Unix Server Tech Knowledge Base

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====== Printer Error ======

Sometimes, you can get a print job stuck in the print queue and nothing else will print. Following is basic troubleshooting to clear this up.

  - Open the print queue
    - delete the print job which shows the error (or all print jobs)
  - Manually clear print queue (NOTE: all print jobs will be lost)
    - Turn off the print spooler
      - Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Services
      - Find Print Spooler and stop the service
    - Open Explorer and go to %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers
      - Delete all files in that directory
    - If you can not delete one or more files
      - Open Command Prompt as admin (run as admin)
        - del %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers\*
        - dir %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers
    - If there are still files in there
      - Download ProcessExplorer if you don't already have it.
        - This is a stand alone app (no installation package)
        - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer
      - run procexp from downloaded files
      - Find | File Handle or DLL
      - Enter name of file (the one you can't delete) and do a search
      - Determine process
      - Kill process
      - Delete the file
    - If you still can not delete the files, reboot and start all over
    - Turn on the Print Spooler
    - Test the printer
    - If you still can't do it, delete the printer and reinstall