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Quick Way to Clear Up a Jammed Print Job
For one reason or the other, a print job may get hung up and stop responding. You may be unable to print or even to cancel the job. One way to possibly clear up this problem is to use the Windows command line to stop and restart the printer spooler after flushing it. The services command “sc” or the “net” command can be used. Here are the steps using the services command:
1. Open the command prompt. For Vista or 7, you will need administrator privileges.
2. In the command prompt, type and enter “sc stop spooler” (without quotes).
3. Next type and enter the line below:
del /q /f /s "%SystemRoot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*"
4. Then type and enter “sc start spooler” (without quotes).
This procedure will clear out the Spooler and should allow you to continue with your printing. Note that this will not clear paper jams or mechanical problems.
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This tips section is maintained by Vic Laurie. Vic runs a Windows blog called The PC Informant and also operates a computer education website.
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Comments
The instruction states to open the command prompt first. How do you do that? I am not at all familiar with the command prompt. I have Windows XP at work and Vista at home. Any guidance on that would be appreciated.
I am always glad to help someone get acquainted with the command line. Take a look at http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/perhaps-most-under-appreciated-t... and also at http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-open-windows-command-prompt-...
Interesting how you censored my post from this morning... I assume because you didn't like the anti-Windows talk. I did however, suggest a valid Windows alternative, and a more user friendly way to handle print queues.
Cheers, Al
I was the one who removed your comment. It does not make any sense writing anti-Windows comment, when the article is about a Windows tip. Its not relevant at all.
Further, your suggestion involved using an Ubuntu CD, or something, if I remember correctly. Why would a Windows user want to go that way, when the task can be done in a simple way, as outlined by v.laurie, the author of this article.
"Further, your suggestion involved using an Ubuntu CD, or something, if I remember correctly. Why would a Windows user want to go that way, when the task can be done in a simple way, as outlined by v.laurie, the author of this article."
And what, may I ask, is wrong with offering alternative solutions? Surely part of the point of articles such as these are to provoke thought in the reader? If a reader has an alternative, it may be of use to someone - and so there should be no reason to remove it.
Even if this IS a Windows article, who is to say that someone performing an Internet search won't come here in search of help for a non-Windows system? I have done exactly that many times and found user comments to be of great help. Why would a Windows user want to go that way? Who knows; but the fact is the MIGHT - and so far as I can gather you've removed the detail that would have helped them.
Censoring your readers is never a good thing - and I really cannot agree with the reasons why you have done so; knowing that there are moderators out there that think like that makes me unwilling to contribute any further.
(Let's see if this comment lives to see the light of day.)
Offering an alternative solution is not wrong. But, the way you offered it was wrong. Why give an anti-Windows comment, when its not needed?
Regarding the solution, I will again repeat what I wrote... providing an alternative solution to fix the problem by using an Ubuntu CD is not a good solution in my opinion, specially for people, who won't even know about Linux. Why would someone want to go to the length of downloading an Ubuntu CD just for solving the problem of a stuck printer? Its ridiculous!
I am not against Linux at all. But, I have observed that, sometimes people who use Linux, start to shove Linux into the face of Windows users... and start to write anti-Windows comments without even thinking if its even relevant or not. This is one of the reasons why people get put off by Linux, and its users.
You are using Linux, fine. Its serving you good, and its better than Windows, fine. But just don't go around shoving it in people's faces.
Linux is good, but Linux is not without problems. Its not an all-cure solution. If people want to use Windows, let them. You can suggest Linux, but do so in a good way. What you say matters, but the way you say it also matters.
And now please, don't carry this matter any further. Let the comments be related to the topic, and this debate is taking the focus away from the topic of the article. Let this comment section be about Windows tips. If you want further debate, you are welcome to join the forum.
I won't be replying any further on this discussion. And any more comments on this issue will be deleted.
Many of us here use Linux and Windows and some (like me) Linux only so being anti-Windows should not have been the reason why your post was deleted.
If you register and then copy me with the original post I'll find out why it was removed.
MC
Site Manager
Hello MC,
Thank you for your offer to review my original post, but I no longer have the original text, and somebody has already come forward and given their reasons for censoring/deleting my original post.
