How to clear all print drivers

[lancerlabels]

I want to clear all print drivers from a xp pc, I have tried deleting in the server properties, but it says printer in use cannot delete. I know that the printer is not in use.

 

[saran008]

Remove older driver versions using

Driver Cleaner Pro 1.5 (Freeware)
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/desktop_software/other_tools/driver_cleaner_pro.cfm

or

Revouninstaller
http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

These tools may help you to remove the traces left!

 

[saran008]

After that, if needed, download & install Ccleaner to clean the registry entries. Ccleaner is good system optimization tool too.
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

 

[lancerlabels]

Saran

Thank you for the links, I downloaded and tried both of them but niether of them will remove "PRINTER DRIVERS"
Driver cleaner is good for clearing out video /Nvidia drivers
Revoun looks like a suped up version of the Control panel ADD/Remove tool.

I am tryoing to remove some printer drivers from the PC.
I can delete the icon OK but the driver is still installed, so I go to "server properties" and say delete the drive and it says "cannot do this the driver is in use", which it is not

I just want to clear out all of the printer drivers and start installing them again.

Can anyone HELP !!!

Please

Remove older driver versions using

Driver Cleaner Pro 1.5 (Freeware)
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/desktop_software/other_tools/driver_cleaner_pro.cfm

or

Revouninstaller
http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

These tools may help you to remove the traces left!

 

[btk1w1]

Two articles for you, hopefully they help:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc783972(WS.10).aspx

http://www.vmaxx.net/techinfo/kb/manually_delete_print_drivers.htm

They both basically say the same thing, do it from printers in control panel and not add / remove programs.

 

[btk1w1]

Sorry read your intial post which says you used this route

You may need to stop the service from running then trying the driver removal.

Click on Start > Run and type in:

services.msc

You will need to stop the spooler or print spooler service from running then try again.

 

[lancerlabels]

BTK1W1, thanks for the hints.
I tried stopping the print spooler, but then all the printers dissapear from the screen and when I go to Server Properties to delete a driver is says"The print server is not running", and will not display anything. This is getting me down, it should be easy to delete a driver .....

 

[btk1w1]

This might sound obvious but worth asking about. Have you tied doing it in safe mode?

I agree whole-heartedly, removing drivers should not be a chore... especially printer drivers of all things.

 

[btk1w1]

Another option to try is to Stop the spooler service and set it as a manual start up item. Reboot and log in as administrator and try again.

 

[lancerlabels]

Yes, I tried safe mode weeks ago but same result, will try the manual mode.

 

[lancerlabels]

Tried that, no difference I am beginning to think I may have a malicious virus that stops me deleting printer drivers, what think you???

Another option to try is to Stop the spooler service and set it as a manual start up item. Reboot and log in as administrator and try again.

 

[lancerlabels]

I have tried everything in this forum and nothing works, Surely it cannot be this difficult!!

Getting really frustrated now>>

 

[Hassan726]

The full process is to delete the printer from "printer and faxes" then open services.msc, locate the Print Spooler service. STOP the service, then START the Service again. Back to the printer and faxes, go to File > Server Properties. Select the Driver tab, locate the driver you want to remove, select it, and hit the "Remove" button. Do this for all of the printers you want to remove.

You should then be all set

 

[swaroop krishna]

I want to clear all print drivers from a xp pc, I have tried deleting in the server properties, but it says printer in use cannot delete. I know that the printer is not in use.

Disconnect the printer which you want to remove the driver. Then from Devices and printers->Right click>select server properties>Select port option Delete the preferred Printer port>Select Drivers>Remove the Driver and Restart your System.