printer issues

[tecton3d]

I'm having issues trying to get my printer (HP 9670) software installed. It all started when I uninstalled the software due to the print spooler (spoolsv.exe) using 50% of my processors (which is one core of a dual-single core system) and I didn't at that point need to print anything so everything was fine. Now, I need to use the printer and can't get the standard HP software to install... by the end I get an error saying "the RPC server is unavailable"... I dunno what that is so I'm asking if anyone else has had issues like this and if so, what did you do to fix it?

 

FWIW: I've tried the scrubbing sofware listed here on HP's website to clear the previously installed stuff just in case there was something leftover from before and still no luck.

 

here is the message:

 

a little more info... I don't know if it will help or not, but when I restart my computer with the printer off -- I get a windows message in the taskbar saying new hardware found and then the wizard opens but as already mentioned, the software will not fully go through the install...

 

thanks

[mcorrea]

I also have a 9600 series and your Windows SP2 should have the driver pre-installed. I never use the cds that comes with the hardware thus theres so much crap in them. Try unninstalling and using the windows hardware installation guide.

[tecton3d]

alright, it turned out to be the print spooler (spoolsv.exe) that was being the nuisance. First of all, via task manager, spoolsv.exe was using one of my single core opterons for no apparent reason so I went into admin tools - services and disabled it so the message I was getting above is basically saying "the HP software drivers can't see the spoolsv.exe so the software can't be installed you silly fool!" I only had to restart the spoolsv.exe the same way I disabled it > reboot > and proceed as normal with the HP 9670 driver install...

 

there was a catch though, the spoolsv.exe was still using one of my processors so, after a little digging, I found out that if there are any oddball hanging print jobs, the spoolsv.exe will basically go nuts and consume as much processor as you have available (since spoolsv.exe isn't an smp enabled software, it couldn't use both of my opterons). Despite having never used this software, there ended up being 4 print jobs for the Microsoft Image Writer hung in the cue and all I did was cancel the jobs and the cpu useage dropped to normal...

 

now ~ where's my guiness : )