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Disappearing printers

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9 replies

by gemailhiot

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Here is a recurring problem. Printers disappear from Windows 9x systems. These printers are usually inkjet printers.
Latest case:
Windows 98 Second edition
64 MB RAM
Celeron 266 CPU
Lexmark Z11 printer - local
Lexmark M412 printer network.
Occasionally, more often lately, when attempting to print to the Z11 printer, a Spool32 error occurs.
Upon checking the printers (Start--Settings--Printers), it is discovered that no printer exist on the system.
Restart the system, the message that the printer has job pending appears.
I have seen this problem occur where the only printer was a local printer, so I don't think it is a multiple printer situation.
have tried re-installing the printer drivers, but the problem remains.

Any ideas?

thanks

gilles mailhiot

9 replies

by maxwell edison

I've seen this before, where the printer ison disappears only to reappear after a reboot.

Try changing the print spool options. (Printer Properties, Details, Spool Settings) Also you might try changing the Spool data Format from EMF to Raw.

Good luck,

Maxwell

by ann777

I've seen this too. You should find all instances of spool*.* and rename them to *.old (that's both of them: spool32.exe and spoolss.dll)

Then extract them from the original Win98SE cd and save them to c:\windows\system

Then reboot and thereafter you should be fine.

by gemailhiot

I have implemented this option, have not heard from the client again - assumed problem corrected.

thanks

gilles mailhiot

by bock2000

Try making a shortcut in the Startup folder to spool32.exe file. That normally takes care of the problem for us.

by gemailhiot

have also implemented this option - no comment from user, assume problem corrected.

thanks

gilles mailhiot

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