Cook, porridge pot, cook!

[TimT1969]

How do I clear the print queue/stop my printer from printing?  If I open the print queue, nothing appears there so there is nothing to cancel.  If I click "cancel printing" on the screen, it stops printing, re-sets itself, and resumes.  Turning the printer off, unplugging it and draining the capacitor, and re-starting the printer has also been futile. I've been forced to allow the printer to keep printing, wasting gallons of ink and reams of paper.  It's been like the children's nursery story where they can't stop the porridge pot from cooking more and more porridge until the whole house is full of it!!

Correspondingly, when I do want the printer to print, it will usually allow only one job, and then for any subsequent jobs needs a hard re-set.

[Dragon-Fur]

@TimT1969 

It's an older printer -- you've likely had it long enough to become familiar with how it works -- or does not work.

There are methods to check, cancel, and clear print jobs in Windows.

Primary amongst solutions

Clear and rebuild the Print Services queue,

Perhaps combine the print queue clear / rebuild with a reinstall of the full driver printer software.

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Windows - Print Job Stuck in Queue

Cancel Print / Resume Print / Print Service Reset / Rebuild Queue / Temp Folder

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Cancel Print Job - Printer Print Queue

On those printers where the option is supported,

If you catch the job quickly enough, print jobs mighty be cancelled on the printer.

The “cancel” button might be labeled as such or might present as a red X on the printer control screen.

NOTE: Where supported at all, it is normal for the “X” to display on the printer control panel for a short time.

What happens next?

After the job is turned over to the print service, cancel the job in the print queue on the computer

Reminder:  Jobs might get stuck in a print queue or behave oddly if you do not have the correct printer destination selected in your job setup.  Check, too, whether your printer is set as the Default printing device.

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Print Queue - Find and Manage Print Jobs

> > > Windows 11 < < <

Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners

Select Printer from list

Open Print Queue

Open Menu ( … ) top right of list > Select Pause All / Resume All / Cancel All

OR

If more than one job in the list > Right-Click on the file/job name > Pause / Restart / Cancel

OR

Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners

Select Printer from list

Scroll down

Select More devices and printers settings

Double-Left-Click on your printer icon

See what’s printing

Click (or Right-Click) on the job > Cancel

Note:  Exact wording varies

> > > Windows 10 < < <

Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners > Click Open queue

Click (or Right-Click) on the job > Cancel

Optional

Settings > Devices > Right-Click Printers & Scanners > Pin to Start

Then

Windows key > find the newly PINNED application tile Printers & Scanners

Move the application tile to a Tile Group that is easy to see and open quickly

===========================================

Print Queue / Print Service Reset

• After a print job has been accepted, it is turned over the Windows Print Services for completion. 
• When a job is "stuck in the queue", it is sometimes because Print Services is stuck or otherwise “broken”.
• If the job is accepted and quickly disappears, it is perhaps the result of incorrect Temp folder permissions.

HP Printers - Print jobs stuck in print queue

Replacement for Print and Scan Doctor

Use Diagnose & Fix in HP Smart to repair common printing issues (Windows, macOS)

AND / OR

First, check that Windows Update does not need to install updates (or Restart)

Settings > Update and Security > Check for Updates

NOTE: If an update is already pending, install that update > Restart the computer and log in

Next…

If the current print job will not cancel or if a previous print job is stuck in the queue,

and

If the issue is due to Print Services being stuck / hung / corrupted,

• Stop Print Services
• Remove any files in the print queue folder(s)
• Restart the Print Service

===========================================

Details > Manual Queue Reset

> > > Windows 10 / Windows 11 < < <

Windows Start > Search for “Services”

Optional > Right-Click and Pin to Start / Taskbar > Open Services App

> > > Windows 10 < < <

Control Panel > icon view > Administrative Tools > Services

Next,

Scroll down, find, Right-Click, and Stop Print Spooler Service

Open File Explorer (formally Windows Explorer)

Navigate to the PRNTERS folder

NOTE: Folder might be hidden.

C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS

OR

C:\Windows\System\spool\PRINTERS

Delete any files found in folder 

Start Print Spooler Service

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Print_Services_Print_Spooler_Temp_Folder_Permissions_3

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Printer - Full Feature Software

====  ====  ====  ====  ====  ====

Windows

Printer - Full Feature Software

HP Full Feature Software / Full Driver printer software - supports printing and scanning from the web, printing in in other software and programs (for example, Word), and provides access to the full range of Printing Preferences / Shortcuts.  The full driver generally adds at one, possibly least one, possibly two shortcuts to the Desktop: Printer Assistant, HP Scan Assistant, and/or HP Scan.

NOTES:  

HP Scan is not installed if the printer does not support Scan.

The Printer Assistant is not installed if the type of full driver software does not support it.  If the printer model includes built-in Fax hardware, the software supports the setup and use of the Fax driver.

No Sign-in required to use full driver printer software.

Reinstalling?

• Uninstall existing full driver printer software from Programs and Features.
• If your printer includes a separate "help" in Programs and Features, uninstall that, too.
• Restart the computer and log in.
• If the printer is connected to the computer using a printer USB cable, remove / disconnect the cable before loading the software.

Details Page - Driver - For your Printer

>>> Full Feature Software - Web Pack Installation Package - Information - Download / Save / (then) Install <<<

HP ENVY 5640 e-All-in-One Printer series Full Feature Software and Drivers Recommended  

If / When asked, opt for the Full Driver / Full Software to be installed.

If using a printer USB cable, connect the cable when asked to do so, near the end of the installation process.

After the software is installed, Restart the computer and sign in. 

The installation of the full driver generally adds at least one or more shortcuts to the Desktop.

 Note:  Printer Assistant, HP Scan Assistant, and HP Scan are dependent on printer model and supported software options.

• Printer Assistant – Where still supported as part of the full driver printer software
• HP Scan Assistant – For those printers that no longer provide the Printer Assistant
• HP Scan – Shortcut on Desktop named for the printer model
• When installed, HP Universal Scan software adds a separate self-named “HP Scan” shortcut

Printer Assistant shortcut > Tab Scan > Manage Scan to Computer > Enable

Or

HP Scan Assistant shortcut > Manage Scan to Computer > Enable

General Example - Windows - Full Feature Software - Installed

Programs_and_Features_Printer_Desktop_Icons_13

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References / Resources

HP Printer Home Page - References and Resources

Learn about your Printer - Solve Problems

“Things that are your printer”

When the website support page opens, Select (as available) a Category > Topic > Subtopic

NOTE: Content depends on device type and Operating System

Categories: Alerts, Troubleshooting, Ink & Paper, HP Software / Drivers / Firmware Updates , Setup & User Guides, Product Specifications, Account & Registration, Warranty & Repair

Open 

 Product Home - Printers

 Enter the device type and model name of your HP product

OR

 Select a saved product from HP Account Dashboard

OR

HP ENVY 5640 e-All-in-One Printer series  

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