cancelled print job won't go away & holding queu hostage 1

[mdwebneck]

Hello,
I don't know that this is specifically an XP issue, but I am running XP so here goes;
I have a Lexmark X73 USB printer with a printfile in the queue that it refused to print, so I just decided to cancel it and try printing again, but it stayed in deleting ... printing status and did NOT go away.
I tried printing the same single page using both current page and limiting the page number, but they just sit there. I am able to cancel them successfully and they go away immediately. I have "booted" the printer and restarted my computer, but when it comes back the print job is still in the queue in the same status.
How do I dump the print queu? ... absolutely
{I have Rclicked the documentfile and selected cancel numerous times without success and I have also selected cancel all documents from the printer menu with no success.]
I don't think this matters but the print job originated from acrobat.
I was able to print to my other printer {HP 2500c} using the same "current page" method with no problem.

 

[bcastner]

Start, Printers and Faxes, File, Server Properties, Advanced and check the directory used to store the print queue.

As Administrator, go to the folder (usually in c:\windows\32\spool\printers\)

Start, Run, services.msc
Stop the Print Spooler

Delete the queue manually.

If you get an access denied, add yourself as owner of the folder:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

If access is still denied, right-click the specific queue entry and check that it was not set to Read-only. Try to change this setting in Windows Explorer and delete.

If still no joy,

Start, run, CMD

cd into the directory you found in Step #1
attrib *.* -r -s
del *.*
exit

 

[bcastner]

Oh, and restart the spooler service.

Start, run, services.msc
go to the Print Spooler service and restart it.

 

[bcastner]

I should also note that there are serious problems with printer communications over USB if you are using VIA-chipset based USB. There are also power issues that effect communications if you are using a USB hub extension rather than connecting directly to the ports on the USB host controller.

There are often BIOS issues as well with many systems, so if a BIOS upgrade for your workstation is availalbe you might consider this.

For USB issues a through read of this site will handle at a minimum the VIA issue: http:\\

http://www.usbman.com

 

[mdwebneck]

thanks for all the tips, however I have been away from my desk all day and apparently it finally obeyed my cancel request, but I'll definitely keep this thread in my profile because 12+ hrs is too long to wait to have the queue released.
thanks again

 

[compgirlfhredi]

My X73 did this a LOT with Quicken I went to Documents and Settings\Owner\Printhood\ and manually deleted the files. After I updated my driver in June, this has not happened. (yet)

 

[RichardBott]

I am having a similar problem trying to cancel print jobs in the queue. I am running Win XP Pro with an HP1220C printer through the parallel port. When I cancel a job it changes status in the printer Q to cancelled but it doesn't go away and ties up the printer for what seems like hours!

I noted the response from BCASTNER, but this seemed like a very complicated process that may not work. Has anyone else any thoughts on this problem?

Have others experienced it?

Thanks for any help you can give...

 

[bcastner]

That quickest but not gauranteed method:
Open a notepad session as fix_queue.cmd and paste:

net stop spooler
sleep 8
net start spooler

 

[greendoh]

rather than doing it in "fix_queue.cmd", simply go Start > run tpye "cmd" in the open panel and click "ok"

When the prompt pops up, type net stop spooler

It will give you information about the spooler process being shut down.

When it is finished, type net start spooler

Done!