Help someone! I am having printing problems since Windows Updates

After I installed Windows updates this morning, on restart my taskbar was white instead of the two-tone dark gray it normally is. There was also a popup about services not starting. I restarted the computer and got my normal taskbar back.

But then the next thing that happened is my printer won't print. It was working fine before. I get no error messages. When I open the printer it shows my printing job as "printing" but nothing happens. If I restart my computer, then on restart any pages in the queue will start printing.

But then I try to print again and I have to go through the same process before the pages will print.

I already went into devices and checked the driver but Windows reported back that I already had the best driver for this printer installed. I know there's nothing wrong with the printer but ever since I installed those Windows updates something went haywire.

Would it do me any good to start in Safe Mode and select to "Use last known good configuration"?

"Use last known good configuration" won't help as the computer boots normally so that gets updated each time.

Go into System Restore and see if there is a restore point before you did the update. Use it if so.

I used System Restore, first the date of 6-7. I got notification that System Restore was unable to complete and advised to try again using a different SR point. So I went back to my earliest date which was 5-30. This time it completed, but I still can't print unless I reboot. The printing job sits in the queue and shows that it's "Printing ..." and then ONLY if I restart, it will print. But apparently the printer and computer are communicating since it will print when it reboots.

I ran sfc /scannow and no integrity errors were found.

Suddenly my computer is taking a long time to boot and to shut down. It's a little better since the System Restore, but not close to what it should be. I just don't know what to do.

I run Emsisoft and do a scan every day. In addition I have Malwarebytes Premium. There are no infections or malware showing up.

I also ran the Microsoft FixIt for Printers and the report was that no problems were found so no changes were made.

If you have any other suggestions, or if anyone else out there can help, please share. I live in a little rural agricultural town and the nearest thing to a computer shop is 100 miles away.

Thank you.

P.S. After the SR, I again not notice of those Windows Updates. The first time I installed them in addition to losing my printer, all my menus, task bar turned white. I was able to remedy that by opening Task Manager, ending explorer.exe and then starting it again as a new process. But that did not work this time. I went in Themes and my Vista theme isn't even listed.

I see there is an Internet Explorer update. I never use IE anyway. I read somewhere that awhile back there were some updates to IE 11 that caused printer problems. I wonder what would happen if I uninstalled that update???

What is the make and model number of the printer?

Try uninstalling it then reinstall, see if that helps.

It's a Dell AIO A960 all-in-one. I already thought about un- and reinstalling. However, I have no option anywhere to uninstall so I don't know how to proceed. I checked under Start/All Programs/Dell Printer. I checked in C/Progam Files/Dell Printer. I checked Geek Uninstaller, Revo Uninstaller and the Microsoft Uninstaller and the Dell printer is not listed anywhere.

Last night I ran CHKDSK with both options checked. When it had completed my screen said that the disk is clean.

I just can't figure it out. I can make a copy on my printer. I can use my printer's Maintenance/Test Page option and it will print that test page, I can send stuff to the printer on my computer and it shows up in the queue as Printing... but does nothing -- and then as soon as I reboot the pages in the queue will print -- but it will not print normally like it's supposed to.

It's like the printer and computer communicate as far as sending printing jobs to the queue -- they communicate right after reboot when pages in the queue are printed -- and then they quit communicating.

Do you know of any way I can uninstall this printer without having an uninstall option?

What about reinstalling? I found a disk that says Drivers and Utilities for installing Dimension and Dell XPS computer software. But I'm not sure if this disk came with my present desktop or with the one before this. Both were XPS. I also found a download which I think is for this printer, but I'm unsure if I have the right one.

Try installing again. Often that will bring up a Uninstall choice. If not, go ahead and reinstall anyway.

See if that helps.

How do I install again? I'm not sure this CD I found is for this computer/printer. When Dell refers to "firmware" is that actually the software to install for a given printer?

I installed the Dell System Detect and ran a diagnostics on my system. Everything passed. However with that Dell System Detect in place, when I rebooted a window opened on my desktop (see attahched). This refers to spooler, and for a while I could not open my printer file.

I've been looking at printers, but what if it's not the printer?

The drivers are here: Product Support | Dell US

Not sure which one you need. Match up the version number with your printer.

To cross-check, what is the service tag number for the printer?
Start here: Product Support | Dell US
Click on View a different product then enter the service tag number there.

