Question : Local Print Spool Service Keeps Stopping Unexpectedly on Network Clients

Hi, I've searched the Internet, the M'Soft KB and Experts Exchange without luck - help! Our Windows 2003 server/ XP Pro client  network has been running for about 6 months without any printer problems. We run a number of network printers off a 2003 server with 3 Gig RAM and loads of hard-disk space. Over the last week or so we get the odd user (nothing unique about the user) from all over the network (i.e. not just one area) complaining that they can't print (not to any particular printer - various types of network printer are involved) . On checking, the print server is fine and in-use, the other services on the workstation are fine, the printer is ok but the local Print Spool Service has stopped unexpectedly. It's set to restart but it fails as soon as it's restarted. The event logs only tell us of the error, the re-start and the subsequent failure. Thanks for reading this, regards Richard

Answer : Local Print Spool Service Keeps Stopping Unexpectedly on Network Clients

I've encountered similar spooler issues in the past, though not in a 2003/XP environment, but I found that re-applying the service pack did the trick in the end,.. it's unusual that you're getting a number of machines around the place giving you this problem (if I read it right, it's the workstation spooler service stopping on numerous & random machines,.. spooler and everything is fine on the server... correct me if I'm wrong)... how about configuring them to start printing right away instead of spooling the data, if only to aid the troubleshooting process..?