Troubleshooting System Error 12 After Installing Q243222 Hotfix (257493)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
This article was previously published under Q257493

SUMMARY

You may still receive the following error message
The Spooler service could not be started.
A system error has occurred.
System error 12 has occurred.
The access code is invalid.
after you apply the hotfix described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

243222 Spooler Does Not Start Immediately After Being Stopped

MORE INFORMATION

This error message can also be caused by corrupted printer drivers. If you are still experiencing this behavior after applying the hotfix, identify any recently installed printer drivers and replace them with compatible printer drivers from the Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM. For example, the Hewlett-Packard (HP) 4si and 5si drivers from the Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM provide basic functionality for the HP 4000 and 8000 printers.

If you cannot find a compatible printer driver on the Windows NT 4.0 CD-ROM, temporarily delete any suspect printers and printer drivers from the system, and then attempt to restart the spooler. For additional information about removing and reinstalling printer drivers, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

135406 Steps to Manually Remove and Reinstall a Printer Driver

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/8/2001
Keywords:kberrmsg kbinfo KB257493
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