Spriglet #5: Clear the Print Spool in Windows XP By Force

May 18, 2007 in spriglets, technology with 3 Comments

taskbar_printer.jpg
Spriglet #5: Have a print job in Windows that just won’t go away? Here’s how to fix it:

®= right-click, © = click, © © = double-click

  1. ® on My Computer and choose “Manage”
  2. © on “Services” in the left pane
  3. © © on “Print Spooler” in the right pane
  4. © the “Stop” button
  5. Leave this window open and hit Windows-E to bring up an Explorer window
  6. Drill down to c:\windows\system32\printers\spool
  7. Highlight and delete all of the files in here
  8. Back on the Print Spooler Properties window, © Start
  9. © Start, © Settings, © Printers and Faxes, © © the printer with the stuck job
  10. Hit F5 to refresh. All of the print jobs should now be gone.

UPDATE: Check out the shorter batch file method in the comments below. Thanks, White Panther.


About wvpv: what others do with talent, I do with obstinate fixation

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3 Responses to “Spriglet #5: Clear the Print Spool in Windows XP By Force”

  1. White Panther June 3, 2009 at 8:53 am #

    Faster (batch file)

    @echo off
    net stop spooler
    del /f /q C:Windowssystem32spoolerPRINTERS*.*
    net start spooler

    Reply
  2. tableau January 28, 2012 at 6:42 pm #

    nice post!
    i cant share this link : https://sprignaturemoves.com/blog/spriglet-5-clear-the-print-spool-in-windows-xp-by-force
    am i doing it wrong ?

    Reply
    • wvpv January 28, 2012 at 6:46 pm #

      remove the “s” from https:// at the beginning of the url.

      Reply

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