Spool area full on Mac 10.6.6 with LaserJet CM1415

[mikemo]

The Spool area full usually translates into 'the printer is busy processing a job'.    This is usually temporary but if it stays, it could be from a print job that has hung the printer.  Usually powercycling printer will clear that.  If however the problematic print job is still in the printer queue, it might cause the same issue when it is automatically sent again.  To see if this is the cause, simply delete the offending print job from the queue and then powercycle the printer.   The Spool error message should be gone.  Now try printing something simple such as a few words from the textedit app.

If you are still having issues, you might also try deleting the print queue and recreating a new one.  Before creating the new one, use a web browser and type in the IP address of the printer.  Go to the networking tab and select the Network Identification section.  Change the Bonjour Highest Priority Service from the default IPP Printing setting to the 9100 Printing setting.  Select Apply.    Now create your new print queue as before (choose the printer thru the print browser).

Please let me know if either of the above helped.

[cjwhitta]

I recently started having the spool area full message with a 1415 as well after a month of flawless print jobs. The other Mac in our office has no problem. We connect wirelessly.

Have reset the print system and repaired permissions. Checked my HP for a diagnostics screen to do a factory restore but could not find it on the menu.

We have also turned the unit off and back on.

Help!

[summersault]

We have the same problem, Have had the printer for about 3 weeks been working fine now have spool area full error.

This is happening on macs that have been working fine, no updates or changes have been made during this period.

It is also happening on test machines which have not previously printed to this device.

All Macs running 10.6.8

Restarted Printer, Deleted queues and recreated, restarted macs, tried on previously unused machines with freshly installed current drivers. All the same.

[PrintDoc]

Let's reset the printing system:

- Go to System Preferences > Print & Fax
- Right (or control) click in the rectangle listing your printers and select Reset Printing System.
WARNING - this will delete ALL of your printers!
- Select the plus sign to re-add a printer. Look for the printer, select it and wait until the "Add" button becomes available. Click it.

[summersault]

Thank you for the idea, but yes lets assume thats in the basic troubleshooting steps, before turning to a forum, including the fact testing this on a clean install renders the same results.

[PrintDoc]

Let me get some additional help for us.  Standby, please.

[MBJustice]

Hi all.  Sorry about the problems.  It's not something we normally run into, so it's going to be little steps to try and figure out what is gpoing on.  Normally, Spool area full suggest that printer is busy with the printing task.  I also saw the there already a suggestions for reset printing system, re-add the printer with no luck, which should help to fix it.

Can you  check whether new software available from Apple Software Update at first. Then repair disk permissions and reset printing system, re-add printer again. At same time, try the Restore Defaults under the Service menu.

Let me know the results please.

[Jdth]

My office of 20+ Macs are networked to an old HP 4100 that is also giving the error, spool area full. Power cycling, that is, turning the printing off and back on again, does not fix it. Asking each Mac user to reinstall their printer is a lot to ask, and may not fix the problem (according to what I've read here). Isn't there some way to reset the printer itself so that it removes the offending items in its spool?

[hyde00001]

FWIW, I've been having the same problem with an HP LaserJet 400 colour M451dn printer. Here is how I solved it:

In System Preferences Print & Fax, delete any and all references to the offending HP printer.

Then add a new printer - select IP as the method not Default, Fax or Windows. Enter the printer IP address into the Address box. Enter your preferred name into the Name box. The printer driver will now probbaly have picked a Print Using option that matches your printer. Don't accept this option, instead select Generic PostScipt Printer. Now finally hit the Add button.

On system 10.6 and higher you are then asked if there is a Duplex unit or other options - answer correctly. You are now good to go and the printer will be fast and responsive. 

On system 10.5 and lower you will in the first instance not be able to print using the duplex unit. However the printer will be fast and resposive. To establish duplex printing, delete the printer (I know I didn't want to do this either). Then add a new printer as described above, but this time let the software automatically select an appropriate option for the Print Using option. You will then be asked about duplex units and you are good to go. Somehow this double cycle of creating a reference to the printer seems to do the job. 

I don't know if each and every step is essential, but it has worked on 5 Macs in my office all of which were previously taking very long time (hours) to print documents.

Good luck

Steve

[Sauternes]

This actually worked for me. I'm on a MacBook Pro, 10.6.8. All I did was "reset the Print System" and added the printer back. The "spool area full" message went away, AND I could print again. Thanks for this suggestion. I understand, though, that it doesn't work for everyone.