How to Troubleshoot Spool32 Error Messages

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Spool32.exe is a 32-bit Windows 95 or Windows 98 component that manages the spooling of print jobs. With spooling, the computer's processor can quickly process a print job by temporarily storing it on the hard disk before sending it to the printer. As a result, the processor can return control to the program from which you are printing at a much faster rate than if the program were to process the entire print job and then send it directly to the printer. Spool32 error messages may occur if something is preventing the print job from being spooled correctly.

To troubleshoot the error messages that are described in the "Symptoms" section, follow the procedure in step 1, and then try to print again. If you still receive the error message, follow the instructions in step 2, and then try to print again. Continue with the following steps, testing after each step if the problem is not resolved.

1. Disable all the drivers and programs that you do not need (this is known as a "clean boot"). To do this, follow the steps in one of the following sections, depending on your operating system.
   
   Note The clean-boot procedure eliminates the possibility that an antivirus program or another utility is causing the error message. It also disables any third-party printing software such as Hewlett-Packard Port Monitor or Epson Spooler.

   Windows 95

   1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.
   2. Click to clear the Include Subfolders check box.
   3. In the Named box, type config.sys autoexec.bat, and then click Find Now.
   4. In the list of found files, right-click the Autoexec.bat file, click Rename, and then type a new name for the file (such as Autoexec.xxx).
   5. Repeat step d with the Config.sys file.
   6. Quit the Find tool, and then restart your computer.

   Windows 98

   1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.
   2. On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility.
   3. Click Selective Startup on the General tab, and then click to clear the following check boxes:

      Process Config.sys File
      Process Autoexec.bat File
      Process Winstart.bat File
      Process System.ini File
      Process Win.ini File
      Load Startup Group Items

      Note You must reinstall the printer driver when you disable the Win.ini file because the printer and port information is stored in this file.
   4. Click OK, and then quit the System Information tool.
   5. Restart your computer.
   For information about how to clean-boot a Windows 98-based computer by using the System Configuration tool, view the "Narrowing the Focus" section in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

   192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98

   Windows Millennium Edition

   1. Click Start, and then click Run.
   2. Type msconfig in the dialog box.
   3. Click Selective Startup on the General tab, and then click to clear the following check boxes:

      Process System.ini File
      Process Win.ini File
      Load Static VXD's
      Load Startup Group Items
      Load Environment Variables

      Note You must reinstall the printer driver when you disable the Win.ini file because the printer and port information is stored in this file.
   4. Click OK, and then quit the System Information tool.
   5. Restart your computer.
   For information about how to clean-boot a Windows Millennium Edition-based computer by using the System Configuration tool, view the "Narrowing the Focus" section in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

   267288 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows Millennium

2. Change the spooling format from Enhanced Metafile (EMF) to RAW, and then try to print directly to the printer instead of spooling the print job. To do this:
   1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
   2. Right-click the printer that you are using, and then click Properties.
   3. On the Details tab, click Spool Settings.
   4. Click Print Directly to the Printer.
   5. In the Spool Data Format box, click RAW.
   6. Click OK, click OK again, and then close the Printers dialog box.
3. Some printer drivers have a coding error that can cause one of the error messages in the "Symptoms" section to occur. To determine whether this is the cause of the error message, update or change the printer driver. For additional information about how to do this, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   128345 Troubleshooting Printing Problems in Windows 95/98/Millennium Edition

4. There may be a terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program or another program that prevents the Spool32.exe program from running when Windows 95 or Windows 98 starts. To work around this behavior, use one of the following methods:
   • Create a shortcut to the Windows\System\Spool32.exe file in the StartUp folder, where Windows is the folder where Windows 95 or Windows 98 is installed.
     
     For information about how to create a shortcut, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type shortcuts, and then double-click the Creating Help topic.
   • Start a text editor (such as Notepad), add the following line to the "Load=" or "Run=" line in the [Windows] section of the Win.ini file, where drive is the drive where Windows 95 or Windows 98 is installed, and windows is the folder where Windows 95 or Windows 98 is installed:

     drive:\windows\system\spool32.exe

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.