Spool32 errors 2

[JennITChick]

I know it's mostly because it's Windows 95 running on a Pentium 200, but this is a temp job computer and I've got to do something to keep it from crashing all the time.

Periodically when I'm trying to print to an HP Laserjet 4000 over a Microsoft network, the spool with grab all the pags and then GPF. Sometimes it prints, sometimes it doesn't. The program I am usually trying to print from (a network-based report generating thing by Mobius from 1999) locks up and the whole computer has to be rebooted if I want to be able to print.

Any suggestions? I've already considered throwing the thing down the stairs, but that's not good for my continued temp employment. ;-)


Jennifer Sigman
Unemployed since 10.26.2002

 

[Win98User]

Hi Jenn,

Have you tried an older or newer version of the printer driver?

Regards.

 

[LadyH]

What are you using for a virus scanner? We have had issues with McAfee 4.51 SP1 and have had to replace the spoolss.dll file to resolve issues.


pcheather@yahoo.com

 

[diogenes10]

Spool32 errors are really rotten things to try to deal with.
(I just reread your post and saw the "network"-my experience was with printing at workstation so I don't know if these ideas will help or not.)
We were having some trouble, I've gotten them to reduce in frequency but not go away entirely. I'm working from memory here-can' find my notes and don't have time at the moment to do the searches and refind all the articles, but maybe this will give you some starting places.

Various possibilites to try
1> If you can get by without spooling, you can go to print direct and eliminate the spool file completely.

2> Remove and reinstall printer. (I trashed my printing setup awhile back after I installed several older versions of adobe acrobat, type manager, etc. I finally had to go through a process that went something like:
uninstall all hp devices (i did that because I didnt know what files went to which printer), reboot, hunt for and remove any hp printer program directories, reboot, use jv16 power tools and remove any hp printer stuff and then reboot again and reinstall printers).

3> There is a microsoft knowledge base article on spool32 errors. It includes suggestions like changing spool settings from raw to emf or vice versa, depending on which way you're set up now; eliminating spool folder and SPOOLSS.exe and SPOOLS.dll from the virus scan software. I've seen the virus scan issue discussed more frequently for Mcafee software than Norton, but it was one of the steps I tried on Norton software as well. The MS article also has some printing related file they suggest running directly from the desktop-I can't remember what it is. I think I'd seen a number of people report success with that option too. (Also some MS related files like find fast to remove-get the knowledge base article for complete list.)

4) There is a really long thread on the hp site relating to spool32 errors in which they suggest replacing the spool file with the winME spool file. I was not allowed to try that step here-also not sure if it was ok for win95 as well as win98, you'd have to find thread and look through it.

5) Look at print resolution settings for your printer. If they happen to be set high, take them down to a lower resolution/faster printing setting.

6) If you happen to be using a PCL 6 driver, get a PCL 5 or PCL 5e driver and try that. I've seen discussion about the PCL 5 drivers being a little more tested and a little more stable in problem environments. (In that situation above I had to go to that as an interim step before I found the time to trouble shoot and get my pcl 6 drivers working again.)

7) I don't know how to change a spool file size, but you could check harddrive where spool file is to see if it needs defragged or is getting full.

My particular (partial) success came from a combination of reinstalling printer driver, eliminating the problem microsoft files like findfast, and removing the spool related files and folder from norton av scan.

Searches on spool32 at microsoft, hp, and google may get you some more ideas.

Good luck and congratulations on the temp job hamburger instead of bologna for a little while!

 

[diogenes10]

Ok here we are, i found my unlabelled file folder.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=191949

http://printers.nectech.com/public/printers/microsoft/Q128345.htm

(has comments about an alternate print related file for win95)

http://www.10ticks.co.uk/p_trouble.asp

(this reference is pdf related but if you have raster/vector graphics choice in printer setup see comment under general trouble shooting advice in regard to raster/vector.)

http://bizforums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x62a2e7e60861d511abcd0090277a778c,00.html

(the hp forum mentioning the winME spool file)

The files to eliminate-this came from some accounting program info i can't give you a link to.

Spool32 caused a general protection fault in module kernel32.dll:

"Don't load any TSRs that have been determined to cause the error. Take out osa.exe and findfast.exe out of the startup group. These are two programs that load with MS Office that are known to cause problems. They are not needed for normal operation of Office." (that is third party assertion-not mine-I don't know. I've eliminated them from a machine running works with no apparent adverse effects.)

good luck.

 

[ikayak]

We have had the same issue. It turned out to be our McAfee virus protection. We have had to tell McAfee to exclude scanning the C:\windows\spool folder and the c:\windows\system\*spool*.* Hope this helps.

 

[JennITChick]

Thanks, ya'll. This POC machine is using McAfee, so I'll try all those suggestions.

About the drivers... I think technically it's using HP 5 drivers anyways, but I'll look to see if HP made Windows 95 drivers for the printer.

I'll also try taking the stuff out of the Startup... I've stripped a bunch of garbage out of that thing already (believe me, if it was up to me, I'd be getting more than the $10 reception pay for this job, I've fixed both printers and almost everyone's computer already ;-) ) so it would load up in something less than 10 minutes. I'll take those out, too.

Jennifer Sigman
Unemployed since 10.26.2002

 

[chuckg0413]

Open win.ini, add spools32.exe to the load= line. See if this helps.

 

[JennITChick]

Ikayak, that seems to have done the trick. Thanks!

Jennifer Sigman
Unemployed since 10.26.2002