Solved All printing functions stopped after failed Epson XP-312 installation

[ikbol]

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.

 

[Gandalf]

Do you still need assistance with this issue?

 

[ikbol]

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
***

 

[Gandalf]

Let's start out with some simple stuff. I like simple. In my Signature is a <CCleaner> program link.
Please download/install/run it. It's free.

Here is a tutorial, if you need it.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/306648-ccleaner-delete-junk-files.html?ltr=C

I don't see this as one of the things you have tried yet. If you have, we'll try step two.

 

[ikbol]

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?

 

[Gandalf]

Let's give this a try...
Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files

 

[ikbol]

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

 

[Layback Bear]

When you go into Devices and Printers do you see this? The little Green arrow. If not right click on the printer of choice and select Set as Default

Are you trying to print wired or wifi?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

For my 2 cents worth mate try running these to eliminate the simple stuff first

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/433-disk-check.html

http://www.superantispyware.com/

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/

download from bleeping computer – delete any rubbish these find.
If these do not work then try the Emsisoft Emergency Kit https://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/download/ go to the very bottom download and run the first item (emergency kit scanner).

Pending on what thee do will determine what to do next.

 

[TVeblen]

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.

 

[Slartybart]

After following the advice already given by other SF members, try this:
The printing troubleshooter can fix problems with installing and connecting to a printer.
MS Printer Trouble shooter (immediate download)

 

[ikbol]

Many thx guys - but new version of nightmare now.

Followed TVeblen's suggestion (already cleaned pc) - d/l cleanspl.exe - wouldn't run - other than on Win NT 4.0/5.0 - not on my version 6.1.

So tried new Ms PrinterFixIt - MicrosoftFixit50979 which ran completely. (Previous versions tried - MicrosoftFixit.Printing.LB.196313811635166538.1.1.Run /MicrosoftFixit.Printing.RNP.31313517747372337.1.1.Run) couldn't get past checking spooler and just hung.

Result : only printer Samsung ML-2165 disappeared from Printers. So re-installed.

But *nothing now prints* , not even first time. Jobs get stuck in print queue. After removal of queue, fails to print again from Word. Printer Troubleshooter test page also gets stuck in queue.

PC restarts don't change anything - print jobs still get stuck.

Previous to PrinterFixit the Samsung did print at least the once.

Any ideas now ? (Am temporarily exhausted from googling)

P.S. TVeblen seemed on right trail - my problem, like others' problems, resulted from trying to install a new printer/printer driver and consequent damage to the spooler service. This seems not uncommon.

 

[TVeblen]

Just to be clear:
You stopped the Print Spooler service > then deleted all of the files in \spool\printers > then restarted the service?

Try this:
(Assuming you are running Home Premium)
Go to Devices & Printers > click on any printer (ex: XPS Doc Writer) > in the menu bar click on Print Server Properties > Then click on the Drivers Tab > and see if you can find the problem printer listed.
If it is, delete it's driver there.

Then if it were me I would clean out \spool\printers again.

Also:
Yes I see now that cleanspl.exe does not run on W7. Sorry about that.
But this is something else to try:
cleanspl.exe for windows vista
It lets you do manually what cleanspl.exe did automatically.

EDIT: you should always create a new System Restore Point before doing any steps that we might suggest here (or make any change to your system). That way, if something goes wrong you have a path back.

 

[Slartybart]

Please post the following screen shots
See: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

1. Devices and Printers

2. Device Management: Printers category
:note: You might have to open the View menu; select Show Hidden Devices to see printers.

Also, Open an http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html (Cmd) and enter the following commands in the Cmd window:

dir /s /a %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers > C:\SpoolerFiles.txt
exit​

Attach C:\SpoolerFiles.txt to the same post as the screen shots.

Thanks.

 

[ikbol]

Thx for advice.

1.Tveblen - cleaned out Spool/Printers files - only one *.spl file there - made no diff.

BTW in dir:

spool/prtprocs

were these files:

jnwppr.dll
ssj1mpc.dll
winprint.dll

Looked at manual removal you suggested -

regedit showed in

Print Processors dir arere

ssj1MPC/ssj1MPC.dll
winprint/winprint.dll

Didn't touch these files though.Should I?

2. Slartybartt

Have attached files requested

Many thanks again guys

 

[Gandalf]

Reference - HUAWEI Mobile Connect - Bus Enumerate Device
A black exclamation point (!) on a yellow field indicates the device is in a problem state. Note that a device that is in a problem state can be functioning.
Troubleshooting Device Conflicts with Device Manager

You did not post the complete Device Manager.

 

[Slartybart]

Thanks ikbol,

The spool folder is empty - good.

The [Unspecified] ML-2160 on the Devices and Printers window, Remove it (right click, select remove)

Uninstall the HUAWEI Mobile Connect - Bus Enumerate Device in Device Manager.

Please provide another set of screenshots
1. Devices and Printers

2. Device Manager (DevMgr), expand categories
Printers
USB

You might have to post two DevMgr screenshots to get all of the information.

Thanks

Bill
.

 

[ikbol]

Thx slartybartt/gandalf

Getting closer to solution.

When I opened Devices and Printers this morn., "Unspecified" was gone. BUT when I tried to print again, [which again did not work], it *reappeared* and there is no option to Remove it as with the Printers. So I am not reposting pic here - it's the same as before.

In Device Management, I could not uninstal Huawei etc. - it would not obey command. It appears however to have successfully Disabled the device - the icon has changed. The related program was uninstalled some time ago and is no longer visible anywhere, incl. Your Uninstaller.

PS Dunno if relevant, but in procexp 4 progs -

lsass.exe
crss.exe
lsm.exe
winlogon.exe

still show - "Error opening process" - a phenomenon wh. has accompanied printing probs.

Many thx again

 

[TVeblen]

A bit of a tangent - but you never know with these things:

The Huawei device is related to your smartphone. It will probably be in a problem state until you plug the phone into a USB port.

If you installed software to connect your phone then that probably belongs there. If you didn't then that could be a Windows installed driver to use the USB "device".

You might experiment with that to see what the functionality is - even see if you can print with the phone plugged in and that ! icon gone away. Stranger things have happened.

But in the end probably a tangent.

 

[TVeblen]

Is the Samsung ML-2160 a multi-function printer? Probably.

The unspecified device could be the ML-2160 Fax or Scanner. Or even the Printer. What it seems like from your description is that one of those drivers is 'failing' when you go to use the printer. Windows can't identify the device without the proper driver so it gets dumped in the Unspecified bin.

I'm speculating: but it could be that the Samsung driver(s) were corrupted by the bad Epson install.
Do all of the functions of the Samsung work?