Odd problem with Print Server and PaperCut - spooler not stopped but crashing

[gwendes]

Server 2012 Print Server.

 

Happening two or three times every day the Print Spooler service needs to be restarted to get everything working again - but it hasn't actually stopped! Restarting just PaperCut doesn't do anything. This also hasn't stopped.

Nothing in the eventvwr other than a few of these:

 

• Driver CutePDF Writer required for printer CutePDF Writer is unknown. Contact the administrator to install the driver before you log in again.
  
• Driver Send To Microsoft OneNote 2010 Driver required for printer Send To OneNote 2010 is unknown. Contact the administrator to install the driver before you log in again.
  
• Driver Microsoft XPS Document Writer required for printer Microsoft XPS Document Writer is unknown. Contact the administrator to install the driver before you log in again.
  

 

 

After restarting the spooler everything prints absolutely fine until the next, apparently random, crash.

 

Any ideas?

[themightymrp]

Sounds like an incompatible or poor driver. Have you tried running the drivers in Isolation mode to see if it stops it crashing?

[gwendes]

Sounds like an incompatible or poor driver. Have you tried running the drivers in Isolation mode to see if it stops it crashing?

 

The thing is that it isn't crashing, well, the service certainly isn't *stopping*. Restarting the service does get everything printing again though...

Will have a look at isolation mode tomorrow. If anyone has any other ideas could you drop them here, thanks

[DJ3Dog]

I know this is almost a year late. But I found that removing all 3rd party monitors from the registry resolved 95% of all spooler crash/stopping events on all 5 of my print servers (2008r2)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > Print >Monitors

 

Export a copy of the print key. Remove ALL non native port and language monitors (Excluding PaperCut monitors if actively using PC port monitors)

 

Net stop and start the spooler. I wish I would have done this a long time ago.. would have saved me a lot of grief... Waking up at 3a.m to server alerts and helpdesk tickets...