Unable to Print Over the Network (311358)

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to print a document to a shared network printer, you may receive an error message similar to the following

There was an error writing to \\Server\Share for printer "printername":

There was a problem printing to the printer due to an unknown system error.

where Server\Share is the shared network location and printer name is the name of the printer.

CAUSE

This problem can occur in the following situation:

The printer is shared from a computer that is running Windows 98.

-and-
The printer spool folder on that computer contains a large number of temporary files.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, delete the contents of the Windows\Spool\Printers folder on the Windows 98-based server computer. To do this, follow these steps:

Log on to the server computer.
Start Windows Explorer.
On the View menu, click Folder Options.
Click the View tab, click Show all files, click to clear the Hide file extensions for known file types check box, and then click OK.
Browse to the following location:
C:\Windows\Spool\Printers
On the Edit menu, click Select All.
On the File menu, click Delete.
When the Confirm File Delete message appears, click Yes.
Quit Windows Explorer.
Restart the computer.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about troubleshooting printing problems, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

243075 How to Troubleshoot Network Printing Problems

128345 Troubleshooting Printing Problems in Windows 95/98/Millennium Edition