System Error 5

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System Error 5

Harry Barrineau 20

When trying to restart the print spooler , I get the message unable to start spooler, followed by "system error 5" and "access denied. What is system error 5 and how do I get the print spooler running again?

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Answer 1

Hi Harry Barrineau,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum. I understand how frustrating this is, especially when printing suddenly stops and Windows shows an “Access denied” or System error 5 message. This usually points to the Print Spooler service being blocked or interrupted, often by a driver issue or security software in the background.

Since you’ve already tried basic checks, the next important step is to make sure your printer drivers are fully up to date. Please open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates and install any printer or driver updates listed there, then restart the computer. If no printer updates appear, it’s best to download the latest driver directly from the printer manufacturer’s official website using your exact printer model and Windows version, then install it and reboot. Outdated or corrupted drivers are a very common cause of spooler access errors.

Another thing worth checking is your anti‑virus or security software, as it can sometimes interfere with the Print Spooler service. This happens when the security software blocks files that the spooler needs to run. Please review your anti‑virus settings and make sure it is not blocking Windows printing components.

After making these changes, restart the PC and try printing again. If the issue comes back, please let me know what error message you see and whether this is a work‑managed device, as security policies on managed systems can also restrict printing services.

I hope this helps get printing working again. Please feel free to update me on the results or reach out if you need further assistance.

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Answer 2

System error 5 means “Access is denied.” It occurs because the Print Spooler service is being started or restarted without administrative permissions.

To get the Print Spooler running again, restart it with admin rights and, if needed, clear the spooler files.

Restart the Print Spooler with admin rights
1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. In Services, scroll down and locate Print Spooler.
3. Right‑click Print Spooler and select Restart.
If prompted by UAC, approve the elevation so the action runs with administrative permissions. Alternatively, use an elevated command prompt or PowerShell:
- Press Start, type cmd, right‑click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
  - Then run:
```
       net stop spooler
       net start spooler
```
- Or press Start, type powershell, right‑click Windows PowerShell, select Run as administrator, then run:
```
     Restart-Service -Name spooler
```
Clear and reset the print spooler (if it still fails)
1. Open Services again (services in taskbar search → Services).
2. Double‑click Print Spooler.
3. Select Stop, then OK.
4. In the taskbar search box, type:
```
      %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers
```
  Open %WINDIR%\system32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all files in that folder.
5. Go back to Services, double‑click Print Spooler.
6. Select Start.
7. Set Startup type to Automatic, then select OK.

If the spooler still will not start after these steps, check for outdated or conflicting printer drivers and update or remove them, as faulty drivers can cause spooler failures.

References:

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System Error 5

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