How to Remove a Corrupt Printer Driver from Windows

Any of the following issues can happen if your printer’s driver(s) are corrupt.

• Print spooler service is crashing
• Cannot add a printer as print spooler service not running or crashing while you try to add a new printer to Windows
• Print spooler error (code 0x000006BE)

If you are wondering how to fix printer spooler error, then you have to fix the corrupt drivers in your Windows computer. To fix them, follow the below steps.

Step One: Remove your Printers and Drivers from Windows

First, you have to remove the printers installed in your Windows computer. For that, follow the steps mentioned below.

• Press the Windows key, and select Devices and Printers from the Start Menu. Next, a new window opens that contains printers and other devices installed in the operating system.
• Select your printer, right-click and choose the Remove Device Repeat the same for all the printers you want to remove from the system.

• Click on the Start button, and choose Control Panel. This opens a new window, where you have the options or tools to adjust your system’s settings.
• Click on the System and Security link, and open Administrative Tools. You can also type Administrative Tools in the search box at the top-right corner of the main Control Panel window, and the OS will reveal the results for the respective searched item. Once you click on the link, it opens the Administrative Tools

• In the folder, find the Print Management shortcut, and double-click on it. You can see a new window opening up on the screen.
• Then, click to expand Print Servers. When you click on it, you will be able to see <PC name> (local). For instance, if your computer name is “PC007”, it will be written as PC007 (local).

• Then choose Drivers, select drivers in the middle, and click on More Actions under the Drivers subheading that appears to the right side of the window. This then reveals Print Server Properties Under the open Drivers tab, you can see the list of Installed printer drivers.
• Select the target driver and click on the Remove Do the same for each target driver you want to remove from the system. Click on the OK button for confirmation each time you do this.

Step Two: Clear Windows Printing Subsystem

• Open a folder or Windows Explorer or press the Windows and E keys at the same time. In the address bar, type C:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86, and press the Enter key to navigate to the folder.

• From w32x86, either remove all the folders and files or move them all to a temporary folder.
• Then, press Windows, key in regedit in the Start menu search box, and hit Enter. This opens the Registry Editor. Be careful when you make any changes to the editor.

• Find and expand the registry key named Windows NT x86 by navigating through HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > Print > Environment
• Once you expand it, there should be only the subkeys titled Drivers and Print Processors.

• If you see any other subkeys than the two above-mentioned ones under the expanded Windows NT x86, then perform the following:
  • Choose a subkey
  • Choose File, and then Export.
  • Type any descriptive name for the subkey, and Save it to the desktop. If you face any issues, you can restore it.
  • Then, Delete the subkey.
  • Repeat the above-mentioned four sub-steps for each subkey save Drivers and Print Processors.
• Find and expand the registry key named Monitors by navigating through HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > Print
• There should only be the below-mentioned subkeys in it.
• Local Port
• BJ Language Monitor
• Microsoft Shared Fax Monitor
• Microsoft Document Imaging Writer Monitor
• USB Monitor
• Standard TCP/IP Port
• WSD Port
• If you see any other subkeys than the seven above-mentioned subkeys under Monitors, perform the following:
  • Click on a subkey
  • Click File, and then Export.
  • Enter any descriptive name for the subkey, and Save the key to the desktop. If you come across any issues, you can restore it.
  • Then, remove the subkey.
  • Repeat the aforementioned four sub-steps for each subkey except for the ones mentioned.
• Disconnect printers connected to the computer if any.
• Restart the PC.
• Install the printer with its manufacturer’s instructions, which you can find in the user manual or its website.

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