I also use Windows... only when I have to... and was drawn to the title of "Quick Way to Clear Up a Jammed Print Job". I was curious, and went off to the web site to read it, and found arcane CLI and batch scripts! Ugh!
Their reasons for deleting the post are incredible. The post was deleted because of some anti-Windows preface, but then they go on to slam my suggestion that Windows users could try, without modifying their existing Windows setup, Ubuntu Linux, for FREE! And then, they go on to dribble about how Linux users push Linux on other people, blah blah blah. Amazing.
Cheers, Al
Some might say this was justified and no doubt others would take your view. All I can say is that the volunteer moderators here give their time freely seven days a week in an attempt to keep the site spam free, the topics on track and the material posted suitable for family viewing.
I'm sorry that on this occasion our response did not meet with your expectations but at the same time I cannot fault the intent behind the action.
Having recently moved to Linux myself I'm acutely aware that I should not be promoting this enthusiasm too strongly on what is predominantly a Windows site. In fact if it wasn't for the time I spent mothering my security software I'd probably still be with Windows 7 :)
Despite the outcome here I hope you will continue to enjoy your visits and make further contributions.
I never saw your comment. I presume a moderator found that it violated the guidelines.
i like the idea of batch file and desktop shortcut with quick launch, but could someone explain how I create a batch file? i know to open note pad and copy in the 3 lines and save the file, but what do I do after that to "run" the batch file?
Save the file on the desktop as *.bat (where * is the name you choose to give it, like StopPrint or PrintStop), then simply double-click on the file name to execute (run) it.
Thanks for the tip, it is very helpful for me.
"net stop spooler" and "net start spooler" worked much better for me. I am running an XP system on a corporate network. "sc stop spooler" and "sc start spooler" generated error messages for some reason.
Here is a version I got from the Net, which has always worked well for me:
net stop spooler
ping 127.0.0.1 -n 3
del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.* /F /Q /S
ping 127.0.0.1 -n 3
net start spooler
Pdfcayman's batch file is great, but I 'improved' on it a little so as to prompt the user to reset the printer if its a problem. I added the pause command and 'Echo -' lines to make the message stand out. As noted in the REM (remark), none of this is necessary if your printer doesn't need to be reset, but in our office, some users have minimal experience and an extra prompt can help resolve a problem withhout asking someone else for a simple solution.
Here it is in full so you can cut and paste it; or modify the Prompt line to 'Reset the printer...' as noted.
echo off
sc stop spooler
del /q /f /s "%SystemRoot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*"
sc start spooler
REM You can remove the lines below here if your printer doesn't need its memory cleared.
echo -
echo -
echo -
echo -
REM Change the wording of the line below to suit your needs.
echo Reset the printer to clear its memory if needed.
echo -
echo -
echo -
echo -
pause
I've always done this through the services interface, but a batch file on the desktop will be much quicker. I have found that typically I still need to either turn the printer off or unplug it for approx. 30 secs. to clear it's memory as well or it stay's jammed up.
Thanks for the tip.
JK
Thanks, v.laurie. I knew as soon as I saw that second line (in step 3) that I was going to make a batch file for it, and then I saw pdfcayman had already posted the text for it.
My thanks to you both.
Thanks. Frequently when I don't know where the problem is (computer or printer) and canceling the print job doesn't solve it, unplugging the printer, then plugging it back in does the job. I have my printer plug labeled with masking tape so I get the right plug.
I really like this - but no way am I going to type all of that in. Instead I will create a batch file (KillSPool.BAT) using Notepad or similar, drop the 3 lines inside and save. Then I can run it from the desktop.
This is such a frequent problem if you use Print Servers with Windows (even Win 7) that it is worth taking the time to make it into a batch.
Here are the lines for insertion into KillSpool.bat:
sc stop spooler
del /q /f /s "%SystemRoot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*"
sc start spooler
thanks for the idea, and thanks for the bat file. It goes on my flash drive right now...
That's a good idea, Pdfcayman. I'll also create a shortcut to it and run it from my quick launch.
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