Print Spooler service errors and won't stay started

Win 2000.
First, all printers disappeared- how, I have no idea. Don't know if someone has been screwing around or what happened.

The printer software says it encounters a serious error, close and restart pc then re-run. Well, did that, no diff.

Then I went into add a printer through the control panel. The add a printer button pops up "Printer operation cannot continue doe to lack of resources. Print subsystem is unavailable." Per the MS Knowledge base, I restarted the Print Spooler service and find that it will restart, but won't stay started...nothing on the MSK about that part!

So everytime I try to load a printer I get the error above OR "spoolsv.exe has generated errors and will be closed by windows. You will need to restart the program".

And again, the service won't stay started. What is causing this to happen?? Please advise- someone!
Thanks!

 

Uninstall your printer software/drivers.
If the spooler works at that point, reinstall it.

 

Ok, I uninstalled the printer software that was on the pc, then I rebooted. I opened the Printers folder after the reboot and all of the printers were back So anyways- during the uninstall, the error RPC server could not be found popped up like three times.

As soon as the computer rebooted, the spoolsv.exe error I described popped up like three times and it continues to do it randomly. The services still won't stay started....

 

you are going to have to manually rip the drivers out of the system.

I'm going to be heading into work, but I'll find an article for you later, unless someone else drops in with it.

 

Yippee! Let me know what you find- am I to do it for every installed printer?

 

Just an Idea, sometimes windows does not delete all files when deleting a program,leaves behind fragments,,use a uninstaller program from the software area of this site to completely scrub the system for any remaining fragments, then try to reinstall the printer software,,,but also your PC recovery disk should also have a repair selection to reinstall you windows drivers, to recover to printer driver...Hope this is helpfull. Glenn

 

Oops, apparently my last reply didn't stick.

Start with this.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=810894

 

That did the trick, I can reinstall the software now without errors.
Oh how I love my Geeks...
lol

 

Glad it worked out

 

I'm having the same problem with WindowsXP home edition. I haven't installed anything(such as another printer), same setup as always with a Canon S820. Is this a problem that will just "happen" ? So it may happen again for no reason? But my big question is, do I HAVE to go into the Registry to fix this problem if nothing else works and if so, do you feel that if I follow the steps exactly from the site you list, do you feel pretty confident that I won't render my computer inoperable?
I've never done anything in the registy and it just makes me really nervous!
Thanks!!

 

As long as you don't deviate from the article, and do exactly what it says, it is relatively safe.

The three key things to using that which you fear is backup, backup, and backup.

Any key you delete in the registry, should first be highlighted, then go up to File > Export, and save a copy in case something goes wrong.

This issue only occurs in two cases:

1. The driver isn't compatible.
2. The driver is corrupt.