Print Spooler Crashing?

[Linn Kubler]

Running Windows 2003 Standard Server as a Domain Controller, File Server and
Print Server. I'm frequently having the spooler service crash and cannot
figure out why or how to correct it. Oh, running service pack 1.

In the event log I get the following error message:
Source: Application Error
Category: (100)
Event ID: 1000
Description: Faulting application spoolsv.exe, version 5.2.3790.1830,
faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.2.3790.1830, fault address 0x0003248b.

All I've found so far on the Internet was a suggestion to delete everything
in the C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\PRINTERS directory. Tried that but it
didn't help.

Anyone else run into this problem and have a solution that worked? Any help
is greatly appreciated.

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

Deleting everything from the \spool folders is not the way to go. Have
you considered migrating to SP2? A lot of work on the spooler was done
on SP2.

[Linn Kubler]

I think I found that in a KB article from Microsoft and there were a handful
of TMP files there that were almost a year old. It did seem to stabalize
the system for a while, almost a week.

No, I hadn't thought of SP2. Do I have to apply it to all my DC's or is it
Ok for one of them to be a sp level ahead?

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

Take a peek at this KB as well: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947477

One other thing you might want to try is to set the Print Processor to
WinPrint if HP hijacked it and is using its own (HPZxxxx or some such
cryptic name).

You should definitely read what's in the Known Issues for SP2 KB
article first: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/945977 We've had great
luck with it thus far and any issues post SP2 were resolved with a
couple of hotfixes.

I don't see a problem in just using it on your Print Server as not a
whole lot has changed. It didn't break anything like SP1 did, at least
not for us. We had some initial problems with our print server when we
migrated to SP2 in August 07 but the problems were resolved with some
post-SP2 hotfixes (see below).

I must tell you one thing: Do ANYTHING you can to avoid putting .NET
Framework 3.0 on the print server. .NET 3.0 replaces (a.k.a. breaks)
some of the unidrv files and causes wacky problems with printing
multiple copies and such.

IF you do go the route of SP2, some patches you should have on hand
and install after SP2 that will resolve oddball gremlins and such:

1. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934885 (fixed about 90% of our odd
errors, stuck jobs, error printing, etc.).
2. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946198 (was fixed before SP2, the
fix wasn't carried over to SP2, this bring it up to date, a *must*l if
you use SMTP for monitoring queues (who doesn't).
3. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/944203 (this patch is supposed to
resolve the problem for people that have .NET 3.0 on a machines
(client or server), hasn't fixed the issue but a noteworthy hotfix in
any case).
4. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193 (of note for those with
short printer names. Seemed to have some positive effect on issue #3
but did not completely resolve it).
5. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937193 (Haven't needed to use this
patch yet but am about to upgrade printer driver on my own printer
server so I will know then).

Hope some of this info helps.

[Hank Arnold (MVP)]

99% of the time, it is due to a faulty print driver. I would try and get
the latest Printer drivers and update them. If no good, try using
generic drivers.

If you are running Terminal Services (hope not, since it's a DC), then
you must make sure that the print drivers you use are TS compatible.

[Linn Kubler]

Thanks for the detailed response Wolf. I applied sp2 but it didn't fix the
problem. None of the other fixes you mentioned seem to be related though.
I'll take a look at Hanks response and see if that helps.

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

No problem. Sorry it didn't fix you issue. Hopefully an driver update
per Hank's suggestion will help out. Let the group know if it helped
as I'd be interested to find out myself.

[Linn Kubler]

This is going to be a pain, I've got 20 printers installed on this server.
Any way to help narrow it down? Is it possible a printer that is not being
used could be the issue? I recenly installed a new printer on this server
but we haven't rolled it out to anyone yet.

[tzirvelc]

Fixed!
I have a Windows 2003 R2 VM running on VirtualCenter 2.5 with over 120 printer queues; lexmark and canon printers.

My spooler every few days would spike to 100%. I enabled logging and noticed the canon printers were printing but the lexmarks would not. I would stop and start the spooler and it would spike at 100%. I would clear the spooler directory and even replaced the localspl.dll but no good. If i rebooted the server printing would work again. That solution to reboot the server was not viable as this server is also our company's file server.
Anyway...i removed the lexmark enhanced communications software (lexmark enhanced tcp/ip port monitor) and restarted the spooler services and all ok. thanks. no problems ever since.

[terminalprint]

Install same drivers on server and clinet
make script to reset print spooler service
or you can try TSPrint from Terminal Server Printing