[rmcw]

I need help really badly.

1. Since Saturday, July 1, 2006, my printer is not working because my print spooler won't run. I started to get the Spooler Subsystem App error message.

The print spoolers are not running and the printers have disappeared in the Printers and Faxes section of the Control Panel. I am not experienced and do not want to try to work with the registry. So, pursuant to instructions on Microsoft MVP Bruce Sanderson's webpage, http://members.shaw....nterDrivers.htm, and with the suggestion of Cari, Microsoft MVP, I downloaded Windows 2003 Resource Kit Tools and attempted to run the cleanspl utility.

It did not work. After 2 days of trying to find out what my Computer Name was (right click on My Computer, Properties, Computer Name is a tab), I put my computer name in the dialogue box of the cleanspl utility and clicked on Clean Spool. Another dialogue box showed up which said as follows:

"Unable to enumerate the files in the directory. '\\computer name(it named the name of my computer)\C$\Windows\system32\spool\Printers' matching the filter *.spl. The network location cannot be reached. For information about network troubleshooting, see Windows Help. The specified directory cannot be validated."

2. I tried a System Restore twice last night (July 3) and it would not complete the system restore. I do not know why.

3. I have used this computer since I got it in May, 2005 with no problems until about a month ago when web pages started to freeze and my javascript pop-ups wouldn't work on pages like the NY Times for graphics and things. I have no idea why this started. I have McAfee Virus protection constantly updated through AOL 9.0 and Personal Firewall Plus. Further, Windows Automatic Updates is constantly doing its thing. (Are those updates the problem?)

4. I have done command prompt - net start spooler, it starts and immediately stops. I have tried to go through the My Computer, Printers and Faxes, the printers are not there to right click on to cancel all documents and when they do re-appear and I try to cancel all documents, the error message states that the operation can't be completed, the print spooler is not running.

So that is the story. Meantime, I cannot print and need to desperately soon. I really need some help and would appreciate any replies. But because I am not an expert even remotely, if anyone knows what to do, could you be very specific, including what files NOT TO DELETE when I get the clean spooler to work, if that is what has to be done?

Thank you very much.

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Click start then run, type services.msc then press enter, check the services are running

[Retired Tech]

Click start then run, type services.msc then press enter, check the services are running

[rmcw]

Thank you, Keith. I did what you said and re-started the service. (But I have gone into that area before and re-started the service and it started then stopped again right away) What should I do now? Thank you. While I was completing this message, I got the Spooler Subsystem App error again which means the spooler stopped again.

[Retired Tech]

Is the start up type set to automatic

[rmcw]

Yes, Keith, the start-up is set to automatic ( and I just re-started again). Thank you.

[rmcw]

I just got the Spooler Subsystem App error again.

[Retired Tech]

Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc defragmenter

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

Re-start the services

If no change

You can use this guide to repair XP

Possibly, you will need to press the start button and keep tapping the delete key, (possibly F2) until the PC enters set up. Change the boot order to CD ROM Drive then hard drive, press F10 then press enter, load the XP CD then type Y then press enter, as it reboots, look for press any key to load from CD, press enter

You will need the XP product key to complete this

If you have audio / video files which are subject to DRM you should check with the provider for known issues with performing an XP repair install

XP Repair Install

Windows XP repair feature won't delete your data, installed programs, personal information, or settings. It just repairs the operating system

After running XP Repair you will need to install all Windows Updates

Microsoft Update

[rmcw]

Thank you so much for your help...so it appears that I'm in real trouble here? The operating system is no good (asking because I don't quite understand the implications of what you're saying) I will read the clickable posts in a minute as you suggested to get more information. It sounds like I need someone pretty experienced to do this, what do you recommend? And thank you again for your help.

[Retired Tech]

The first part is straightforward and replaces the system files

The repair is the same as long as you follow the repair guide

[rmcw]

Thank you, Keith. I will attempt this fix.

[rmcw]

Keith,

I wanted you to know what happened. Before I followed your instructions, I tried one last time to start the print spooler. This is what I did. I went into services and re-started the print spooler, having the control panel and printers and faxes page open at the same time. I re-started the spooler but did not click ok. I then went to the icon for my Xerox XD printer, right-clicked and was able to delete it. And it disappeared. I then went to the server properties, which I wasn't able to get into before and saw the drivers tab and the Xerox printer. I tried to remove the drivers, but it told me that the printer was in use, so I could not remove them. I downloaded the XP version of the drivers for the Xerox XD printer from Xerox' website and saved it to a download folder. Scared, I turned off the computer and printer. Restarted the computer and printer and installed the new drivers. I followed the install instructions for the drivers (even though the drivers are not Windows signature, but Xerox said do it anyway) and then installed the new hardware (my Xerox XD printer); it sent a test page (and even before I deleted the printer from the control panel, the printer worked and I used it to print your instructions and it worked okay). I've printed a page since re-installing drivers and found new hardware and it's working. What do you think? Do you think it's temporary and that's there's a larger problem? A lot of people have had print spooler problems on these message boards...something must be wrong. In 11 years, this is the first time it's happened to me....if you all have clout with Microsoft, can you make them clearly state the problem, why it happened, and how to fix it? I think that would help all of us.

As for you, I want to thank you very much for your kind assistance and hope that this will work permanently and might help someone else.

Kind regards,

rmcw