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Q102116: How to Manually Delete Print Shares or Printers

Article: Q102116
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbprint kbPrinting
Last Modified: 11-JUN-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.1, 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.1, 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 
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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY
=======

If you are troubleshooting Windows NT or applications that are running in
Windows NT, you may need to verify that a print share or installed printer has
been completely deleted. The following information shows the default locations
in the registry database for references to installed printers or print shares in
Windows NT versions 3.1, 3.5, 3.51 and 4.0.

MORE INFORMATION
================

It is rarely necessary to remove a printer by altering the registry. In most
cases, you can remove a printer in Print Manager or the Printer folder using the
Remove or Delete Printer option. This immediately removes the printer, but
internally the spooler marks the printer for deletion and does not actually
delete the printer until the next time that the Spooler Service starts.
Therefore, you should stop and restart the Spooler Service before attempting to
recreate a printer, or before attempting to remove a printer port that a
recently deleted printer was using. Also, you should close Print Manager or the
Printers folder before restarting the Spooler.

In summary, if you use the Print Manager or Printers folder to remove a printer
or printer port, then close Print Manager or the Printers folder, stop and
restart the Spooler Service. If you reopen Print Manager or the Printers folder,
and the printer or port is still present, then you should consider removing the
printer or port by altering the registry.

NOTE: ALL references must be deleted to ensure complete removal of the print
share or installed printer. You must also either Stop and Start the Spooler
Service or shutdown and restart Windows NT for these changes to take effect.

Modifying the Registry
----------------------

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems
that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot
guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Run Registry Editor (regedt32.exe).

2. Go to the appropriate registry location mentioned below for your version of
  Windows NT.

3. Delete the registry information for printer(s) and/or server(s) you want to
  remove.

  NOTE: It is recommended that you first save each registry key before you
  delete it.

The following registry paths apply to Intel-based (x86) computers. If you are
running an Alpha-, MIPS-, or PPC-based computer, substitute the x86 portion of
the entries below with the correct processor type (Alpha_AXP, R4000, or
PowerPC). Text enclosed in angle brackets (<>) or presented in italics
refers to machine- specific or printer names. "\\<server name>\Printer"
refers to the universal naming convention (UNC) path to the specific print
share.

Windows NT 4.0
--------------

If the printer is installed locally (My Computer), the printer information is
located in the following registry keys:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows
  NT x86\Drivers\Version-2\<Printer Name>

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\<Printer
  Name>

If the printer is installed as a network printer (Network printer server or
\\<server name>), the printer information is located in the following
registry keys:

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\<server name>

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Providers\LanMan
  Print Services\Servers\<server name>\Printers\<Printer Name>

Windows NT 3.51
---------------

If the printer is installed locally (Create Printer), the printer information
will be located in the following registry keys:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows
  NT x86\Drivers\Version-1\<Printer Name>

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\<Printer
  Name>

If the printer is installed as a network printer (Connect to Printer), the
printer information is located in the following registry keys:

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\<server name>

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Providers\LanMan
  Print Services\Servers\<server name>\Printers\<Printer Name>

Windows NT 3.5
--------------

If the printer was installed from Print Manager using the Connect To Printer
option, the printer information will be located in the following keys:

  HKEY_USERS\S-<user id number>\Printers\Connections\<server
  name>\<Printer Name>

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\\<server name>\<Printer
  Name>

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Devices

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version \PrinterPorts

If the printer was installed from Print Manager using the Create Printer option,
the printer information will be located in the following keys:

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Print
  Manager\Printers

  HKEY_USERS\<SID Number>\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
  Version\Print Manager\Printers

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Devices

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Printer Ports

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows
  NT x86\Drivers\Version-1

Windows NT 3.1
--------------

If the printer was installed from Print Manager using the Connect To Printer
option, the printer information will be located in the following keys:

  HKEY_USERS\S-<user id number>\Printers\Connections\<server
  name>\<Printer Name>

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections \\<server name>\<Printer
  Name>

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\PrinterPorts

If the printer was installed from Print Manager using the Create Printer option,
the printer information will be located in the following keys:

  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Print
  Manager\Printers

  HKEY_USERS\<SID Number>\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current
  Version\Print Manager\Printers

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Printer
  Ports

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers

There may also be references to printers in other ControlSets, such as
ControlSet001, but because this may be the Control Set for the Last Known Good
Configuration, it should not be modified.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q135406 Steps to Manually Remove and Reinstall a Printer Driver

NOTE: If you intend to manually remove a printer driver you must do so before
manually removing the printer and shares, because the registry entry that is
referenced in article Q135406 is deleted when you manually remove the printer
and shares.


Additional query words: troubleshoot trouble shoot tshooter tshoot uninstall System error 1801 has occurred

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Keywords          : kbprint kbPrinting 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbWinNTW310 kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbWinNTS310 kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search kbWinNTS310search kbWinNT310Search kbWinNTW310Search
Version           : :3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

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