You may be unable to print to a network printer after you install security update 896423 on a computer that is running Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 (908506)

SYMPTOMS

On a computer that is running Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 (SP4), you may be unable to print to a network printer after you install security update 896423. When you try to print to the network printer, you may receive one of the following error messages, depending on the program that you use to print your document:

When you print from Microsoft Word, you may receive the following error message:
Microsoft Office Word has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

To see what data this error report contains, click here.
When you print from Notepad or from Microsoft WordPad, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:
WordPad has generated errors and will be closed by Windows.
You will need to restart the program.

An error log is being created.

When you print from another program, you may receive a different error message.

When you try to open the Properties dialog box for the printer, you may receive the following error message:

Function address 0x77fcb333 caused a protection fault. (exception code 0xc0000005)
Some or all property page(s) may not be displayed.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if the following conditions are true:

The network printer is a Lexmark, Dell, or IBM printer.
The client computer has both the 896423 security update and Update Rollup 1 for Windows 2000 SP4 installed. For more information about 896423 security update , click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
896423 MS05-043: Vulnerability in Print Spooler service could allow remote code execution
For more information about Update Rollup 1 for Windows 2000 SP4, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
891861 Update Rollup 1 for Windows 2000 SP4 and known issues

RESOLUTION

Download information

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Download the 908506 package now.

Release Date: October 19, 2005

For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Important After you apply this update, restore the appropriate Help File value, and restart the spooler, the problem is resolved. However, you must reinstall the printer. When you reinstall the printer, the registry subkey updates correctly.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.