Printing jobs stuck spooling

[Joaquin22]

Print jobs get stuck spooling. I have stopped the print spooler, cleared the files several times and the first print job after restating the spooler works fine but any print job after gets stuck again. I have Windows 11 and HP Officejet Pro 8130e.

Please help

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Joaquin22 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thank you for explaining the situation—I'm really sorry you're dealing with this. It must be incredibly frustrating to have your print jobs stall after the first successful one, especially when you've already cleared the spooler manually. 

Let's work through a more complete reset to help restore smooth printing.

Step 1: Fully Remove and Reinstall the Printer

Uninstall the Printer Driver

• Press Windows + R, type control printers, and press Enter.
• Right-click your HP OfficeJet Pro 8130e and select Remove device.
• Go to Programs and Features and uninstall any HP printer software listed.

Restart Your PC

Reinstall Using the HP App

• Download the HP App from the Microsoft Store or directly from:
  https://www.hp.com/in-en/shop/apps/hp-app.html
• Open the app and follow the steps to add your printer.
• This ensures the correct driver and communication settings are restored.

 

Step 2: Reset the Print Spooler with Clean Startup

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Scroll to Print Spooler, right-click, and select Stop.
3. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all files in that folder.
4. Return to Services, right-click Print Spooler, and select Start.

 

Step 3: Set the Printer as Default and Bypass Spooling

1. Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.
2. Select your HP printer → click Printer properties.
3. Under the Advanced tab:
   • Uncheck Enable advanced printing features.
   • Select Print directly to the printer.
4. Click Apply, then OK.

 

Step 4: Run HP Diagnose & Fix

This tool can automatically detect and resolve print queue issues:

Download from:
https://support.hp.com/sg-en/document/ish_3666269-3612259-16

Launch the tool and select Printing to begin the scan.

Let me know how it goes after these steps. You're doing all the right things—let’s get your print jobs flowing smoothly again.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Joaquin22]

Everything was going good until step 3 "Under the Advanced tab: Uncheck Enable advanced printing features" the box has a checkmark, but it is grayed out and won't let me uncheck it.

[Hawks_Eye]

Thanks for following through so thoroughly—and I’m really sorry that the “Enable advanced printing features” checkbox is grayed out. That’s a common roadblock when Windows doesn’t fully recognize the printer’s driver or when the spooler service isn’t fully synchronized. 

Let’s work around it and restore stable printing.

 

1. Switch to the HP Universal Print Driver (UPD)

This driver gives you full control over advanced settings and often resolves spooling issues.

Steps:

• Download from: HP Universal Print Driver – PCL6
• Choose Traditional Mode during installation
• Select your HP OfficeJet Pro 8130e manually from the list
• Set this driver as the default printer in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners

Once installed, revisit the Advanced tab—the checkbox should now be accessible.

 

2. Create a New Local Port (Bypass Spooler Conflicts)

If the spooler still stalls, rerouting through a local port can help.

Steps:

1. Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers
2. Right-click your printer > Printer Properties
3. Go to Ports tab > Add Port
4. Choose Local Port, click New Port
5. Enter: C:\Temp\PrintOutput.prn (you can create this folder manually)
6. Click OK and Apply

This forces direct output and avoids spooler delays.

 

3. Confirm Print Processor Settings

Sometimes the wrong processor blocks advanced features.

Steps:

1. In Printer Properties, go to Advanced tab > Print Processor
2. Select WinPrint and RAW
3. Click OK and Apply

 

4. Run HP Diagnose & Fix Again

Now that the driver and port are reset, rerun the tool:

• Download: HP Diagnose & Fix
• Launch and select Printing
• Let it scan for spooler and driver conflicts

Let me know if the checkbox becomes editable after switching drivers or adjusting the port. You’ve already done everything right—now we’ll make sure your print jobs flow without interruption.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye