Windows Vista Cannot delete document from printer

I am using Windows Vista SP1 with an HP Photosmart C5280 local printer.

I couldn't print anything and thus I clicked into Control Panel/Printers and double-clicked on the printer icon. The printer's print queue window opens and a " "Print Job Details" document is there at the top with a "Printing" status. My new document to be printed follows.

I could delete the new document from the queue, but not the first. After my attempt to delete hte "Print Job Details" document, the status changed to "Deleting - Printing ".

I tried pulling off the "Cancel" button on the printer; unplugging the USB cable, and reboot the notebook. The document is still sticking there.

How can I delete the document and resume the printer function?

 

You should be able to delete the files by going to Windows/system32/spool/printers. The files you want to delete are there. Before you can delete them tou will need to shut down the print spooler service.

 

Or, you can save the following (everything between the === lines) as a ".bat" file (for example, named "stopprint.bat ", not including the quote marks) in your root directory, then creating a shortcut to it (for example, on the desktop), and double-clicking the shortcut to activate the file whenever your printer is clogged. This will run a DOS-style script, clear the print queue, and return your printer to you.

Note: This works in WinXP. I don't use Vista, so I don't know if it will work there. Can someone knowledgeable please comment?

Frank D

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net stop spooler
ping 127.0.0.1 -n 3
del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.* /F /Q /S
ping 127.0.0.1 -n 3
net start spooler
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Thanks Ranger. I shut down the print spooler service and it works.

 

Your welcome, I've had to do that more than once.