Print Spooler Errors/Problems-You Wont BELIEVE The Cause

[Eun Mi]

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My windows Xp computer suddenly started behaving weird since yesterday. Everything was ruining good but couple of hours ago my scanner stopped working all of a sudden and I started getting error messages about spoolsv.exe errors. As a workaround I scanned my entire system for any virus or malware but nothing found. I cleaned up my registry with a good registry cleaner. I run CHKDSK and Mem Checks, yet no issue found.

But the surprising part is here. Later I came through something interesting and would like to share with you guys. While troubleshooting more I went to windows\system32\spooler folder and found 2 files that actually doesn’t belongs there. They were named as 0002.SPL and 0002.SHD, as far as I know these files belongs to Shockwave and should not be here in this printer folder.

I just deleted these files from windows\system32\spool\printer and guess what, my scanner started working. So were these two files which were preventing my printer to work ? Were they preventing me to re-install printer or printer drivers ? I think so because Spooler don’t actually know what to do with these files and gives errors messages.

Well, I shared this here because I know there are many people who come through this problem if they areusing printers on their system. In such cases check out your spooler folder and see if you get there any such files. If yes, simply delete them.

[Abriennea]

Thanks a lot for sharing this dude. It really helped me lot. You don’t need to guess because I was kicking my printers since last 1 week. Its HP printer which stopped working suddenly and started throwing me the same spooler error. I tried many forums for solution including microsoft and HP but dint got any help.

As per your instructions, I went to the spooler folder and found three new files (similar to your two) which were not related to my printer or the spooler. I just deleted them and restarted my system. Now everything back to normal.

[Chuluun]

I too appreciate your fix friend, I was having the same issue and it helped me too fix it quickly. But I have a question here too regarding the same. Does those files comes with any download OR how they actually generate in our system?

Because I though deleted them, they appear again and again every time and stopped my printer for doing its work.

[Dajbog]

I don’t think those files are not related to the printer because as far as I know file extensions SPL and SHD are no way Flash related extension files, they are printer related. Here are some programs that can be related to SPL extension for example:

• Compressed Archive File;
• Digitrakker Sample file;
• Adobe (or MacroMedia) Flash FutureSplash Document file;
• Bioware Infinity Game Engine Spell file;
• Microsoft printer spool file;
• Sample File;
• Shockwave Flash Object;
• SoniqCast SoniqSync file;
• Sound file;
• Spell Checker file;
• ABACOM Ingenieurbüro sPlan Circuit Diagram file;
• Split Files Shell Extension file;
• Sprint Customized Printer Driver file; or
• Unknown Apple II File (found on Golden Orchard Apple II CD Rom).

[Pax Thien]

Need some similar help from you all techies. It is my HP Deskjet F4280 working great since I bought it. Only from last couple of weeks it gives me an error saying “Spooler subsystem app has encountered a problem and needs to close.”. Note, though the error appears but printer still prints the files and that error appears only while printing the pages.

In order to fix it I read many articles including Microsoft knowledge, reinstalled HP software, reinstalled drivers and many more things but the problem remains the same. After few days of getting the error, now my printer can only print text file and word docs, nothing else. What can I to solve this problem ?

[land Bald]

Well the only solution that comes to my mind at present for this is to check out DRwatsn.log file and identify the fault that is causing the problem, there should some log stating any failed module if any. Other than this you can also start the print spooler service and check debugging the spoolsv.exe process.

For more troubleshooting you can launch Task manager, click on Process tab, Add PID column and note down the Spoolsv.exe process ID (PID). Now open command prompt and an Administrator and type the following code:

ntsd -p [PID for spoolsv] -g –G

This will bring up a window with lots of module data. Now try printing the files that you printer is not able to print as of now (except text and docs). This will show you the process at the prompt where it is getting failed. Once you see, just type K to dump the faulting stack and send it back.

[Pax Thien]

Thanks again dude. As per your instructions, i tried ntsd -p [PID for spoolsv] -g -G but it showed me an error saying:

The call to LoadLibrary(ext) failed with error 2.
The call to LoadLibrary(uext) failed with error 2.

And i tried printing few excel files too that ended up with error 'out of memory' and printing failed. What else

[BobBatIps]

Thanks. Tried several attempts at resolving this problem from the microsoft world but they failed. Your suggestion to delete shock wave files in the spool\printers directory did the trick. Unfortunately was unable to determine how they got there.

The problem is Adobe flash player running an upgrade in the background when you install the printer. The tip above works wonders...

[vartaxe]

hi,

i have really big problems here...
in my office there are a few pc that can't print sucessfully on a few printer shared in the domain. most pc are xp and the server is 2008 standard. for example one of the problems is when trying to print any pdf it shows in the printer spooler "printing" and in the file size "1,00 - 9,6 mb" and doesn't pass further than this it won't finish sending the file to print... any ideas sugestions?

edit: sometimes does happen too that it will send the file in less than one second but it won't print anything...

[Ananias]

You need to starting the spooler. Click "Start" then "Run" and type CMD. In the new window type:

   net stop spooler

and confirm (by pressing enter), it helps stop the spooler service (if not already stopped).
also type:

sc config spooler depend = RPCSS

and confirm (by pressing enter).

 net start spooler

and confirm (by pressing enter).

[crystalstar90]

When I erase them, it says that I don't have a spooler system operating.. and when i use the command to turn it on FP0000 (shockwave file) and FP0000.SHD suddenly appears... and I get an error again... What's wrong with mine??

I've tried the microsoft solution 5 times so please don't tell me to go back. (I can even remember the folder I had to erase constantly: hpz3l5mu) but it always made me re-install my printer with the CD. And the spooler error goes on. I can't live with this. Please give me a solution!!!

P.S. I've had this problem 5 months ago but at that time the microsoft solution worked. I've had my windows XP reinstalled a couple of weeks ago... maybe there's something to do with the windows files?

[willem1980]

Thanks for the info guys... however I'm dealing with the same problem. Filled in the Net stop spooler thing into the CMD and hit enter.

Unfortunately I can;t delete the two files: SHD and SPL.
The files seem to be shared in another program says the message.

Any help please !?

[baseballrose]

You must have Administrator rights to delete the files.