Printer error after failed upgrade to Win 11

Mariusz Gora 41 Reputation points
2022-02-11T12:25:29.777+00:00

Few days ago one of our workers tried upgrade his computer to Windows 11.
After few hours upgrade fails and computer back to Win 10.

Now when he would like print something on one of our network printers printing job doesn't start.
There is no error or even information that some document is send to print queue after clicking 'print' button. It looks like Windows ignoring printing action.

All our printers are connect to Windows 2012 R2 acting as print server.

We don't make changes on print server. Issue is independent of logon user.
When I try print test page on this printer on issued workstation I received 0x00000077 error. Other users can use this printer without problems.

I don't have any idea what is wrong.

Windows 10
Windows 10
A Microsoft operating system that runs on personal computers and tablets.
6,727 questions
Windows 10 Network
Windows 10 Network
Windows 10: A Microsoft operating system that runs on personal computers and tablets.Network: A group of devices that communicate either wirelessly or via a physical connection.
2,003 questions
Windows Server Printing
Windows Server Printing
Windows Server: A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.Printing: Printer centralized deployment and management, scan and fax resources management, and document services
534 questions

3 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. S.Sengupta 5,871 Reputation points MVP
    2022-02-11T12:49:32.337+00:00

    Uninstall, reinstall the printer. Visit the printer's support site to download and install the latest driver which is compatible with OS and the printer.

  2. Mariusz Gora 41 Reputation points
    2022-02-15T09:17:22.773+00:00

    Are you mean reinstall the printer on endpoint or on print server?
    All printers are connected to our print server and users installs these printers via UNC patch.

    We try reinstall the printer on endpoint using drivers automatically installed by Windows (it comes from windows update) and choose drivers from printer's support site with no result.

  3. Alan Morris 951 Reputation points
    2022-03-02T18:25:01.057+00:00

    @Mariusz Gora

    Did you get this figured out?

    The 77 error is bad driver level.

    C:\>winerror 0x00000077
    119 ERROR_BAD_DRIVER_LEVEL

    If the issue is not resolved, remove the connection to the shared printer on the impacted client system.

    If you added connections to the same share for a different user on this machine, you will need to remove the connection for each user.

    Open Print Management console on the client system. Find the driver that is used for the connection to the shared printer, remove the Driver and Package. If the spooler tells you the driver is in use you may have printers in the registry that are pending deletion. We call these Zombie Printers.

    Open the registry and see is there are any GUID printers still under this key. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\Client Side Rendering Print Provider\Servers\YourPrintServerName\Printers

    If you see something like

    Printers{D6B632BD-0B84-49D6-8814-626BD5D8E969}, 4

    With a , and a trailing number, this is a printer which is pending deletion, a "Zombie".

    Restart the Print Spooler Service. The spooler should clean up the zombies and you can remove the driver and the package.

    Now reboot the system and log on with the user who needs to add the connection to the shared printer. This user will need administrative rights on the machine in order to install the software from the server.

    Can this user add the connection? If yes, print a test page. If no, what is the error when adding the connection?

    Does test page print? If yes, a simple thank you, if no what is the error?

    Thanks