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(Solved) Print Spooler Service is Missing / Not Listed (Fixing Guide)

Question

I am facing an issue with my print spooler service. When I try to print every time it gives me an error message “Print spooler service is not running. Please start the print spooler service” and then I went to the services page to start the print spooler service manually but I don’t see “print spooler service” there. I know it should be there named “print spooler”, however this time print spooler service is not listed on my services page. My print spooler service is missing. How do I solve it? do i need windows disk to repair this? Please help me to solve this issue. My computer is a windows 7 32 bit computer with 4 GB RAM. My printer model number is HP officejet j4580 All-in-one.

Solved Answer

Your print spooler service is missing / not listed on the services page, that means your print spooler service has gone corrupted or there might be possibility it has been infected by virus attack or after cleaning the virus. Without print spooler service you can’t print, because print spooler service establish a communication between computer and printer. When you give a print command, that print command goes to print spooler service, then print spooler service conveys that command to printer, then you get a printout.

If Print spooler service has been infected by virus: That means printer spooler service & their destination files spoolsv.exe, spoolss.dll have lost their permissions. If computer don’t have the permission on these files or print spooler registry, then how will the computer start the print spooler service?  We can’t start it. So in order to solve this issue, first of all you have to run a virus scan on your computer, then re-permit all these files spoolsv.exe, spoolss.dll & printspooler registry. We are giving you a proper step-by-step guide on how to do that, just follow the instructions below carefully.

If Print spooler service has corrupted by itself: That means printer spooler service & their destination files spoolsv.exe, spoolss.dll have gone corrupted due to unaccepted restart the computer. Anyway, In order to fix it, you have to follow some steps on that, we are providing you a proper step-by-step guide to solve that issue, just follow the instructions below carefully.

Update: We have updated windows 10’s spooler file and default registry copy. See the download links below.





Method 1

Automatic Fix it

Please Run this tool in Safemode MODE (Recommended) if you run this tool in normal mode, might it will not working properly.

Download Print Spooler Repair Tool.exe (Freeware) for WindowsXP , Vista, windows 7, windows 8.

Method2

Manual Steps

Step 1 : Re-Permit spooler files & their registry.

  • Click on Start button.
  • Click on Computer.
  • Open C:\ Drive.
  • Open Windows.
  • Open System32.
  • In the System32 folder, you will need to find two files named as spoolsv.exe, Spoolss.dll. You need to change their permissions to administrators.
  • Right click on spoolsv.exe and then click on ‘properties’ option.
  • Click on the Security Tab.
  • Click on Advanced.
  • Click on the Owner tab.
  • Click on the Edit button.
  • Select Administrators, then click on Apply and then OK. Now owner set as administrator
  • Click on the Permission Tab.
  • Click on Change Permission.
  • Click on Add Button
  • Type TrustedInstaller, then click on OK, and then check mark all the boxes of allow row, then click on OK
  • Click on OK to finish that.
  • Find one more file named as spoolss.dll, do the same permission steps on it as well.
  • Now you need to restart your computer to take effect.

print-spooler-is-missing-on-services-page4

Doing the same process with spooler registry HKEY_Local_Machine\System\Current Version\Services\Spooler.

print-spooler-is-missing-on-services-page5Restart the computer once. After restarting, you’ll get your print spooler service started. If the issue still persists, then follow the Step2 guide.


Step 2 : Update the print spooler service registry with the help of “default registry” file of print spooler.

Step 2.1: Download print spooler service default registry file (spooler.reg), as per your Operating System.

Default “Print Spooler Service” Registry files

Double-Click on that downloaded .zip file to open it.

spooler-reg1

Double-click on that spooler.reg to execute this file.

spooler-reg2

print-spooler-is-missing-on-services-page1

It will prompt a message regarding: “adding the data to spooler registry” so please click on Yes.

print-spooler-is-missing-on-services-page2

Then it gives you another message that says “updates have successfully finished or not “, please click on OK on it.

print-spooler-is-missing-on-services-page3Now reboot the computer once. After restarting, you’ll be getting your print spooler service started. If issue still persists then follow then Step3 guide.


Step 3 : Update the print spooler system files, spoolsv.exe, spoolss.dll.

Download print spooler default files(spoolsv.exe, spoolss.dll), as per your Operating System.

Default “Print Spooler Service” System files.

Extract that .zip file, you’ll get two files spoolsv.exe & spoolss.dll. Copy both are them.

Open a location on your computer, C drive –> Windows –> Sytstem32.

Paste both are the files in system32 folder, during copy, it’ll ask “would you like to replace these files, these already exist” then click on Yes to replace all them.

Restart the computer once. After restart, you’ll get your print spooler service started. If the issue still persists then follow Step4 guide.


Step 4 : Run a SFC /Scannow  scan on windows 7, Vista.

  • Log-in to your administrator account.
  • Start the command prompt with administrators rights. (click here to find out more,  how to start it)
  • Type SFC /SCANNOW on that command prompt window then hit Enter. It will take time to complete and restart your computer after the competition.
    SFC /SCANNOW

Restart the computer once. After restart, you’ll get your print spooler service started. If the issue still persists, then follow Step5 guide.


Step 5 : Run a scan with Hitman pro.

Click here to Download Hitmanpro_x32bit.exe

Click here to Download Hitmanpro_x64bit.exe

Hitmanpro-found-adware

Restart the computer once. After restart, you’ll get your print spooler service started. If issue still persist then follow Step6 guide.


Step 6 : Run a scan with Malwarebytes.

1. Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free, then double click on it to install it.

Click Here to Download Malwarebytes.exe

How to use malwarebytes

How to use malwarebytes

2. Update online Virus Definition

How to use malwarebytesHow to use malwarebytes

3. Tick mark on “Perform quick scan” then click on Scan

4. When the scan done click on “Show results”How to use malwarebytes

5. After clicking on Show result it will you a another window where you will get the found threats. Click on “Remove Selected”

How to use malwarebytes

Restart the computer once. After restart, you’ll get your print spooler service started. If issue still persist then contact us via email at info@techsupportall.com.

If there services is present but it is unable to start then refer Print spooler not running.

58 thoughts on “(Solved) Print Spooler Service is Missing / Not Listed (Fixing Guide)”

  1. thanks that was direct to the target help really wonderfull usefull help amazing team hope you all the success

  2. Awesome, Method 2 – Step 2 & 3 helps me solve the problem, thank you very much!

  3. Ivaylo Manolov

    Thanks! Worked perfectly on Windows 7 Professional.
    Anti-virus scanner had deleted spooler.

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