The Active Directory Domain Service is currently unavailable

I am using a Windows Vista laptop. There is another desktop which is on the network and connected to my system through Wifi. It has Windows XP Home SP4 installed in the same. I had connected a Cannon Printer to the desktop. The system works fine and the lan is also working well, but there is some kind of connectivity failure. When I try add printer on my network then I am getting this error -- The Active Directory Domain Service is currently unavailable. My printer looks to be installed and I had also installed its driver in the system. I think this must work.

I am working on Windows Vista laptop here. it is connected to another XP desktop same like you. But when i try to connect it on the server I too got the same error. I contacted my network admin and fixed the problem. It some internal issue with vista due to which the service fails to start. I am not able to get the right setup but somehow if you go in the Control Panel > Administrative service you can find appropriate update in it. You can then try to start the service back again and it works.

Where you are getting the error exactly. I was getting the same kind of error while adding a printer on the network. I think you are also facing the same kind of issue. The problem never appears when you add a pc on the network or put it on domain. I think the changes that you are trying to configure is in limited account. Try to do the same on admin account and then check back the stuff. It must work properly. This error is common on many places. It is not at all complicated to work on the same.

I was too getting the same kind of issue on my system. I was trying to add the printer in my admin account. There is a single account in my system which has maximum privileges. I am trying to add the printer on Vista and landed on this error. I do not understand what the printer is having relation with active directory here. It is just shared on the network and it must start working. I am quiet annoyed withthe constant configuration. I hope there will be someone who can collect some working information on the same.

I am having a set of systems on the lan. There are two Vista and one XP computer with a HP Photosmart printer. The printer was working quiet fine. We are not having any server connected. There were some recent updates in the system. The updates were installed but somehow after a while the printer failed to work and it was only in one Vista pc. The error was same which is mentioned in the title of this thread. I do not understand why Vista is having this problem. I am going to remove all the updates and will try to reconfigure all things back again.

I re-added the printer and the error was gone. I got that a number of time at the start. It was working well and there was on issue at all. I am not able to find any exact solution. Even in the lot the same kind of error was listed. When I search for printer it was available and I added it as the default one. If your printer is failed to appear on the network try to change cable or adjust the settings. You can test it by connecting it on a single system through a usb drive. I am sure that really works and there is no problem with that.

Do you face any problem related to wireless printer in your networks. If yes then there is one thing that can really help you. You have to modify something from Network and Sharing Center. Go in that and then look for Sharing and Discovery. There you can find Printer Sharing option. Turn it Off first and apply. Then go back in the same place and Turn it On. Then again go in the your network places and see whether you can find the printer or not. In each system you will need to add the printer driver or else this error will keep on coming.

I solved the issue in much easier way. I had gone through a number of post based on this issue. I never thought the solution was so simple. I went into Control Panel > Printers. There I was able to Add Printer. It was really easy to do that. The printer was detected and I choose the driver manually from that place. There is a drop down list from where you have to choose the manufacturer and then the modem of printer. Windows collects the driver from online sources and that's all. It works well there is no issue at all.

I own a HP F2180 printer. It is a printer plus scanner. I am using it through usb cable. I had attached that to a single computer configured it and then connected that on the network. I got the same error while adding it back. Later on I followed the above process and it started working. There was no issue at all. I thought there will be some major problem in my system due to which I was getting the error. But really thanks for the reply it helped to fix the issue.

This illogical procedure worked perfectly for me; on an old Epson printer for which there is no Win7 driver! Prints fine now, using Office 2007 on win7 64bit.

Open Notepad, click on 'File' and 'Print' then on 'Find Printer'; give it time ... and there it is!

Why it doesn't work at first with Office, I know not; weird!

Just try to follow this, "Go into Control Panel, Printers and click Add New Printer. Click Network Printer, and after that click Browse for Printer." That did the trick. I wish this help to solve your issue.

I don't get this! I use a HP laptop with a Canon MP240 printer connected via USB. It used to work just fine until I upgraded to office 2010. Then i don't know if some of the updates from Microsoft did the trick but before with office 2007 the printing worked. After upgrade it doesn't. None of the installed printers works, not the cute pdf, nor the XPS alternative. I tried to print in open office - no problem but when it comes to the new office suit, doesn't work. I've tried all alternatives above with admin, add printer but nothing seems to work. Frustrating

You will need to add the printer one more time manually. For that on Start > Printer & Fax > click on Add printer. Follow the screen instructions and choose the domain from drop down list. Add the printer. If the printer is not avialable you will need to verify the server settings. Check that your user id has rights to use printer. You can try re-adding yourself. This can be basic failure which occurs normally on Active Directory.

Check the printer permission settings in the server. That should be shared properly with other accounts. A proper logoff login can fixthe issue. If still the error appears in Microsoft Office it is advice that you should reconfigure the printer settings one more time in server. A manual setup is better. Try to run a test print command from administrator mode one time and then check back.