Solved Print spooler keeps shutting down

[dsouthw524]

I cannot print with Win8anymore! I was able to print on my WIFI networked printers previously with this computer.

Other computers on the network can print to them. Upon investigation, I found that the print spooler ws off. I found the MS directions for restarting the Spooler. I turned it on it shuts itself off when you look at the installed print drivers!

I sure hope that the fix is in Win8.1!

 

[Shadowjk]

Could click start and then search for 'services.msc'

Upon launch please search for the service called 'Print Spooler' - Once found please right click and go to properties

Once done please ensure that the service is started and is set to automatic



Hope This Helps,
Josh!

 

[dsouthw524]

I have (as previously stated) followed the procedure to find the service, assure that it already said automatic and then restarted the print spooler service. The problem is that it won't keep running! By merely looking at my printers the system turns it back off while I look at it. This only happens on the Win8 laptop!

also, as I said, the printer and laptop previously worked until some of the "updates"!

 

[Shadowjk]

My apologies, I was entirely sure what steps you made so I thought to suggest the above solution which doesn't appear to have worked.

For a troubleshooting technique can you perform a clean boot on the machine and then test if the print spooler turns off? This will determine if there are any third party applications which could affect that service - http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/23382-troubleshoot-problem-clean-boot-windows-8-a.html

Many Thanks,
Josh!

 

[dsouthw524]

I followed the instructions for the clean Boot. The print spooler was running when I looked at it. I then went to look at the printers via the control panel. I clicked on one of the printers and looked at the properties. I saw that it was "offline" and it then had me use the troubleshooter" . when I did it told me to use the "add printer" I clicked OK and it then told me that the print spooler was not running! I verified it was not running.

I have then gone through the steps to return to "normal" as in step 3.

thanks for your aid. I do not know if the answer is the change in Win8 or somehow to totally remove/uninstall the printers and re install or ?

 

[Shadowjk]

If it didn't work after a clean boot then your other options are to try a system restore to point when it did work or to either reinstall the printer driver

Sorry,
Josh

 

[dsouthw524]

I want to thank you for your aid. You had some ideas that I did not know about. I keep mfinding things difficult to manage in Win8.

I guess I had gotten too confident in past MS quality and compatibility. I should have followed other's policy to not even trying until at least the .1 version. I had read of the extensive user testing and thought I would be able to help others!

Thanks again,

 

[Shadowjk]

No worries, can you confirm your issue as solved? If not then please follow my proposed solution and post back your results. Your results could help others suffering from the same issue

Josh!

 

[dsouthw524]

NO NO! The issue is not solved. As I said, I am hoping that either the Win8.1 update or the MS TechNet promised fix for the print spooler will fix the basic problem.

I cannot even get the printers to "delete"! I thought that if I removed them and did a reinstall it might solve the problem.

I go to the printers, press delete and they disappear. I then do a restart and they are back! Since the printers are from two different manufacturers I do not believe that drivers are the problem, especially since they both worked at one time!

 

[Shadowjk]

Have you tried a system restore?

Tutorial here - http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4692-system-restore-how-do-windows-8-a.html

Josh

 

[dsouthw524]

I forgot to respond! I have a Lenovo computer that has a "one Key backup" program. I do not have the options listed in the recover shown. I am not sure when the recover backup was having the Print Server working. I am also not able to get an answer from Lenovo as to how do I get a backup disk of Win8 for the preinstalled software. Even the license number is partially hidden - even if I was to have a install disk!

 

[JustATest]

Did I miss something here? Did anyone ask for the printer model in question? If so, I apologize. Now for a comparison of my previous problem with yours:

I aslo had a similar problem on a non-network printer (HP 1020 deskjet) and, of course, it was on a straight USB connection; however, the Win 8 drivers just wouldn't stick, the printer kept going offline, and the print spooler kept stopping (so, some of this sounds familiar; yes?).

Here are things that helped my issue:

I went into Print Management and removed any unnecessary printers and/or drivers.

After the above, the print spooler issue seemed to be fixed but the offline issue remained.

I finally resorted to doing a clean install, and during that process, I chnaged my installation method from a Legacy installation to a UEFI installation (supported by my BIOS). Thereafter, I never had a problem with my HP 1020 printer.

One more thing, I see that you have a Lenovo laptop and if you ever did a clean install of Windows 8, I hope you opted to delete all partitions as part of the process because I can tell you first-hand, that if you left the Lenovo partition structure in place, all kinds of anomolies may surface.

Anyway, all that I have described is intended to simply give you additional food for though and I am not recommending that you do any or all of what I have described. I'm just sitting here waiting for my better-half to serve breakfast.

Cheers and good luck.

 

[dsouthw524]

Thanks to all! I do not have it resolved aand I have been reluctant to do the "One Key restore". I have not found any way to restore the computer to Win8 if it all crashes (disk or ?) during the restore. If I use a install disk from another computer I would need the activation number for this computer. Lenovo or MS has most of the number turned to asterisks!

I cannot remove the printers! I have deleted them from the printer management view. They go away, reboot and they are back! They are network printers (Cannon and HP) that did work at one time and apparently stopped working after some update of the OS. I was using the computer as a test/learning device of Win8 and it is not a primary machine so I was not trying to print regularly, Makes it harder to define when it quit printing.

I have been hoping that the Win8.1 upgrade may correct the problem.

 

[dsouthw524]

I finaly did a restore from the Lenovo "One Key" as it will not let me use the MS restore. I went all the way back to as if it is a brand new computer! All the Apps I had obtained from the MS store and any programs I installed are gone. I have been busy trying to return the computer to be able to use it.

Good news - I re installed the network printer and I can now print!

Bad news -I have to goto my Win7 computer to get on this Forum as I do not find where I saved the Password for this forum to re-install it on the Win8 computer! I also am trying to remember which Apps I had previously and find them.

Again, thanks for all the help.