Printer Communication Problem- Driver Continually Needs to be Reloaded on Reboots

My printer continually needs me to re-load/run the driver/software program [LEXMARK_S300_wcr_64_en.exe] each time I use it after starting my computer. When I try to initially print a document in MS-Word 2010 I get a pop-up box stating to the effect that " printer communication has been lost". If I reload the above note program with the drivers etc. printing will run fine. However, if I re-boot my computer I need to re-run and load the printer program [LEXMARK_S300_wcr_64_en.exe], with the devices etc. to get things to print again. I have a Lexmark Impact S305 printer.

I assumed that my AVAST antivirus could have been the problem so I uninstalled it a few months ago and put on Microsoft PC Essentials. Since this did not change things I just recently re-installed the AVAST antivirus.

I do not think this is a Firewall issue as I can print at times. ESET online scanner has been run recently as a check and any malware from that, if any at all, should have been cleaned. I am very cautious and I do not get too many infections. I get a number of tracking cookies periodically which I get cleaned out after running Super AntiSpyware-free. I have also run Malwarebyte-Pro scans which do not show any infection.

I tried using the program Autoruns; I saved a file after the printer driver reloaded the drivers with the assumption that I could compare that version with another Autoruns version after a reboot and see what was different. Only two keys/files were found doing this that appeared GREEN; "1394.ohci.sys" and "serial.sys".

I ran autoruns after re-booting and saved the setting of the system status at that time. I compared the current setting of autorun with a version saved from a run earlier and I found a number of areas that were GREEN. From this I was able to determine there was some corruption in the BootExecute key/routine in the registry. I looked at that key in the registry and found the file "autocheck autochk*" with several other files that were garbled; I took a snapshot of this and I am including this with a text file of the Autoruns comparison for you to review.

I ran HiJackThis which I am pasting here for your review. This may be an "install" issue with my Lexmark printer software or my Win7 OS may be corrupted. I appreciate your insight and any assistance that you can provide.

If you can review my logs etc.here I appreciate any assistance and guidance that you can provide. Thank you.
=================================
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 11:20:34 AM, on 5/23/2013
Platform: Windows 7 SP1 (WinNT 6.00.3505)
MSIE: Unable to get Internet Explorer version!
Boot mode: Normal

 

Uh oh. Sorry to see your post--it means someone else is having the same problem I'm having, near the same "time" that I'm having it. And there are other common denominators.

I'm on Windows 7 64-bit. I run Avast! Antivirus (free edition). 2 days ago (same day as you?) I was suddenly unable to print--right after I had just printed something. I rebooted the computer. The printer came back. I tried to print--the printer vanished (from START>Devices and Printers).

I'm not sure whether Windows pushed through a software update that caused this problem...or whether Avast! did...or what. I uninstalled Avast! and reinstalled it...I ran a thorough scan and it did find 13 miscellaneous threats that have been quarantined. Still no printer.

I *can* print a test page (like you). But I can't print from Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Word, Windows Live Mail... I get various "script error" messages (unlike you).

Can anyone help with this? I've been Googling for 2 days to figure out what the heck is going on.

Oh--and System Restore back to a week ago didn't fix it either. :cry What the heck is going on??? :confused

 

Hi,

Thanks for posting. I'm glad to be able to try to work this through with someone else who has the same problem.

I have Win7 Home Premium in a DELL computer from June 2011. I initially used Mcaffee free 30-60d trial when I got my computer, then switched to a year incl. subscriotion to Norton AV. The Norton AV was very good but also EXTREMELY protective. I installed the Avast-free which has been good.

I also installed the System Mechanic program then, a subscription got from a family member with other computers it could go on. There seemed to be MANY good reviews for this product on PC World, PC Mag, Zdnet, etc sites; although I was aware of many reports saying to avoid "Registry Cleaners" (other than Ccleaner) I installed System Mechanic. I THINK THAT THIS WAS A BIG MISTAKE AND MAY HAVE CORRUPTED MY MACHINE; research into other forums etc. for reviews on this program suggested that this was a very "iffy" program that has corrupted/ crashed many computers. However, this may not necessarily be the problem.; or just part of it.

It is possible that occasional viruses found may have irreversibly corrupted parts of the system despite being removed/repaired by AV programs etc.

