DescentBB

I'm trying to delete a printer that won't let go of a page I tried to print. It won't let me delete the printer in regular mode so I thought I'd try Safe mode. But in Safe mode Setting doesn't show Printers and neither does the Control Panel.

What's up with that?

Use the run command and type \"control printers\" (without the quotes) then press enter.

Note you may have to start the Print Spooler service (in services.msc) before it will work.

Bring the system up in Safe mode, then go to the folder C:\\Windows\\System32\\Spool\\Printers, Delete ALL of the files in that folder. Reboot.

At that point you should be able to delete the printer. If you've already given the computer the command to delete the printer, it may complete that task for you at that time.

Got it. Thanks.

Is the \"spooler\" the reason the printers don't show in the Control Panel?

Not sure that's it because other items don't show either.

If the spooler service is not running it won't see any of the 5 different printers I have had installed since I got XP.

OK then the other programs I can't see in the Control Panel are Services not running?

thewolfe wrote:OK then the other programs I can't see in the Control Panel are Services not running?

Unrelated, something else is broken to cause that (perhaps a virus messed with the system).

Krom is correct.

There are only two reasons for Control Panel items not showing up in the Control Panel. 1) Item was either removed or isn't normally there on that system, or 2) the item has been \"hidden\" to not show in the Control Panel (this can be done manually or by 3rd party software settings).

Both can also be the result of file corruption and/or virus attack. Both can also be done by the user.

Not seeing a Control Panel item for something does not mean the item isn't running. It only means the file that provides an Control Panel interface for that item is either not there or \"hidden\".

In \"Safe Mode\" only the barest minimum of system services are running. The Print Spooler is what provides the view and access to the installed printers. The Print Spooler is also one of the services that is NOT running in Safe Mode. That's why you couldn't do anything with it in Safe Mode.

Two different computers showing same items in Vista in the Control Panel for Safe and reg mode.

Safe mode screenshot http://screencast.com/t/NYwNc65v0

Reg mode http://screencast.com/t/cuu40gPyln

Exactly what it should show. Vista takes the extra step of \"hiding\" the items that cannot be accessed at that time.

Cool, thanks,