Print Spooler service stopped

[Guest]

Here the situation:
Network: Windows 2K/2K3 servers
Desktops: Windows 2K/Laptops 2K/XP
Runing script logic.
On various desktops, seems random, the print spooler is stopped, even though
it is set to auto. When I get a call from a user saying that their printers
have disappeared, I just retart the spooler service. There seems to be
nothing wrong with the service, but my question is what could be causing the
service to stop. It could happen when they first login or they could be
logged in during the day and all of sudden they go and print and their
printers are gone. I just restart the spooler service, they can print. My
temporary fix has been placing a batch in startup folder that starts the
spooler service. Does anyone have any idea why this is happening.

 

[g6yak]

Here the situation:
Network: Windows 2K/2K3 servers
Desktops: Windows 2K/Laptops 2K/XP
Runing script logic.
On various desktops, seems random, the print spooler is stopped, even though
it is set to auto. When I get a call from a user saying that their printers
have disappeared, I just retart the spooler service. There seems to be
nothing wrong with the service, but my question is what could be causing the
service to stop. It could happen when they first login or they could be
logged in during the day and all of sudden they go and print and their
printers are gone. I just restart the spooler service, they can print. My
temporary fix has been placing a batch in startup folder that starts the
spooler service. Does anyone have any idea why this is happening.

I have exactly the same since I installed some OKI printers.

Paul

 

[Bruce Sanderson]

Print Spooler stopping is usually related to a "defective" printer driver.

Some printer drivers for Windows 2000 don't work well on Windows XP,
especially the "Printer Driver Model Version 2" (Windows NT and 2000)
versions.

Check the printer manufacturer's web site for newer driver versions.

I suggest "cleaning" the printer drivers on the clients
(http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm), make sure you
have "Windows 2000, XP or 2003" version drivers on your print servers
(http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/AddDrivertoOldOS.htm might help), then add
the printers to the clients again (see
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/NetPrinterAllUsers.htm for one approach).

If none of the above is useful, post again and specifiy what printer makes
and models and which driver versions are involved with this problem.

 

[Guest]

My next question is: Why is the problem not happening to everyone on the
network? The problem has not ocurred on my computer. I will get the printer
make and models post them.

 

[Guest]

Here is a list of Printers/copiers we have on our network:
Minolta Pi6500e PCL6
Gestetner 5502 PCL 6
Gestetner 6002 PCL 5e
Gestetner DSm 660 PCL 6
Ricoh Aficio 1022 PCL 5e
HP5si MX
HP8000
HP4100
HP4050 PCL 6
HP4P
HP5500
HP4050
Canon iR6020
Do you see suspect printers/copiers that may be causing the problem.

 

[Bruce Sanderson]

I'm not familiar with specific problems relating to those specific printers.
What's often critical is what version of the printer driver is installed on
the client and what version is installed on the print server. Sometimes
there are incompatibilities that cause subtle problems. However, we did
have problems with the HP 4000 series, but that was mostly related to print
formatting, not spooler crashes - these problems were corrected in current
driver builds from the HP web site.

Look at which printers are actually connected to (added to) each client.
Perhaps there is a pattern - only those with a specific printer have the
problem.

I suggest making sure you have only up to date drivers for the OSs installed
on the clients and print servers - visit the vendors web sites and download
the latest drivers from there. Starting with a clean print configuration on
the client will help solve this problem (see
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm). If the print
server is running Windows 2000, make sure you have "Printer Driver Model 3"
drivers installed on it. These will show as "Windows 2000 or Windows XP" in
the Printers and Faxes, Server Properties, Drivers dialog. "Printer Driver
Model 2" drivers (show up as Windows NT 4 and Windows 2000) will usually
install on Windows XP but often give strange problems.

If your clients are running Windows XP Service Pack 2, look for log files in
%windir%\spoolerlogs\spooler.XML - these may give you hints about which
driver is causing the problem.

Unfortunatly, solving these problems is not simple. I've found the best
approach is to take one client that is having the trouble then eliminate
potential sources by deleting printers and the corresponding drivers one at
a time. Or, clean off all the printers and drivers, then add them one at
time until the problem re-appears.

Be consistent with the drivers on your print servers - use exactly the same
version of the same driver for each printer model on them all. For example,
you list both HP 4050 PCL 6 and HP 4050, which may not be a good idea.

Sorry to be so vague, but printer drivers are very idiosyncratic so you have
deal with them one at a time. Also, the printer vendors are often not very
careful about how they design and build their drivers, so using them is
often a painful experience. Diagnostic tools are few and far between - a
constant source of agrevation.

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP Printing
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders

It is perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.