This PC wasn’t printing, and had some strange issues connecting to the internet.

I had worked on this PC about 1 year ago (setup antivir, and windows defender).

But when I got called back, windows looked different:

• antivir and windows defender had been uninstalled.
• spyware doctor had been installed
• Norton IS 2009 had been installed
• Existing canon pixma printer was still connected (but not printing)
• A lexmark X1100 printer had been installed (but not printing)
• At startup, I can see a windows with a iebtm.exe error
• At startup, I can also see a windows with the error: pctssvc.exe unable to locate component
• Some applications would generate: unable to locate component, snmpapi.dll was not found

I was told that the lexmark X1100 series printer was bought so she could send faxes.

Unfortunately, the X1100 series are crap (they do not have a real fax component). Sending faxes relies on the PC having a fax-modem. Of course this PC doesn’t have a fax-modem, since its been a broadband PC from the beginning.

The changes to the security software is mostly due to the advice of friends.

So my first steps are to remove norton & spyware doctor, and then install antivir and defender.

Next, I fix various errors (mostly due to missing/removed programs tying to run at system startup).

I then check that the internet is going, and finally take a look at the printers.

That’s odd. “Printers and faxes” (under control panel) just shows an empty window… no printers, and no “add printer” icon.

I find that the print spooler isn’t running (even though its set to automatic).

I try starting it manually, but it seems to stop a few seconds later.

I take a look at Event viewer, and I see a lot of messages about “print spooler service terminated unexpectedly” and the event ID is 7034.

A quick look around the internet finds a few things to try:

– delete the .spl and .shd files from c:windowsSystem32SpoolPrinters

– various registry hacks (didn’t work)

– sfc /scannow (but customer cannot find her XP CD… so I use mine)… but still no luck

– uninstall the lexmark and canon print software, then reinstall the canon software.

– The Lexmark printer was not new, so customer didn’t get a set of driver CDs… OK download them from the net and install.

In the end, I need to take the PC back to the office and I try a few more things (including a windows repair install).

At this point, There is only 1 more thing to try: reimage (from reimage.com).

I tried reimage a few months back (http://www.computer-aid.com.au/blog/2008/09/26/no-taskbar-no-desktop-icons-no-right-click/), without any success, so I decided to give it another go.

This time it actually fixed the spooler system.

I installed my own printer, and did a successful test print.

When I took it back to the customer, it was a partial success:

– the canon software installed correctly (and it detected the printer correctly), but no printer icon showed up in the printer section of control panel, and the scanning software couldn’t detect the printers scanner.

– The lexmark printer actually worked (after a new set of ink cartridges).

If I had known how difficult this was going to be, I would have just wiped the PC and started with a fresh install of XP.