System: Windows2000Pro with HP7450 printer
Cause of Problem(?): Power was interupted in the middle of a three page print job
Immediate Symptoms on restart: Print job that was "in progress" now "frozen" in print que and would not print or delete. Additional print job, not yet started, deleted ok.
Then got a "spoolsv.exe" error message and started troubleshooting. When I went to PRINTERS, my 7450 icon was NOT there, only the ADD PRINTERS icon. Clicking on ADD PRINTERS then comes up with error message "printer operation cannot continue due to lack of resources".
Things I've tried: I've tried restarting the print spooler, both manual and auto, and it just shuts down again. I tried TROUBLESHOOTING hardware/drivers and clearly, both the HP7450 Hardware and Drivers were there and installed and listed as "working", just not showing up in PRINTERS under the CONTROL PANEL. So, then I tried UNINSTALLING then REINSTALLING both the hardware and driver in both regular and Safe Mode, but with no change in the symptoms. I did this for both the printer and the USB, just in case it was involved. I also found in the Event Log a reoccuring warning that "\Device\Harddisk0\\DRO has a bad block" that predated the power failure. I ran ScanDisk and this was fixed so I don't think it is connected to the printer problem.
Then, a possible troubleshoot suggestion said to look for BitWare in the Registry. I did so with no Bitware found but I did find what appears to be an anomaly. While checking HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\WindowsNTx86\Drivers\Version-3 etc there is supposed to be a subkey labeled ...\Print\Printers but the subkey \Printers IS NOT EVEN THERE.
During troubleshooting several other error messages occurred that might have some bearing as well. They include:
"Service Control Mgr tried to take corrective action after unexpected termination of print spooler, but failed." Another in the Event Log "An instance of the service is already running." A third..."Out of Resources: Printer operation cannot continue due to lack of resources. The printer subsystem is unavailable." Another in Event Viewer: "Windows cannot upload your Registry File. If you have a roaming file your settings are not replicated. Access denied." Then "Attempt to release mutex not owned by caller." and finally "Systemfehler code 1722 RPC Server unavailable." (This last one I checked and the RPC was up and running.)
Question: How would a power failure "delete" or disguise this key in the Registry, if this is the problem and, more importantly, is this the "smoking gun" relating to the above error messages and inablility to get the printer going again? Then...what do I do to get my printer back on line? Any help appreciated...I'm not real knowledgeable on computers but have gotten this far by following prompts and exact order listings of "what to do" or "how to do." Thanks...I have little hair left to pull out!