Can't clear print queue

  • Thread starter Thread starter Herzl Regev
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Herzl Regev

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How do I clear the print queue?

I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in

/WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.



The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.
 
"Herzl Regev" wrote in message

news:03C416F4-BE1D-4CE5-A865-4F5D0FD3EC57@microsoft.com...

> How do I clear the print queue?

> I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in

> /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

>

> The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.



What happened when you deleted the files in the Printers folder? Did any of

them stay behind? Any screen message?
 
"Herzl Regev" wrote in message

news:03C416F4-BE1D-4CE5-A865-4F5D0FD3EC57@microsoft.com...

> How do I clear the print queue?

> I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in

> /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

>

> The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.



Have you restarted the PC?
 
You just need to right-Click on the systems tray icon for the printer and

then select open. You can now delete the jobs listed in there but you need

to be an administrator or a user who sent the job in the first place.



hth



"Herzl Regev" wrote in message

news:03C416F4-BE1D-4CE5-A865-4F5D0FD3EC57@microsoft.com...

> How do I clear the print queue?

> I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in

> /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

>

> The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.
 
First of all, the problem went away, but it might return. Re the replies:



before trying the way I listed, I already tried the way suggested by LD55ZRA.



when I deleted the files in /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, nothing was

left, but the printer queue stayed occupied. I didn't reboot the PC. What

seems to have worked was that I closed that window that I got from "opening"

the printer. Before that I disconnected the printer, turned it off - didn't

help.
 
"Herzl Regev" wrote in message

news:27322FB6-8A35-49B2-962B-53835385BBD9@microsoft.com...

> First of all, the problem went away, but it might return. Re the replies:

>

> before trying the way I listed, I already tried the way suggested by

> LD55ZRA.

>

> when I deleted the files in /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, nothing was

> left, but the printer queue stayed occupied. I didn't reboot the PC. What

> seems to have worked was that I closed that window that I got from

> "opening"

> the printer. Before that I disconnected the printer, turned it off -

> didn't

> help.



I think you were deceived. Cleaning out the Printers folder is a

non-approved way of doing things and your printer screen will not update

itself automatically. If you did a screen refresh (e.g. with F5) then you

would immediately see an empty print queue.
 
Herzl Regev wrote:

> How do I clear the print queue?

> I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in

> /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

>

> The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.



You may have to build in a pause (the "ping" command).



The following batch file works for me:



@echo off

echo.

echo Purging the print queue . . .

net stop Spooler

echo Deleting all print jobs . . .

ping localhost -n 4 > nul

del /q %SystemRoot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*

net start Spooler

echo Done!

ping localhost -n 4 > nul
 
HeyBub wrote:

> Herzl Regev wrote:

>> How do I clear the print queue?

>> I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in

>> /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

>>

>> The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.

>

> You may have to build in a pause (the "ping" command).

>

> The following batch file works for me:

>

> @echo off

> echo.

> echo Purging the print queue . . .

> net stop Spooler

> echo Deleting all print jobs . . .

> ping localhost -n 4 > nul

> del /q %SystemRoot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*

> net start Spooler

> echo Done!

> ping localhost -n 4 > nul



Actually, when taking a second look at the batch file you will see that

all that the ping command does is give the user a bit of time to see and

read the echo...



John
 
"John John - MVP" wrote in message

news:OPqbpkE0KHA.6140@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> HeyBub wrote:

>> Herzl Regev wrote:

>>> How do I clear the print queue?

>>> I've tried "net stop spooler" and deleted all in

>>> /WINDOWS/System32/spool/PRINTERS, to no avail.

>>>

>>> The OS is XP Home SP3. The printer is HP psc 1200.

>>

>> You may have to build in a pause (the "ping" command).

>>

>> The following batch file works for me:

>>

>> @echo off

>> echo.

>> echo Purging the print queue . . .

>> net stop Spooler

>> echo Deleting all print jobs . . .

>> ping localhost -n 4 > nul

>> del /q %SystemRoot%\system32\spool\printers\*.*

>> net start Spooler

>> echo Done!

>> ping localhost -n 4 > nul

>

> Actually, when taking a second look at the batch file you will see that

> all that the ping command does is give the user a bit of time to see and

> read the echo...

>

> John



The batch file comes out of my kitchen and yes, this was exactly the purpose

of the ping command. Some day, if you're interested, I'll explain the

contortions I had to go through to get around the UAC restrictioins under

Windows 7 . . .
 
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