I have gone through malware removal routines from http://securitytango.com/windows.php along with using some parts previously used here or on other sites. (ie. TDSS Killer, Super AntiSpyware-free, Stinger, Malwarebytes, ESET online cleaner, and Rogue Killer, among possible others. Ran in SAFE mode. (some in Normal mode too)

Autoruns is a good program to get to explore and compare before/after effects on registry etc.
http://www.windowsecurity.com/artic...wn-Kill-Malware-Sysinternals-Tools-Part2.html
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

Through Autoruns comparisons i eventually found a major difference with corrupted entries in a BootExecute Key (weird symbols, question marks etc.) so something is happening there. I was still able to re-use my printer after re-loading the drivers/software from the link I had saved....until a new reboot required repeating this.

I did another major scan in NORMAL mode of just my C: drive with AVAST settings of maximum heuristics, all files, all unpackers unpacked checking for memory modules, autorun startups, rootkits etc. This found 2 rootkits which I had removed to chest/deleted. This will take a good 6 hours so do it overnight.

I have also used defraggers with good reputations of Defraggler and Auslogic Disk Defragmenter after finding that the System Mechanic alignment/optimization routine didn't seem to work after awhile. [Note: If you do an optimization part ONLY use one program as they do things differently and will fight with each other. It is still questionable whether these programs should even be used although they did help my computer boot-up]

It seems like I may need to backup and re-install my system. I use Windows Backup. I can try sfc /scannow at a cmd line and it may work (May need to Run as Administer). I may need to re-load my printer software from the actual install disk rather from the downloaded program. After this I can try to do a System Repair Install per http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html which hopefully avoids the need to reinstall ALL software, although some drivers may need to be reloaded from disk.

Hope this work out. Did you use a "Registry Cleaner" like System Mechanic etc.? Did you use any of the similar programs that I have used?

Let me know how this goes. Good luck. Keep in touch.

 

There don't seem to be any other common denominators for us, except my computer is also a DELL computer (tower).

My printer is an HP (not a Lexmark like yours)--I had reinstalled the drivers and was able to print a test page from within the HP software, but can't print from anywhere else on the PC.

(Often, I have heard that not being allowed to print points to a virus, Trojan, malware or some such thing.)

If you go to START > CONTROL PANEL > PROGRAMS > PROGRAMS AND FEATURES > UNINSTALL A PROGRAM and look at the list of programs available to uninstall, are there any files DATED with the approximate date of when your problem started??

Mine showed 4 programs late 5/23. I uninstalled 2 of them on 5/23 (and don't remember what they were)--the other 2 were the DELL diagnostics program (which I have also now uninstalled--no change), and Avast! Uninstalling Avast! and running REVO UNINSTALLER to completely remove it from my system didn't change anything. After reboot, all my printers were still gone.

Which reminds me--I had a .pdf printer installed. Whatever is going on also disabled THAT printer--not just my HP. Are you able to "install" a .pdf printer and print to .pdf? One to try is CutePDFWriter from http://www.cutepdf.com/products/cutepdf/writer.asp

Control Panel > Printers also showed that I had Microsoft XPS Document Writer as a printer, but I can't print to that either.

Let me know whether you can install CutePDFWriter and are able to "print" to it from a program, browser, or e-mail. :confused

 

Also, try this:

To Eliza79,
The easiest way to get to that folder is use Regedit.exe For Vista or Windows 7 type "Regedit" on the start search line. For XP Click start/ Run / Type "regedit" / OK

When Regedit opens follow the tree to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Provider

Remove all but two entries:Internet Print Provider and
LanMan Print Services

Close Regedit
That should do it for you.


Found at this e-mail thread:
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-xp/998760-solved-print-spooler-keeps-stopping-5.html


It did not help me--I only had those 2 print services. But it may help you.

 

I've put pdfCreator on my computer from Ninite.com (or direct from site). I can print easily anytime to this printer. I could not print on my Lexmark unless softwware/drivers were reloaded. I have a WIN7 OS x64 bits.

I tried uninstalling the printer and then with the printer on re-booting. Windows automatically found my printer and downloaded MOST drivers/software. Then I went to Windows Update and allowed all printer updates to be installed. After that was done I had to re-boot my computer. The printer then worked fine with no need to reload programs. I hope that this works.

Also, if you have any encryption programs (ie. Spotflux, Keyscrambler, DNSCrypt (OpenDNS) etc. ) you may want to turn them off as I think that these programs may be interfering, especially during the install.