Windows Spool32 Errors
The Problem
Some printing problems in Windows 95 and 98 are caused by faulty
interactions between the Windows print spool system and the application
performing the printing. As yet the explanations from Microsoft and the
various software vendors seem inadequate.
The typical symptom is that the print job is successfully printed but the
application performing the printing does not receive correct notification
and hangs, or a Spool32 Error message is raised.
Possible Solutions (in descending order of usefulness)
1. Set Spool Settings to "Print directly to the printer".
This change seems to yield the greatest chance of success.
This is probably because it inhibits use of the Windows Spooler.
To make the change proceed as follows:
1. Go to the properties of the relevant printer.
2. Select the Details page and then select Spool Settings...
3. Select Print directly to the printer and OK and OK.
2. Pre-load the Windows Spooler
Some Spool32 errors are associated with the first print job of the day.
If this is the case then pre-loading the Windows Spooler will almost
certainly solve the problem.
It seems that the Windows Spooler is normally started when the first print
job is sent through and that by separating the loading of the spooler from
actually using the spooler will minimise the risk of spooler errors.
Pre-loading spool32.exe can be done in several ways, but adding it to the WIN.INI is a neat solution.
Setup the pre-loading spool32.exe at startup by performing the following steps:
- Run SYSEDIT from the RUN command in the start menu.
- Select the WIN.INI file.
- Change the line "load=" to read "load=spool32". Note: case doesn't matter.
- Quit from SYSEDIT and reboot the PC.
3. Don't Use ECP Printer Ports
Microsoft advise the local printers using ECP type printer ports may
cause applications to stops responding and hang. (Refer to Microsoft
Document Q141919. at
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q141/9/19.asp)
If the PC uses an ECP printer port and it is suffering spool32 type
errors and hanging while printing, then the printer port should be changed
to 'normal' mode within the CMOS settings of the PC.
Making changes to CMOS Settings is beyond the scope of this document because
of the wide variations between PCs.
The printer port type can be viewed by checking the printer port
characteristics within the properties of 'My Computer'.
Further Information
This web sites has a lot of info on Spool32: http://www.starkreality.com/~callen/spool32.htm
