Unable to print anything

Question

Hi, folks. Hope I can find some help here.

Several months ago my Acer stopped being able to print. It will print to a PDF file but that is all. I have tried the following:

* When I select "Print using system dialog" I get the following error message:

"The page at my livesupport.us says: The selected printer is not available or not installed correctly. Check your printer or by selecting another printer.'"

* Under Devices and Printers in Control Panel my printer is no longer listed as being installed.

* When I try to install my printer by "add a printer:" I get an error message:

"Windows cannot open Add Printer. The local print spooler service is not running. Please restart the spooler or restart the machine."

* I rebooted the machine and got no change.

* I restarted the print spooler and it still would not print.

* Again tried to add a printer but got the following:

*Under "Find the Directory":

"The Active Directory Doman Services is currently unavailable."

My husband is a computer programmer and is completely flustered with Windows. Their error messages often do not mean what they say and are not relevant to the real problem going on. Of course, he is one of a dying breed of main frame programmers, so he is no help with this problem.

I've looked for this Active Directory Doman Service but can't find anything on it. I need to be able to print. Anyone know how to fix this problem?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

[edited to comply with guidelines]

padgett · Answer

I have not seen this but I suspect the problem is here: "The Active Directory Domain Service is currently unavailable."

Unless you are in an office environment you should not be trying to find a domain controller or trying to connect a printer as a share. It should be as a network printer and identified by IP address unless you have a local DNS server (unlikely in a home).

OK lets assume a home network with a wireless router.

First I always assign my own addressing say 192.168.100.x with a 255.255.255.0 mask this neans any address from 192.160.100.1 to .255 is valid.

Next I assign 192.168.100.1 to the router and 192.168.100.100 to say .130 for DHCP (most home routers support this, professionally I would use hex boundary addresses and masks)

Finally configure the printer to use static address 192.168.100.50 (the router may or may not be able to support static addressing but either the PORT or the MAC address. If it does fine, if not NP. The key is for the printer to have a static (permanent) addess that is not in the DHCP range.

Now when adding a printer, use the specific IP address and not any naming or search (Use "Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname" in Windows).

If any issue can ping the address to see if the device is online.

If the automagical method of discovery works, fine, but never rely on a DHCP address for a peripheral device, it may move.

ladenier · Answer

Computer Information:

Acer AX-1200 (Aspire X1200)

SN: [edited to comply with guidelines]

SNID: [edited to comply with guidelines]

Manufactured: 09/22/2008

Arrived: 11/26/2008

AMD Athlon Dual Core 5200+

2.7 GHz

3.0 Gb DDR2 memory

640Gb SATA Hard Drive

Muper MultiDrive

HDM 1 Spt

Wireless LAN

Came with Vista Installed; Upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium in 09/2010; Has the latest updates

Printer Information:

Hewlett Packard Laserjet 1022 nw (Wireless)

SN: VNB3F00585

Manufacture Date: 09/06/2007

Purchased: 07/19/2007

Note: The wireless function stopped a few years ago and so it is connected directly to our wireless adapter.

Both are out of warranty.

Problem:

Have not been able to print since early this year.

When I try to Add Printer since it is no longer visible, it states that the print spooler is not started.

Have attempted to start the print spooler but it won't stay started.

When I have been able to get the print spooler started and I try to Add Printer I get the following error message:

"The Active Directory Domain Service is currently unavailable."

I heard a rumor that this may be the result of one of the Windows updates but have not been able to confirm this.

I am not a computer notice. I started with a Tandy, graduated to a 286 and built my own at one point in history, but it is now dead and gone. This problem has had me stumpted since I can't seem to find much information about it.

Would greatly appreciate anyone's help.

Lois Althea Denier

ladenier@comcast.net

padgett · Answer

Active Directory & Domain Services are both Microsoft network services. You have to have a domain server available and few homes have that.

OK if you printer isn't available (control panel>devices and printers) it is not going to matter if the print spooler is on or off, it is just a queuing mechanism & won't keep you from printing.

How is the printer connected (parallel port, serial port, USB, network, or wireless ?)

ps my first "PC" was an IBM 360, still have an EBCDIC card around somewhere. They are still in use though most 3090s come from Hitachi now.

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel® Evo™

Game Pass

Acer Corner

Gaming on Chromebook

Swift Series Intel^® Evo™