Printer sharing problem

I have a small local network - my desktop, with printer attached to it (HP DeskjetF2480 All-in-one scanner/printer), a laptop downstairs ethernet connected (wife's) , and a desktop wirelessly connected (son's).

Until recently, all three computers happily used my printer. Recently, this has ceased. My wife goes through the motions of printing, but nothing appears in my printer spooler. (I can print, directly, with no problem.)

When we try to 'Turn on Printer sharing' in Network and Sharing Center' there's a message 'The specified service does not exist as an installed service.'

I have uninstalled and reinstalled the printer. No change.

My computer runs Vista Ultimate 64 bit. The router is a Belkin ADSL2 + Wireless - G

I recently changed from AVG Free to AVG Paid-for (but didn't pay - it was a freebie with a magazine). I can't be sure (we only rarely print anything,) but the problem may have started at about this time.

There is a similar 'Not installed' message on trying to turn on 'File Sharing', 'Public Folder Sharing'

 

I would test and see if it AVG by temporarily disabling it. You should be able to click on the icon and then select some option to disable until restart or similar. Try to print. I would also recommend making an exception for the printer in AVG and windows firewall...

 

Thanks for reply.

I've looked at AVG - I'll test your idea of turning it off (temporarily) to see if it's the cause of the problem. However, this will have to wait a little, until the remote computer is up and running, which may be later today, or mebbe later.

In the meantime, I checked AVG - and notice (which I expected) that the AVG Firewall is off.

Then I tried to check the Windows Firewall - going through Windows Help and Support. I expected Windows Firewall to be ON.

When I click on 'Click to open Windows Firewall' I get a dialog 'The Windows Firewall service is not running' - so I click on 'Turn Windows Firewall on or off' - get a message 'Due to an unidentified problem, Windows cannot display Windows Firewall settings.'

If I click on 'Update settings now' in the Windows Firewall dialog, nothing happens.

If I click on 'What are the recommended settings' it just takes me back to 'Firewall : Frequently asked questions'.

Something seems to have happened to Windows Firewall - it's 'not running', and I can't get at the settings, nor change them.

As a first step, can you help me get Windows Firewall back, please?

 

I have now tested printing, with AVG temporarily inactivated. (Sorry to have taken a while - I was away, visiting.)

The remote printer went through the motions of printing - but nothing appeared on my printer. The remote computer reported (pop-up from Notification area) that printing had not happened - and the print spooler on the remote showed the documents waiting. The remote computer shows my printer as being connected - but doesn't seem able to use it. My computer shows nothing in the printer spooler waiting to be printed.

I seem to be locked out of a number of things - in Network and Sharing Center the only thing I can activate is Password Protected Sharing - all other options give the 'The specified service does not exist as an installed service' message. (Printer sharing, in particular, is 'Off'.) The same happens when I try to turn on Windows Firewall. (I'd like to get Windows Firewall back, somehow.)

Something has right royally sabotaged my system, I fear. My computer is also running rather slowly - and start-up can take ages.

I don't have AVG Firewall available - it's a 'paid for' extra that I haven't paid for. Besides, long time ago, I found the AVG firewall seemed to interfere with other things - I forget the details.

I hope this throws some light on things, or at least opens an avenue for further exploration.

 

After doing some investigating on your error, ('The specified service does not exist as an installed service'), there are quite a few posts that end up in malware removal forums across the web. I would suggest that you get into the Malware Forum here and do the clean up procedures and post the logs so the crew can see what's up with your comp.
If they give you a clean bill of health (no malware), come back here, post your findings and someone can try some different options to get you straightened out.
HTH

 

Thanks - I'll do that, and report back, when there is something to report