Microsoft KB Archive/917777

= The Add Printer Wizard or the Printer dialog box stop responding on a Windows Server 2003-based, Windows XP-based, or Windows 2000-based computer =

Article ID: 917777

Article Last Modified on 8/29/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

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SYMPTOMS
You may experience one or more of the following printer issues on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP, or Microsoft Windows 2000:
 * When you try to open the Print dialog box, it takes a long time to open.
 * When you use the Add Printer Wizard to install a network printer that is hosted on a server that is running the SMB Service, the Add Printer Wizard may stop responding. The problem occurs after the driver files are copied.
 * When you select a different network printer in the Printer Name box in the Add Printer Wizard, there may a delay before the change is applied. This problem may occur even though the conditions in the &quot;Cause&quot; section do not apply to the network printer that you select.



CAUSE
This problem occurs because of a bug in the spooler (spoolss.dll). This problem occurs if the following conditions are true:  The size of the DEVMODE structure that is used by the printer driver is larger than 4,096 bytes. The name of the printer has an odd number of characters. For example, in the following network printer name,  contains an odd number of characters (13):

\\SMBPrinterServer\

The problem does not occur if the name of the printer has an even number of characters.



Windows Server 2003 service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

889100 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2003

Prerequisites
To apply this hotfix, you must have Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1)installed on the computer.

Note Windows Server 2003, x64-based versions do not require Windows Server 2003 SP1 to apply this hotfix.

Restart requirement
You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem, submit a request to Microsoft Online Customer Services to obtain the hotfix. To submit an online request to obtain the hotfix, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451

Note If additional issues occur or any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. To create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows XP hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem, submit a request to Microsoft Online Customer Services to obtain the hotfix. To submit an online request to obtain the hotfix, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451

Note If additional issues occur or any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. To create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Prerequisites
No prerequisites are required.

Restart requirement
You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time item in Control Panel.

Windows XP, x86-based versions


Windows 2000
To work around this problem in Windows 2000, use an even number of characters for the name of the printer.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section. This problem was first corrected in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.



MORE INFORMATION
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates



Technical support for x64-based versions of Microsoft Windows
Your hardware manufacturer provides technical support and assistance for x64-based versions of Windows. Your hardware manufacturer provides support because an x64-based version of Windows was included with your hardware. Your hardware manufacturer might have customized the installation of Windows with unique components. Unique components might include specific device drivers or might include optional settings to maximize the performance of the hardware. Microsoft will provide reasonable-effort assistance if you need technical help with your x64-based version of Windows. However, you might have to contact your manufacturer directly. Your manufacturer is best qualified to support the software that your manufacturer installed on the hardware.

For product information about Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/default.mspx

For product information about x64-based versions of Microsoft Windows Server 2003, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/64bit/x64/default.mspx

Additional query words: SMB Printer Install DEVMODE GetPrinter spoolss.dll Winx64 Windowsx64 64bit 64-bit

Keywords: kbwinserv2003presp2fix kbbug kbfix kbqfe kbpubtypekc KB917777

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