Installing new printer trouble.

[HolyJobe]

Hey folks, been trying to install a new HP Photosmart 8200 printer. We just ditched our old printer, a Lexmark (can't remember series) that caused a few problems. Clicking on the Add New Printer for the wizard brings up an error message "Operation could not be completed. The print spooler service is not running." So I tried looking for solutions through Google by copying the message and found a few to try.

First, I went to Administrative Tools and System and manually turned the print spooler on. Even checked to see if the dependents were hunky-dory and everything checked fine. Re-clicked the add printer and same message... the print spooler was automatically shut off again.

Second, I tried wiping the drivers and moniters keys under the registry clean of the old Lexmark, restarting the computer, and trying again (per word of Microsoft troubleshooting page), and yet still the print spooler automatically shuts off when attempting to open the wizard. Bought a $40 System Mechanics Professional package from Wally world and used its registry fixer-upper to check for errors, but still a no go after everything was said and done.

Third, I learned Lexmarks have a habit of making the print spooler dependent on itself, so I opened a command prompt and changed the dependency with (again, per word of Microsoft tech pages) sc config spooler depend= RPCSS. Restarted the print spooler, tried once again, and failure once more.

I've all but wiped the old Lexmark drivers and files out of the computer. For any-helping information, (these being the only thing relating to Lexmark I can find) I still have a LexBce Server name on my Administrative Tools\Server list and have found one .dll relating to Lexmark under C:\WINNT\system32\spool\prtprocs\w32x86 named LXBZPP5C.dll.

Any help with ideas or know-hows would be appreciated very much. My wife has been hounding me to get the new printer working and unfortunately my IT troubleshooting skills aren't guruish.

Computer specs are (listed for any additional usage someone may require):

Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition
System Model: Gateway 300S series
Processor: Intel Pentium 4

Thanks for any help!

[Sterling_Aug]

Have you installed the HP software yet without the printer plugged in?

[bruceb]

You need to know the old lexmark printer number
I know on my X73 they have a seperate cleaner
utility for use when you Uninstall their Printer ..
Probably have something similar for yours .. after
you get it done, clean up all folders & registry entries
releated to Lexmark .. also set the Print Spooler
to start Automatically when the pc comes on

[HolyJobe]

Sterling_Aug: Yes, the HP software was installed before the printer was hooked up in hopes of it automatically correcting the problem. Yet the problem started with the Lexmark, where it worked correctly for about a month before the print spooler service started turning off. Then was the idea to buy a new printer.

bruceb: I used the Uninstall Printer button that came with the Lexmark software. Then went to Windows Explorer and checked for additional files and deleted what remained. Again, the only files I can find relative to Lexmark now are in the Service (LexBce Server) of the Administrative Tools and a .dll which I believe has no affect on anything without the remaining software. The Lexmark registries have been cleaned (according to the Microsoft tech support site) and the Lexmark folder have been deleted. I even ran a System Mechanics software program to fix registry errors, but still no luck. I've set the Print Spooler to start automatically, which it does, until I try to add a printer, in which case it shuts off and must be manually restarted.

The only dependency listed is the RPC service, which is running fine. The LexBce Server also depends on the RPC service and is automatically started when the computer boots up. Thanks for the idea's guys. Can't really think of anything else... more suggestions anyone?

[bruceb]

What model lexmark is it ? ?
I will check for the correct Lexmark cleaner utility
Some programs just will not uninstall properly without
the special utilities

There are two other things you may want to try:

1 ... there is a patch on the microsoft site for a vulnerablity
in the print spooler .. possible use by virus ..try adding
the patch and see if it helps

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../MS05-043.mspx

2 ... try a repair install .. maybe some corrupted system files

[HolyJobe]

Downloaded the patch from the Microsoft site. Dug out the Lexmark drivers and the old printer and tried to do a re-install. The Lexmark is a 510 series with a Z515 in stickers on the actual printer. Went to install the drivers and a message says the print spooler isn't running, so I tell the software to start the print spooler and the next window it says can not install and informs me to check the cables and the power. The power is running and I'm using a standard USB cable (I believe its the cable that came with the printer, I'll try and buy another cable from Best Buy for the farts and grins of it) to connect the PC and the Lexmark printer together. After double checking the second time on this error message, I clicked "next" as if everything was fine and an error message says, "There are no valid ports for the driver. Unable to complete installation."

Unless you mean to do a repair install of Windows, which I'm S.O.L. 'cause I've lost the Windows Bootup Disk ages ago.

Any luck with that special uninstaller?

[Sterling_Aug]

They mean to do a repair install of XP using the Windows CD, not a boot up floppy repair. It will reinstall XP with a full driver redetect, but leave all of your installed apps and user data intact.

[bruceb]

Just checked the Lexmark site .. no special uninstaller
is listed or says it is needed for that particular model

[HolyJobe]

A buddy is loaning me his Windows XP Home Edition Recovery CD (my current OS), only I need to know if it will be fine to use since its use is primarily for his Toshiba laptop and my desktop is a Gateway. Any comments?

[Sterling_Aug]

That recovery CD will NOT work for you.

[HolyJobe]

Hmm, any idea on how to get one for my model and OS?

[G Ray88]

Most all recovery disk will only work on the computer that they are made for. I would contact Gateway if you don't have the disk that came with your computer.
You will have to pay for them but it shouldn't be much. Good Luck

[engo]

I had a similar problem like yours when I restarted my computer. It's a bug. I searched on google and took me a long time myself. So I decided to go to microsoft support. Just follow the URL below. This solved my problem, I hope it will solve yours too.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/839089