How to resolve the Print Spooler service crash issue (Print spooler service is not running)

The below procedure will explain how to fix the Printer Spooler service crash(Print spooler service is not running), Due to unsigned drivers or corrupted print drivers the Print Spooler stops frequently and Event ID 7031 will be generated once the Print Spooler service terminated unexpectedly (Spooler Service Crashes When You Submit a Print Job and an Event ID 7031 Message Is Logged in the System Log), you may receive some other Event Id’s Event ID: 7032 and Event ID: 7034, even some time Print Spooler service crashed or Print Spooler stops within a minute after you start the Spooler service, you can’t see the installed printers on the print server, due to this(Print Spooler service crash)

Also See: Print spooler stopping automatically on Windows 10, Windows 8 and 8.1 and another client Operating system

Fix Print Spooler service crash issue (print spooler service keeps stopping)

First, you have to install the ADplus tool and run the tool to generate the log and analysis the log to find the root cause for the print spooler stopping

Adplus Tool Installation

1. Download “Debugging Tools for Windows” from http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/default.mspx

2. Create a directory called c:adplus and install on it

3. Determine the PID of the process(spoolsv.exe) you wish to monitor by using the tasklist command (tasklist
find /n “spoolsv.exe”)

4. Open a command prompt and change to the directory where you installed the debugging tools. By default, this is c: Program FilesDebugging Tools for Windows

5. Type the following:

cscript adplus.vbs -crash -p PID -o c:adplus

6. Do not interfere with the windows that are opened, just let it run minimized.

7. You will not be able to log off the system while you are monitoring

8. Logfile has been created by this tool

9. This tool will stop monitoring the process once the Spooler service getting crashed

10. Need to analyze the log to resolve the issue

More information about Adplus Tool http://support.microsoft.com/?id=286350

Also See: Printer showing offline after upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 8 and Windows 7

Analysis of the Log files generated form Adplus

1. Open the log file (Example: PID-1090__SPOOLSV.EXE__Date_05-11-2009__Time_12-22-14PM.log) which is generated by adplus tool

2. Find “This process is shutting down” on the log file, this is where the Spooler service is crashed

3. Now you are at the time of the Spooler service crash on the log file

4. Scroll up in the log file

5. You may find the reason for this Print Spooler crash ( Print Spoolerstops )

Also See: Install printer through group policy

Example:

Faulting stack below —

*** WARNING: Unable to verify checksum for C:WINNTsystem32spoolDRIVERSW32X863*****.DLL

*** ERROR: Symbol file could not be found. Defaulted to export symbols for C:WINNTsystem32spoolDRIVERSW32X863*****.DLL –

6. Now we know the issue with the DLL file

7. Find this DLL file into the affected server registry, to know the print driver to uses this DLL file

8. Re-install or un-install the corresponding print driver to resolve the issue

9. Restart the Spooler service

10. Monitor the Spooler for stability.

Also Read: How to Disable USE PRINTER OFFLINE on Windows 10

This is how the issues like print spooler service are not running, print spooler service keeps stopping, spooler not working, print spooler stopped, print spooler service keeps stopping, and spooler service issue is fixed

General Troubleshooting 

General Active Directory Troubleshooting 

Useful Windows Commands

Windows Group Policy