All printing functions stopped after failed Epson XP-312 installation  

Win 7 - 64 computer.

After failed installation of Epson XP-312, all printing functions are now impossible - I can't open Devices and Printers, or "Add Printer". "Print" on progs like Notepad and Paint either crashes the prog. or shows nothing, and Word won't open at all.

I have tried to remove all traces of Epson - nothing shows now on Programs.

I also tried to do a SYstem Restore to before the installation - it *failed*.

The installation failed both from the CD - on InstallNavi.exe, and, separately, when I tried to install the printer driver file d/l from the Epson site. The installation/unzipping just stopped after the blue line had gone a bit across the page - perhaps immediately after the files had been unzipped.

The Epson Scan program *succeeded* in installing, and I was able to scan a page into the computer. But I have now removed every trace as far as I can of Epson.

One early symptom, which no longer appears, was that I got: "The Active Directory Domain Services is currently unavailable" box, when fiddling with Print functions, I think.

Another pos. symptom is that Procexp currently shows:

GUI.exe
ouc.exe
csrss.exe
winlogon.exe
lsm.exe

running but with " [Error opening process] "

I also tried stopping Print Spooler in Local Services - but it didn't make any difference to anything.

Any help to restore my printing functions v. gratefullly received.

Hi - yes please

I have already with guidance done a lot of work on this, incl. the steps suggested below.

The situation now is that there appears to be still something wrong with the print spooler - perhaps some registry entry - because

1) i can print via notepad / Word once

but I cannot print a *2nd* time - nor then open Devices and Printers etc - all print related functions are then blocked

but if I then try a manual fix:

2) stop Print Spooler in Services and then restart it - I can again print and operate other print related functions

but only one time

All the remedies suggested below don't work - the MS Printer fixit prog. simply hangs when it checks Print Spooler

SO, as I said, this seems to require some print spooler fix - but not the standard ones below. I note from googling that this appears to be a not uncommon problem. Print spooler can go wrong in various ways.

Any help gratefully received.

P.S. Here are a set of standard MS suggestions I received, wh. do *not* work:

**Try the steps provided below and see if it helps.

Method 1
I would suggest you to follow the steps provided in the following tutorial.

Fix printing problems by resetting the print spooler
Printer problems in Windows - Microsoft Windows

Method 2
Try to remove the printer and add it again:

Install a printer
Install a printer - Microsoft Windows Help

Add or remove a printer

Method 3
Try to run the fixit provided in the following link and see if it helps.

Diagnose and fix printer and printing problems automatically
Diagnose and fix printer and printing problems automatically
***

Hi,

[Sorry - no email notification of this - just seen it]

Yes I have tried Ccleaner and a whole lot of accompanying cleanup/ protection progs.

What's the 2nd step?

P.S. Don't know if this is relevant, but

Printers & Faxes shows 4 entries -

Fax
Ms XPS Doc. Writer
Samsung ML-2160 [default printer on this pc]
Samsung ML-2160 [ on other networked pc]

I installed the same printer on both computers - has that confused the system?

Thx. Shows no integrity violations. But did this too before.

One of the 2 solutions here:
How to reinstall print spooler service
has worked for many.

Try deleting the files in \spool\printers first, then the cleaner if that doesn't do it.