Spooler Subsystem Application has Stopped Working - Solved

Problem: 

Printer, which was working fine previously, all of a sudden Shows an Error "Spooler Subsystem Application has Stopped Working" after giving print command.

My Friend had suffered this problem and had informed me about it. Yesterday it was printing perfectly fine today showing this error!

After checking the system, I came to conclusion that it was the Service 'Print Spooler' (process- spoolsv.exe) which repeatedly kept crashing all the time.

A print spooler is software that temporarily stores print jobs on the computer hard disk or in memory until the printer is ready to print them.

So, what is the reason behind this sudden change?
'Unknown' is the one word answer to it. 
But after reading comments in Microsoft forum by Lots and lots of people(who faced this issue) , some points came in majority:
- Mostly, Vista users were facing this problem. Compatibility issue between 'printer driver' and 'some update for vista' may be the Major cause.
- Default port for Printing found changed
- Some issue with 'Adobe Acrobat drivers' also came in picture(reinstall all acrobat software like adobe reader, flash player etc if your Acrobat is also showing problem)
- Sometimes Print Spooler behaves starnge when more documents get stuck in the print queue.

Solution

Method I

Make sure Default port set in Printer Properties is same as the Port used by you to connect Printer with computer. Updates sometime reset it.

Mostly Printer is connected using:
1) LPT Port

LPT Port - Male

LPT Port - Female

2) USB Port


You must check Printer Properties now.

Go to:
-Start -> Control panel -> Device and Printer ('Printer and Faxes' in some versions)
-Look for your Printer,
-Right click Printer icon-> Properties
-Look for 'Port' in tabs there, check whether the port selected and Port used by Printer to connect your PC is same or not. 
-If not, then Select the appropriate one.

If this doesn't solve the issue, try next Method.


Method II

Since, Major cause of this problem seems 'update' So it is better to do System Restore(if it was kept ON)

Restore your Computer to any date which is earlier to the date when Printer was working fine.
If you had taken print on 10th of April then restore it to any date before 9th April.

Go to:
- Start -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore
- Restore to earlier date
- Choose the Date as discussed above
- Restore

This must solve problem for most of you as it did in my Friend's case.

If it doesn't, Don't worry!!

Next method is one which Most people found helpful.

Wonder why I still kept it Third?
- As many of them didn't try above simpler Methods.

Method III

If you came to this Method then you must carry your Printer Driver CD with you. If you lost it, then Download it from internet using your proper Printer Model in Search engine.

Let us Start now:

Go to:
- Start -> Control panel -> Programs and Features ->  click 'Turn Windows features on or off'

Turn Windows Feature ON or OFF

Windows Features

-Click + sign of Print services

-Select LPD and LPR-> OK
(let it complete)

-Now again go to the same and Remove ‘Internet Printing Client’
-> OK

-Restart your PC to ensure there is no error of spooler service.

-Reinstall your printer driver.
 

I am sure, Very few of you still have the error!!

For those who do, follow Next Method.


Method IV

Precaution: As now we will change registry entries, it is strongly recommended to back up your system, create System Restore checkpoint and export registry before each step.

How to export registry?
- check this page:  'Export Registry'

Let us Start now:

1) Reboot the machine into SAFE mode.
 
2) Go and Delete All the files from:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\
C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\W32X86\
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS 
(If you wish, you can cut and paste to different location)
 
Next few steps involve the Registry So make sure to Back up the Registry

3) Open Regedit 

 a) Go to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86
 
Inside the subkey list, there should only be the following subkeys:
>Drivers
>Print Processors
 
If there are any subkeys other than the subkeys that are listed above, 
- Export registry, name it 'WindowsNTx86'
- Delete all the subkeys other than listed above.
To do this, right-click each subkey to be deleted, click 'Delete'.
Click 'Yes' when prompted to confirm the deletion.
 
These may have been installed by third-party printer setup programs and may be interfering with the print spool service.

 b) Go to 
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors
Inside the list of subkeys, there should only be the following subkeys for the default print monitors:
>BJ Language Monitor
>Local Port
>PJL Language Monitor
>Standard TCP/IP Port
>USB Monitor
If there are any subkeys other than the subkeys listed above, Export registry, name it 'Monitorsx86'
- Delete all the subkeys other than listed above.

 c) Exit Registry Editor.
 
If a printer is attached to the computer, disconnect the printer cable from the computer and then restart the computer.

Attach Printer, check whether it works or not, Install printer if not detected.


If problem persists, again do Step 1) & Step 2) then
3) Open Regedit 

 a) Go to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers
-> Export registry, name it 'Printers' 
-> Delete ALL the subkeys

 b) Go to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64\Drivers
-> Export registry, name it 'Drivers' 
-> Delete ALL the subkeys

c) Go to
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64\Print Processors
-> Export registry, name it 'PrintProcessors' -> Delete ALL the subkeys
-> Close Registry and Restart Computer.

4) Go to "Turn Windows features on or off" in the control panel
 - Uncheck "Windows Fax and Scan"
 - Reboot

5) Go to "Turn Windows features on or off" in the control panel
 - Recheck "Windows Fax and Scan"
 - Reboot

At this point you should have a stable print spooler.

Add printer now. 
Get the absolute latest printer driver from your manufacturer
(make sure it supports your Operating System Version). 

If you use multiple printer, Add each printer one at a time:
- Add the printer 
- Restart 
- See if it works.
- Add next printer. 

How to Export Windows Registry File

Windows Registry

Registry is very Delicate and at the same time very very important part of computer, whenever you try to modify registry:

-Be very much precise and very much accurate

-Take extra care as very small mistake by you which you wouldn't even remember may lead to serious problem.


It is strongly recommended to Export or save your registry entries before modifying it.

What to do?
-Just Follow these simple steps (accurately)

1) Open Registry editor
     Start -> Run -> Regedit -> Enter (allow if asks for permission)

Run

 2) In Menu bar Go to:
     File -> Export

Export Registry

 3) In File name, give name of the registry file(which will remind you its use)

4) Under Export Range, do one of the following:
   - To back up the entire registry, click All (done once for taking entire backup) 
   - To back up only a particular branch of the registry tree, click Selected branch and enter the name of the branch you want to export (By Default, the branch selected by you in registry window will reflect here)

Export Range

5) Click Save

Warning

Warning: Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. We cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
 


How to import a Registry key?
- In Windows Explorer, double-click the Saved Registry file(.reg extension)
- This will import the file into the computer's registry


Reference:  

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc781982%28v=ws.10%29.aspx