System hangs & printer disappear

[Guest]

I'm having a real test on one client site at present. I have two users
demonstrating similar symptoms at different times. The symptoms being that,
randomly, when trying to print their systems seem to lock up with no print
output.

Curiously too nothing happens when trying to access "Task Manager" by using
CTL-ALT-DEL in this state or when trying to view "Printers and Faxes". I have
to then run "taskmgr" from the 'Run' dialog box. When I am in "Task Manager",
I cancel "spoolsv.exe", I then get normal control of the PC back. However I
still cannot see any printers immediately, they come up after about 30 secs.

One user reported a similar problem when trying to send an email.

System config:

Server : SBS 2003 Prem.

Client : Windows XP SP2
Office : 2000 Pro + Outlook 2003
PC1 Printer : Kyocera FS-1010 (USB)
PC2 Printer : Kyocera FS-820 (Parallel)

 

[Guest]

Hi..


spoolsv.exe is running all the time with taking up 98/ of the cpu usage and
almost freezing my computer", We can do the following steps to resolve the
issue:

Please follow the steps given below:

* Go to Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services and stop the Print
Spooler.

* Turn off the printer. Now go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\PRINTERS and
delete the files there. I found '00020.SHD' and '00020.SPL'.

* Now turn your printer back on and restart the service.

* Check task manager, spoolsv.exe should be at 00%.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Mohammed, but I've been through these steps, which are a
'work-a-round' not a solution. Sadly I cannot expect the users (my clients)
to go through this rigmarole every time they wish to print.

One of the users reports that she's not had a problem in the past week. I
had downloaded and applied a 'hotfix' from Microsoft, as well as delete the
"Image Writer" printer from the printer folder. The remaining user who is
still experiencing the problem just happens to be the owner of the business,
so can imagine the pressure I'm under.

Incidentally the reason for this delayed reply, is that the same user
suffered a HDU failure last Thursday. How does the saying go? "It never
rains....."