Microsoft KB Archive/191949

= How to Troubleshoot Spool32 Error Messages =

Article ID: 191949

Article Last Modified on 1/23/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 95

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This article was previously published under Q191949



If this article does not describe the error message that you are receiving, view the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article to view more articles that describe error messages:

315854 Windows 98 and Windows Me Error Message Resource Center

If this article does not describe your hardware-related issue, visit the following Microsoft Web site to view more articles about hardware:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/w98?sid=460



SUMMARY
This article describes how to troubleshoot the following error messages that you may receive when you try to print or perform a printer-related procedure:

SPOOL32 caused a General Protection Fault in module Kernel32.dll at.

SPOOL32 caused an Invalid Page Fault in module Kernel32.dll at.

SPOOL32 caused a Stack Fault in module Kernel32.dll at.



MORE INFORMATION
Spool32.exe is a 32-bit Windows 95 or Windows 98 component that manages the spooling of print jobs. With spooling, the computer's processor can quickly process a print job by temporarily storing it on the hard disk before sending it to the printer. As a result, the processor can return control to the program from which you are printing at a much faster rate than if the program were to process the entire print job and then send it directly to the printer. Spool32 error messages may occur if something is preventing the print job from being spooled correctly.

To troubleshoot the error messages that are described in the "Symptoms" section, follow the procedure in step 1, and then try to print again. If you still receive the error message, follow the instructions in step 2, and then try to print again. Continue with the following steps, testing after each step if the problem is not resolved.   Disable all the drivers and programs that you do not need (this is known as a "clean boot"). To do this, follow the steps in one of the following sections, depending on your operating system.

Note The clean-boot procedure eliminates the possibility that an antivirus program or another utility is causing the error message. It also disables any third-party printing software such as Hewlett-Packard Port Monitor or Epson Spooler.

Windows 95
 Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders. Click to clear the Include Subfolders check box. In the Named box, type config.sys autoexec.bat, and then click Find Now. In the list of found files, right-click the Autoexec.bat file, click Rename, and then type a new name for the file (such as Autoexec.xxx). Repeat step d with the Config.sys file.</li> Quit the Find tool, and then restart your computer.</li></ol>

Windows 98
<ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Information.</li> On the Tools menu, click System Configuration Utility.</li> Click Selective Startup on the General tab, and then click to clear the following check boxes:

Process Config.sys File

Process Autoexec.bat File

Process Winstart.bat File

Process System.ini File

Process Win.ini File

Load Startup Group Items

Note You must reinstall the printer driver when you disable the Win.ini file because the printer and port information is stored in this file.</li> Click OK, and then quit the System Information tool.</li> Restart your computer.</li></ol>

For information about how to clean-boot a Windows 98-based computer by using the System Configuration tool, view the "Narrowing the Focus" section in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98

Windows Millennium Edition
<ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Click Start, and then click Run.</li> Type msconfig in the dialog box.</li> Click Selective Startup on the General tab, and then click to clear the following check boxes:

Process System.ini File

Process Win.ini File

Load Static VXD's

Load Startup Group Items

Load Environment Variables

Note You must reinstall the printer driver when you disable the Win.ini file because the printer and port information is stored in this file.</li> Click OK, and then quit the System Information tool.</li> Restart your computer.</li></ol>

For information about how to clean-boot a Windows Millennium Edition-based computer by using the System Configuration tool, view the "Narrowing the Focus" section in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

267288 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows Millennium

</li> Change the spooling format from Enhanced Metafile (EMF) to RAW, and then try to print directly to the printer instead of spooling the print job. To do this: <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.</li> Right-click the printer that you are using, and then click Properties.</li> On the Details tab, click Spool Settings.</li> Click Print Directly to the Printer.</li> <li>In the Spool Data Format box, click RAW.</li> <li>Click OK, click OK again, and then close the Printers dialog box.</li></ol> </li> <li>Some printer drivers have a coding error that can cause one of the error messages in the "Symptoms" section to occur. To determine whether this is the cause of the error message, update or change the printer driver. For additional information about how to do this, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

128345 Troubleshooting Printing Problems in Windows 95/98/Millennium Edition

</li> <li>There may be a terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program or another program that prevents the Spool32.exe program from running when Windows 95 or Windows 98 starts. To work around this behavior, use one of the following methods: <ul> <li>Create a shortcut to the \System\Spool32.exe file in the StartUp folder, where   is the folder where Windows 95 or Windows 98 is installed.

For information about how to create a shortcut, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type shortcuts, and then double-click the Creating Help topic.</li> <li>Start a text editor (such as Notepad), add the following line to the "Load=" or "Run=" line in the [Windows] section of the Win.ini file, where  is the drive where Windows 95 or Windows 98 is installed, and   is the folder where Windows 95 or Windows 98 is installed:



</li></ul> </li></ol>

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Additional query words: HWPRNEM kernel32 dll gp fault ipf w98hem w98hemmay w98hemjun w98hemjul

Keywords: kberrmsg kbfaq kbgpf kbhowto kbinvalidpagefault kbkern32dll kbtshoot win95 win98se KB191949

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