Printer Keeps Printing

[SDM5691]

Recently, my printer started printing continuous pages with the following text. I have not installed any new hardware or programs.

POST /ipp/printer HTTP/11.1
Content=Length: 179
Content-Type: application/ipp

HOST:  localhost

(black smiley face symbol)3082(white smiley face symbol)G(up/down arrows)attributes-charset (club symbol-think playing cards)utf-8Httributes-natural-language(black smiley face)enEprinter-uriLipp:/  (I'm not sure if anything comes after this. It is at the end of the print area on the paper.)

The numbers after the black smiley face symbol are always different.

I have followed online instructions, used the print scan doctor, and reinstalled the software and nothing has worked. The only thing that stops the printing is running out of paper or turning off the printer.

[Johnharper241 · Accepted solution]

If your printer keeps printing continuously without stopping, there may be a few possible causes and solutions you can try:

Cancel Print Job: First, try canceling the print job from your computer. Open the print queue or printer settings on your computer, locate the print job that is currently in progress, and cancel it. This should stop the printer from continuously printing.

Clear Print Spooler: Sometimes, print spooler issues can cause a printer to continuously print. Clearing the print spooler can help resolve this. Follow these steps:

Open the "Services" window on your computer. You can do this by pressing the Windows key + R, typing "services.msc," and pressing Enter.

Locate the "Print Spooler" service in the list.

Right-click on "Print Spooler" and select "Stop" to stop the service.

After the service has stopped, right-click on "Print Spooler" again and select "Start" to restart the service.

Power Cycle the Printer: Turn off the printer, unplug it from the power source, and wait for a couple of minutes. Then, plug it back in and turn it on again. This can help reset the printer and resolve any temporary issues causing continuous printing.

[SDM5691]

Thank you so much! This seems to have fixed my problem.

I used your suggestion several days ago, and the random printing has not returned. I'm not sure why it happened. It wasn't a document or anything I intentionally printed. 

Thanks again!

[Kay0717]

thank you for the suggestion. It really helped

[Baig1]

I did stoped and restarted the spooler and power cycle the printed still printing the same way?

[Baig1]

My Printer is HP Laser jet pro MFP M426fdw in case this needs s different step?

Thank you so much for the help!

[GinaWilbur777]

I found this reply and tried this tip... however, even when the print spooler is in the 'off' status, it continues to print if I have paper in the drawer. I have also unplugged it as you suggested. Basically, I woke up to a ream of paper printed with the same 'content-length: 186 content type: application/ipp' etc.

My printer is only a month old but past the return time for amazon... I haven't called HP yet... any other thoughts before I go that route? 

[Ashby23]

 Hi, I think I've tried everything in this and other similar threads, but my M201n printer is still printing multiple rogue pages (c.4 lines of text, 'localhost', smiley faces etc).  I am running Windows 11 on my HP laptop.  Judging by other posts, this is the perfect storm!

I have reset the printer, changed from one USB slot to another; updated the printer drivers; tried the spooler thing, run the troubleshooter, etc.

The only way to stop it is to take the paper out.

Any other bright ideas anyone please, before the printer goes out of the window?

I can print to our other non-HP printer perfectly normally.

Thanks in anticipation.

[Repairatrooper]

I would suggest that you follow this Microsoft post on clearing the printer spooler. 

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-clear-printer-queue-in-windows-10/7e5ac...

Once completed you need to confirm that you are using an HP driver and not a Microsoft IPP or Class driver.

[Ashby23]

Thank you so much, Repairatrooper.

I found an update using your link - it was one of those where my laptop told me everything was up to date after I'd installed it, but there was another optional update which I then also ran - this one seems to have fixed it when nothing else did.