Spoolsv.exe - what is this process, its functions and location

The operating system always runs a huge number of different processes at the same time. All of them are necessary to ensure the correct operation of the system without errors. In the article we will talk about one of them, namely - about spoolsv.exe. What it is, why it is needed, what role it performs and what errors it can cause - this and much more will be discussed later in the text.

General information

First, let's talk about the process itself, for example, what is it like? Firstly, you can observe it in the system only if a printer is connected to the computer. Indeed, it is with this device that spoolsv.exe interacts. What does it mean? This process ensures the operation of printing devices. To be more precise, this is the " Print Spooler". It is worth noting here that if you found this running process on your computer, but you did not connect the printer, then a virus has penetrated you or it was launched by mistake. Further on, both of these cases will be considered.

You can check if the process is running as follows:

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Del.
2. Go to the "Processes" tab.
3. You will have a list. Find the process in it.

If you have a printer installed and the process is there, it means that everything is in order, if it is, but the printer is not connected, then read the article to the end to understand what needs to be done.

Location in the system

We have already figured out a little what the process is spoolsv.exe, but this is still not enough to understand how you can interact with it. Now let's talk about exactly where the executable file of this process is located. Looking ahead, I want to say that it is located on drive C in the System32 folder, which is located in the Windows directory, but there is another way to quickly check its location, for this:

1. Launch the Task Manager.
2. Go to the "Processes" section.
3. Find spoolsv.exe and click RMB on it.
4. Select "Open File Location."

The "Explorer" window will appear in which the executable file will be. If it is located in the System32 folder, it means that everything is in order, and if not, then most likely it is a virus. This situation will be discussed later.

What happens if the process is completed

We already know that spoolsv.exe is not a system process that is responsible for the correct operation of the printer, but what happens if it is closed? We’ll talk about this now.

If you carefully read all of the above, then you already roughly know the answer. Since the process is responsible only for the operation of printers, or rather, for the supply of paper for printing, it means that this function will stop working after completion. As you can see, nothing critical will happen. By the way, after a restart, it should automatically start itself.

How to disable the process correctly

If you notice that spoolsv.exe is loading the processor, then it would be wise to disable it. Moreover, if you do not have a printer or you do not need it at present. You can disable it in two ways: the first involves a temporary stop of the process, the second is long-term, that is, until the user switches it on again. First, consider the first one:

1. Open Task Manager.
2. Go to the "Processes" section.
3. From the list, select spoolsv.exe.
4. Click RMB.
5. From the menu, select "End Process."

After that, it will be closed for one session, that is, after restarting the PC, it will start again. If you want to disable it completely, then you need to:

1. Open the Run window by pressing the Win and R keys.
2. Run the msconfig command.
3. In the window that appears, find the line "Print Manager".
4. Click on it twice.
5. In the properties window, select the "Disabled" startup type.
6. Click apply, and then click OK.

Having completed all the instructions, you will turn off the process until you change the startup type to "Automatic".

Error

When working at the computer, you may stumble upon the error "Name of the failed application: spoolsv.exe". If this happens, then you will need to perform the following sequence of actions to correct the situation:

1. Click on the "Start" button.
2. Go to the "All Programs" or "All Applications" menu (depending on the version of the operating system).
3. Find the "Standard" folder in the list and open it.
4. Find "Command Prompt."
5. Click RMB on it and select "Open as administrator".
6. Confirm system changes with this application.
7. In the window that appears, enter: bcdedit /set {current} nx AlwaysOff .
8. Press Enter to execute it.
9. Close the Command Prompt window and restart the computer.

After that, the error should disappear. Well, now let's look at a situation where a virus is hidden behind the spoolsv.exe process.

Virus

It is very simple to calculate the virus hiding under the spoolsv.exe process. To do this, you need to check the location of the executable file in the "Task Manager". If the folder is different from System32, it means that it is a virus that needs to be removed.

Conclusion

As a result, we found out that spoolsv.exe is the process responsible for the correct operation of the printer in the system. Also the fact that it can be turned off to improve computer performance. You also learned what to do if an error occurs associated with it, how to recognize a virus hiding under a similar name.