Fix Spoolsv.exe error and Printing Error problems

Last updated on September 28th, 2013

Sometimes when you try to print a document from your computer, you experience one of the following errors:

Error 1: "Spoolsv.exe – Application Error. The instruction at "0x77fcc2c0" referenced memory at "0x00000000. The memory could not be written."

Error 2: You cannot print anything, although you can see your print jobs in your printers control panel
Error 3:  No printer icons appear in your printers control panel.

In this situation, your spooler service is probably corrupted.

The spooler service (Executable name=Spoolsv.exe) is responsible for managing spooled print/fax jobs. The spooler’s service application file “spoolsv.exe”, is originally located in the folder C:\Windows\System32

(Operating systems affected: Windows XP, Windows 7)

Every time I have one of the above problems, I follow the procedure below and almost all the times the problem is solved.

1. Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel

Win XP new Start menu                                        Win XP Classic start menu:

Start > Control Panel                                  Start > Settings > Control Panel

2. Switch to "Classic view"

3. Then double click "Administrative Tools"

4. And then double click "Services"

5. In Services, find and right click with your mouse on "Print Spooler" service and then click "Stop"

6. Open Start menu and  choose Run

7. Copy the following command and paste it at the "Run command window". Choose OK.

%systemroot%\System32\Spool\Printers

8. There delete all the files with the extensions " *.SPL " and " *.SHD "

9. The last step is to restart the Spooler service from your Services Management console.

Finally try to print.

Notice*: If you continue to deal with errors, I recommend to scan your computer for viruses and Trojans.

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