Adding printer to Windows 7 - Search for printer shows printers that don't exist

Question

I'm using Windows 7. When I add a printer, and it shows me a list of printers that I could add, some of those entries are invalid (printers that shouldn't exist now... did in the past). How do I get rid of those entries (checked the print management console, old printer server is offline and un-enabled printer shares).

Using Active Directory.

Answer 1

Try using the printui.exe tool.

In an admin elevated command prompt type printui /s /t2, be sure to remove the driver AND the package.

Here's how to do it, step-by-step:

1. Right-click on desktop, create a new shortcut with target as 'cmd.exe'.
2. Right-click on the shortcut, "Run as Administrator"
3. Run the printui tool: printui /s /t2
4. Try deleting the printers. If that doesn't work...
5. CLick Start > Run > Services.msc
6. Locate the Print Spooler service, and right-click > Properties > stop service.
7. Open My Computer and browse to C:\Windows\System32\spool\Printers (you will need to click "OK" to get access to the folder).
8. DELETE the contents of that folder.
9. Restart the Print Spooler service.
10. Go back into the printui utillity (you might need to restart it using same method as above) and try removing printers again. This time it should work. If necessary, check the "Ports" tab and remove any TCP/IP ports that are associated with the old printer.
11. Last but not least, check other computers on your network to see if any of those map to the old printer, and remove these mappings

Answer 2

goto: Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Devices and Printers

right click the printer you want to remove and select remove device.