Spoolsv.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows

Spoolsv.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows

Document number: 29051

If you get the error message Spoolsv.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows When you open the Printers window on your Windows 2000 Professional Start menu, or when you try to print, you receive the subject error message or one of the following: Printer operation cannot continue due to lack of resources. or Subsystem unavailable. These errors can be caused by a problem with the printer driver.

Solution #1

Delete all your printers. Then re-add any that you need. To do that:

Click on Start, then select Settings then Printers.
Click on a printer to select it.
Press the { Delete} key, and confirm that you wish to delete the printer.
Do that with all of your printers.
Shut down, power-off, and then reboot. Note: If you just restart instead of shutting down and powering off you may be just wasting your time.
If you don't get an error on boot then try readding your printers.
If you do get an error procede to Solution #2.

Solution #2

Delete all files in the c:\winnt\SYSTEM32\SPOOL\PRINTERS folder. To do that:

Right click on Start.
Select Explore
Navigate to the folder c:\WINNT\system32\spool\printer\

If there are no files in the folder procede to Solution #3

Click in the right hand panel to activate it.
Press { Ctrl} + a to select all files in the panel.
Press { Delete} and confirm that you want to delete all files and folders.
Shut down, power-off, and then reboot. Note: If you just restart instead of shutting down and powering off you may be just wasting your time.
If you don't get an error on boot then try readding your printers.
If you do get an error procede to Solution #3.

Solution #3

Right click on Start.
Select Explore.
Navigate to the folder c:\WINNT\system32\.
Locate your spoolsv.exe file.
Copy and paste that file out of the folder onto your desktop (this is so you have a backup copy of your original file).
Select this link to spoolsv.exe
Select " Save Program to Disk" Navigate and save the file to c:\winnt\system32.
Shut down, power-off, and then reboot. Note: If you just restart instead of shutting down and powering off you may be just wasting your time.
If you don't get an error on boot then try readding your printers.
If you do get an error procede to Solution #4.

Solution #4

Contact Technical Support Operations

There are additional steps you can try with the assistance of Technical Support Operations. Submit a NorthStar ticket. Be sure the ticket includes the error message you are receiving, the steps you have tried, and the results.