How to Delete a Print Job
When a print job fails and isn't processed a queue is created. As long as the first print job isn't finished, no other document can be printed. The printer stops working and blocks all further commands. When you turn the printer off, it will still try to print the failed document once it is turned on again. The print job cannot be stopped, canceled or deleted? There are some steps users can follow to delete a print job when all else fails.
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Contents:
1. Get to the bottom of the cause
2. How to find a print job in the print queue list
3. How to stop a print job
4. How to cancel a print job
5. How to delete a print job - fast and easy
6. How to delete a print job using cmd commands
7. Delete a print job by removing the corresponding Windows file!
Get to the bottom of the cause
One of the causes of the problem can often be found in the printer driver. When the driver is not installed correctly or hasn't been updated, it can lead to problems. The printing software should be checked and, if necessary, the latest version installed. Otherwise, the problem described could occur more frequently, causing further disruptions.
If the software for the printer is installed in the latest version and there is no driver problem, the cause of the problem is somewhere else. In the event of an error due to a print job, many users try to restart the computer immediately. This does not always lead to the desired success and can also lead to an error in the system, which makes it necessary to repair the respective Windows version.
How to find a print job in the print queue list
First of all, it is important to have a look at the print queue to check which print job should be deleted. All the print jobs that have been sent to the printer are displayed in the print queue. The jobs are listed with an exact description. At the top of the list are the print jobs, which are printed first. You can open the print job list by first clicking on the Windows start button. You will find th list under the "Printers and Devices" menu. Look for the symbol of the currently used printer and click on it with the right mouse button. After selecting the printer from the pull-down menu, click on "show print jobs" and, if necessary, confirm the printer again. You should now see all of the print jobs that are currently in the queue. The jobs can be stopped, canceled and deleted. In order to delete a print job, it must be stopped first. After being stopped, the print job can either be canceled or deleted immediately.
How to stop a print job
A print job is stopped when the printer is switched off. If there is still paper in the printer, it should be removed. When the printer is switched on again, it will print the same job. If you don't want that, you can end the print job with a command on the PC.
To do so, select "Printers and Devices" via the Windows start button. Select the currently used printer. After clicking on "show print jobs" the print job can be selected with the right mouse button. Then you have to click on "stop". This way you can avoid a big paper chaos quickly.
How to cancel a print job
Print jobs can be canceled as easily as they can be stopped. select "Printers and Devices" via the Windows start button. Select the correct printer and select the job to be canceled with the right mouse button. By clicking "cancel" and confirming the cancellation with "yes", the print job should disappear from the print queue list.
How to delete a print job - fast and easy
This is where most users are confronted with problems. You press "cancel print job" or "delete print job" as described above, but nothing happens at all. The blocking print job is still listed in the print queue and not removed. No further print jops can be placed because they appear in the queue behind the blocking document. At this point, users have no choice but to delete all print jobs from the queue. But how is this done when the printer isn't reacting on comands?
How to delete a print job using cmd commands
When nothing works and all else fails, print jobs can be deleted by using the command console. Click on the Windows start button and enter "cmd" in the input window. Now a mouse click with the right mouse button on "cmd" is enough to start the console. Select "run as administrator" in the pull-down window. The console opens and "net stop spooler" can now be entered as a command. After a few seconds, the message "the print queue was completed successfully" appears. The command window should remain open for further steps.
Delete a print job by removing the corresponding Windows file!
After using the cmd command to remove the print job queue, all print files have to be deleted from the system folder. Enter "Windows Explorer" in the command box after clicking on the Windows start button. Right-click on the Explorer and select "run as administrator" from the pull-down list. In the Windows Explorer all files have to be deleted from the "Printer" folder. Click on the "Windows" folder, then on "System32" and then "spool". Select all files with the extensions "dhd" or "spl" and deleted them with the delete key. This should also delete the print job, which has caused the problem from the system. Now only one step is missing. Click back in the console window and enter the command "net start spooler". The spooler is started again. Afterwards all windows can be closed. The printer should now work again.
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