Windows 7 - Help with "Not Responding" errors when printing or selecting font

Hello,
I have been struggling to resolve this issue for the post month or so. The problem is that when trying to print from any program, the program stops responding. Along with this, if I try to select a font in word 2007 is also stops responding. With both issues, I can wait a couple of minutes and the program will start working again, allowing me to print or select a font. The errors that I get in the event log are print spooler errors. What really confuses me is that this has all worked flawlessly since early 2010, and then these issues popped up.

Important info:
Windows 7 Ultimate x64 sp1 on the main network computer
One other computer on the network running windows XP sp3.
Epson artisan 810 network printer
2 Samsung ml-1630 printers. One connected to each computer.

What I have tried:
I have updated the drivers for all printers.
Removed and reinstalled all printers.
Set a static IP for the network printer.

Any help would be very appreciated. This is for work and has been a major hang up lately.

May not be much of an answer, but if you've been running your currently installed Windows 7 system since probably late 2009 (which was also around the time I first installed mine), maybe you're do for a fresh reinstall?

I went about a year on my initial install, and was quite amazed at the remarkable stability and "effective lifetime before a new install was appropriate" of Windows 7 as compared to earlier Windows versions.

But late in 2010, I decided it was finally ok to eliminate WinXP and that alternative boot partition, and used it as the opportunity to reinstall Windows 7 from scratch as the proper course of action. Plus, I'd kind of "experimented" during the year trying out various add-ons and then maybe backing them out (perhaps not quite as completely as one would hope). Results of normal day-to-day operation began to exhibit the usual signs of "registry corruption" and odd behavior, similar to what used to trigger the desire to reinstall WinXP say every 6 months... to "clean house".

Then, in around March of 2011, I decided I'd actually like to have WinXP back, and once again took the opportunity to install both WinXP (in a much more leaned-down implementation, just installing the specific applications for what I needed it for) and then Windows 7 again.

My Windows 7 this third time has turned out to be fantastic, in its stability and reliability. Everything works exactly as expected, with no anomalies.

Might you consider that full reinstall option as your "solution"?

In my view having 3 printers, one a network attached one, may be overkill and they may have started conflicts among with each other.

You could try disconnecting the two Samsung ml-1630 printers to see if that helps. Reboot.

Are there 2 or 3 PC involved in your network? You could try breaking the network, then rebuilding it. I know you have the XP machine in a net with Win 7, but maybe something HERE, File Sharing - Between Windows 7 and XP Network Computers will help.

Check your printers' setting for a font related setting, Office 2007 may be reading setting from there.

Thanks for the replies. I may have some useful information. I removed the epson artisan completely. After doing so, I could print to the other printers with no problem and had no "not responding" issues. I believe that confirms the problem lies in the drivers for the artisan printer. I tried to do a fresh instal for the artisan, but got the message that this printer has known compatibility issues. I tried installing both from a disc and with the epson drivers from their website. Both gave the same compatibility issues message.

Any ideas?

Try connecting the Artisan to the XP machine, then try the tutorial I linked to.

I installed the epson on the xp machine via usb and it worked without issue. I then reinstalled it on the Windows 7 machine and still no luck.

I also took down the network and set it back up. I left the xp machine off the network intially and installed the epson so that it and the Windows 7 machine were the only things on the network, but that did not work either. Also, while the network was down, I installed the epson on the Windows 7 machine via usb. This did not help.