Printer won't print, jobs in printing queue won't delete

I'm running Windows XP Pro with a Lexmark Z22 printer. Often when I try to
print, the printing notification widow pops up. As usual, I hear "Printing
started," but nothing happens while the seconds are ticking away on the
clock. If I try to cancel the job, then check the printing queue, the job
is still there, marked "Deleting." The only way to get it to print is to
restart, then it works (until the next time). The only way to delete the
unsuccessful print job is to go into task manager under Processes and try to
guess which process to delete. This works, when I get the right one.

When this problem occurs, I've tried turning off the print spooler, then
turning it back on, and also deleting the files in the PRINTERS folder.
Nothing works, and I always end up having to restart the computer. I have
not been able to find a pattern as to when this problem occurs. Any help
will be appreciated. Here is my info:

Operating System : Windows XP Professional (5.01.2600 Service Pack 1)
CPU : Celeron 600 MHz
Bus Speed : 66 MHz
Motherboard : TriGem TriGem System Board
System : TriGem Emachines
BIOS : Phoenix Version 1.01
Memory : 192 MB (60ns)
Sound : Crystal SoundFusion(tm) CS4281
Video : Intel(r) 82810 Graphics Controller
Printer :Lexmark Z22

I have two printers listed in the Printers and Faxes folder: the one Windows automatically installs when detected, and the one I install from the CD. They're both the same printer. I have the CD-installed one as the default. I can't figure out a way to
prevent Windows from automatically installing new hardware. But the symptoms described above apply to either one.

Thank you. I uninstalled all printers, and this time rather than install the printer from the CD, I just connected the printer via USB, let Windows detect it, find the drivers, etc., and it is working fine. It has not malfunctioned yet. This way I have
only one printer in the Printers and Faxes folder (even if I install from the CD, the computer still sees a new printer when I reboot, and I ultimately have two printers listed in the folder). I wonder if this was part of the problem, anyway. Thanks for
responding.

It was adding a second printer because for some reason, XP saw the first
installation of the printer as incomplete.

However, that appears to be in the past and it should all be happy now.
--
Cari
MS-MVP Windows Technologies - Printing/Imaging/Hardware
www.coribright.com

"OS" wrote in message
...
Thank you. I uninstalled all printers, and this time rather than install
the printer from the CD, I just connected the printer via USB, let Windows
detect it, find the drivers, etc., and it is working fine. It has not
malfunctioned yet. This way I have only one printer in the Printers and
Faxes folder (even if I install from the CD, the computer still sees a new
printer when I reboot, and I ultimately have two printers listed in the
folder). I wonder if this was part of the problem, anyway. Thanks for
responding.