Documents stuck in print queue with "Error - Printing"

Question

This is a new laptop, Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit, and I have installed drivers for my HP Laserjet CP1215, completely by-the-book and also exhausted HPs support. This printer is supposedly fully supported by W7 64 bit.

Whenever I try and print a document, from WordPad, Adobe Reader, Word, whatever, it just appears in the print queue with the Status as "Error - Printing".

If I run the HP diagnostics utility, it can print test pages, no problem. So the USB connection and actual printer are fine. They also work fine with other PCs.

I've checked the print spooler is up and running in "Services". If I stop and then re-start the print spooler, the document prints!Any help greatly appreciated, I'm running out of options here!

Answer 1

Hi parrotx34,

I would suggest you to try the steps mentioned below and check if it helps to fix the issue.

Method 1:  Clear Printer Spooler files and enable the Spooler service.

a)    Click Start, type “services.msc” (without quotes) in the search box and press Enter.

b)    Double-click “Printer Spooler” in the Services list.

c)    Click Stop and click OK.

d)   Click Start, type  %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers in the search box and press Enter. In the open window, and delete all files in this folder.

e)    Now, go to “Services” again. Double-click “Printer Spooler."

f)     On the General tab, next to Startup type, make sure that Automatic is selected.

g)    If the service is not already running, under Service status, click Start, and then click OK.

For reference visit the links:http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Troubleshoot-printer-problems

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help/printer-problems-in-windows

Regards,

Sandeep

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Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Answer 2

Thanks Sandeep.

I tried that: but it didn't help, and there weren't any files in the spool/printers directory.

I have however discovered that if I start an application (e.g. wordpad) as Administrator, then I can print OK.

Does that help you find a solution?

regards

Answer 3

Hi parrotx34,

I would suggest you to try the steps mentioned below and check if it helps to resolve the issue:

1.   Uninstall the printer and the drivers.

2.   Disconnect the printer from the computer and reboot the computer.

3.    After rebooting try installing the printer again, while installation it will ask you to connect the printer so reconnect it and complete the installation process.

4.   Then try printing the test page and check if you can print from any application.

5.   Check if print spooler is working fine. To check the print spooler follow the steps:

a)   Click Start -> type Services.msc in the search box -> press Enter.

b)   Services window will appear look for the “Print Spooler” service in the service list.

c)   Ensure that the service is set to automatic for startup type and started for status.

Note:  The printing option should always be spooling to print not directly to printer.

For reference visit the link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Install-a-printer

Regards,

Sandeep

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Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Answer 4

Hi Sandeep,

I'm afraid I've been through all those steps (several times now!), I think we are looking at a more intractable problem.

Note that the documents will actually print - I just have to either run the program with the document to print "as administrator" or restart the print spooler.

regards

Answer 5

If you boot the PC into Safe Mode, does the problem still occur?