Clearing a deleting print job from spooler

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In summary, to clear a "deleting..." print job from the spooler, you can either use the command prompt to stop and start the spooler and then delete the files in the Printers folder, or you can use Component Services to stop the print spooler and then manually delete the .shd and .spl files in the spool folder. These solutions work for Windows XP and may also work for Windows 2000.
  • #1
DaveC426913
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Clearing a "deleting..." print job from spooler

I've had a print job that's been "deleting..." for a loooooong time. Other jobs line up behind it. I've tried rebooting both the printer and the computer. No joy.

Windoze XP

Help!
 
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Here is one way of doing it:

1. On the taskbar, click Start, and then click Run.

2. Enter the following:

net stop spooler (and hit enter)

3. Delete all files in the following folder:

C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Printers

4. Once the spool files are deleted, start the spooler again:

net start spooler

A second way:
What you want to do is going into >Start>Programs>AdmininstrativeTools>ComponentServices.

Then select the Services option on the tree, and scroll down to Print Spooler. Select it, and choose Stop.

Then go into My Computer and go to your primary drive where XP is installed and navigate to the systemrootdirectory\system32\spool\printers. Usually the systemrootdirectory is \windows, but it might be something else. On my system, its \windowsx and there is a \windows directory which was an old installation, so be careful. Once in that directory, delete all the .shd and .spl files. Don't delete subdirectories.

Then go back to Component Services and restart the print spooler. This should empty the queues and allow you to delete any printer that you needed.
Source: http://www.northeastfoto.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-4436.html

This solution is for windows 2000, put may also work for windows XP:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216221
http://searchwincomputing.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid68_gci1039959,00.html
 
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  • #3
Yeah thanks. I Googled it after. In fact, I think I came up with the same page as you listed there... :smile:
 

1. What is a print spooler?

A print spooler is a software program that manages all print jobs on a computer. It stores print jobs in a queue until they are ready to be printed.

2. How do I clear a print job from the spooler?

To clear a print job from the spooler, you can open the print queue window and right-click on the desired job. Then, select "Cancel" or "Delete" to remove the job from the spooler.

3. Why do I need to clear a print job from the spooler?

Clearing a print job from the spooler is necessary if the job is no longer needed, if it is causing errors, or if it is preventing other print jobs from being processed.

4. Can I clear a print job from the spooler while it is printing?

No, you cannot clear a print job from the spooler while it is currently printing. You will need to wait for the job to finish printing before you can remove it from the spooler.

5. How do I prevent print jobs from getting stuck in the spooler?

To prevent print jobs from getting stuck in the spooler, make sure your printer is properly connected and turned on. You can also try restarting the print spooler service on your computer. Additionally, avoid sending multiple print jobs at once to prevent overloading the spooler.

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