuff, including
hp's "Port Resolver" (HPBPRO.exe) and hp's "Status Server" (HPBOID.exe), but
it's not always easy to determine what's necessary and what's not other than
by trial and error. HP is not very forthcoming when it comes to describing
the functions of its bundled software.

 

[Paul Baker [MVP, Windows - SDK]]

Yes, it sounds like it is pretty complicated. I'm afraid I am unlikely to be
able to help you any more than you have already helped yourself. It is
shameful that software vendors would encourage or even force you to install
software that may or may not be necessary without even divulging what it
does *sigh*. My satisfaction with major software vendors has been declining
in recent years.

Paul