In Control Panel > Hardware & Sound > Printers: is your printer set as the default one? If you have certain software installed or Office, for instance, often it will make it's own virtual printer the default.

Here's a pic of what it looks like in mine....click to enlarge.

Yes, it's set as default and shows Ready. This is driving me nuts because it doesn't make any sense.

I've put my computer through all the tests and it's passed with flying colors. I've tried to use several of those Microsoft FixIt files and at the end of each one I get the message that no problems were found so no changes were made. I ran in through the Dell diagnostics last night and every area passed. I did the "scannow" thing and no integrity errors were found. I did the CHKDSK thing and it reported a clean disk.

I can go to my printer, maintenance, and I can run a test page, cleaning page, alignment page. Further, I can actually open the Dell Printer Solution Center on my computer and through that, I can print alignment and cleaning pages. It will not print the test page. I can make copies on the printer.

But the most strange part is that I can send all the jobs I want to the printer. They appear in the queue as printing. Then I can reboot the computer and after the computer is completely booted, all the jobs in the queue will print.

After I had that Dell System Detect in place and rebooted, there was a window on my desktop after it booted. I tried to attach it but I don't see where it came through. So I'm going to try again as it seems to have something to do with some kind of spooler service. I attached and then clicked Preview and above, below the text of the email, that screenshot shows so I hope it comes through.

I do not know what I am doing wrong but I have tried 4 times to attach that screenshot to this email and I can't get the job done.

See below. I finally got my screenshot attached.

Still trying to attach screenshot

Maybe the printer software is only compatible with XP? In which case you'd have to locate the .exe in Program Files and right-click > Properties > Compatibility and select run this in comp. mode with XP SP3.

Were you able to unsintall/reinstall?

You could also try Windows Repair All-In-One. Get the Portable version, no need to install it.
Skip the first 4 steps by clicking on Start then No when it tells you that you skipped steps.
Click on Unselect All then check Repair Print Spooler then click Start.

See if that helps.

Ztrucker: I can't uninstall because the uninstall option for this Dell has disappeared from my computer. Didn't I tell you that earlier? If one of those links you showed me is supposed to be for an uninstall then you will have to explain further because I don't understand. You had a link for A960FW235. I have that downloaded on my desktop, but what is it. Is it the A960 printer software I'm looking for?

I think I am going to try and run this Windows Repair All-In-One since you have given exact instructions.

I don't even understand for sure what "firmware" means. On the Dell site they refer to this and I am wondering if this is the same as software. A lot of times when you can't uninstall a program they say to go ahead and install it and they try unisntalling and that has worked for me in the past. But I guess I don't have the CD for this printer, so I'm wondering if I can find the software to install it online.

Ex_Brit: This is the same printer that has been on this machine for years. It has just suddenly decided it doesn't want to print through normal channels anymore.

Firmware is not the same as software (or driver). Firmware is like the BIOS that runs your computer. It talks directly to teh hardware whereas software talks to the operating system when then passes your request to the hardware/firmware.

Does A960FW235 match up with the version of your A960 printer? If so, and is WR-AIO doesn't fix the problem, then go ahead and install it. It may say the software is already installed, do you want to uninstall it. If it does, go ahead and uninstall. Then reboot just for the heck of it then install the printer software again.

Where did you come up with the A960FW235? I went to the Dell site and I clicked on the chat line. The guy said if I can make copies on the printer, the printer is ok and just needs to have drivers reinstalled. He gave me the link to get them and it led me to the same page where you showed me those three versions, but none of those have that A960FW235 number. I think the one for my machine would be the R153051. But When I clicked on that A960FW235 in your email, it downloaded. Only I don't know what it is.

After that Tweaking.com finished running I was left with another window on my desktop that I'm going to try and attach.

Then you picked the wrong one from the list. As I said, you need to match the download to the version of your printer. If that comes out to R153051 then that is the one you need to download.

Does that make sense?

Yes it does, and I figured out what that other file is.

If I go into Device Manager, select Imaging Device/Dell AIO A960 and then uninstall, should I have my printer connected to my computer via the USB or should be be unplugged before uninstalling those drivers?

That won't uninstall the software for the printer which is what you want to do. You can do that and yes, you should disconnect the USB first, but you still need to try to uninstall the software by running the installer as I mentioned before. That would be the R153051 you downloaded.