Dear Alan,

Great. one step closer. I wanted to confirm that the spooler did not throw
an error during initialization to the service control manager.

Fantasic. I was worried we were not getting any closer to a solution.

Let me make this assumption: You have a 32 bit OS and you have removed any
print vender specific software installed using a vendor provided tool or
Add/Remove Software.

Yes, I am running Vista Home Premium 32-bit.

No, I had not yet uninstalled the printer software, but I have now. I was
not able to uninstall the printer driver software through Add/Remove because
it said it was already uninstalled.

Now, what print drivers, print processors, and monitors are installed on the
system? Right click the keys and you can select "Copy Key Name"

print drivers (there should be a directory and major, minor values here).
There should not be a Version-2 key under drivers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Environments\Windows
NT x86\Drivers\Version-3

There is nothing here except the default key. I do not have the directory,
major, minor keys because one of the web based solutiuon sites said to delete
every subkey under this directory. I did make a backup of this registry key,
so I can restore it.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-3

print processors
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Environments\Windows
NT x86\Print Processors

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Print Processors\winprint

It has the default key and a driver key with value localspl.dll

monitors
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Monitors

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Monitors\Local Port
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Monitors\Standard
TCP/IP Port
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Monitors\Standard
TCP/IP Port\Ports
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Monitors\Standard
TCP/IP Port\Ports\192.168.254.254
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Monitors\USB Monitor

You said you had already deleted the printers under this key, please verify
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Printers

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Print\Printers\Microsoft
XPS Document Writer

Also there are two key values set under printers: DefaultSpoolDirectory and
LANGIDOfLastDefaultDevmode

does the machine have any printer connections?

My printer (Epson Stylus Photo R280) is still connected by USB cable, but
turned off

Are there any entries listed here?
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\Client Side Rendering Print
Provider\Servers

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\Client Side Rendering Print
Provider\Servers\RITA
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\Client Side Rendering Print
Provider\Servers\RITA\Forms
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\Client Side Rendering Print
Provider\Servers\RITA\Monitors
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\Client Side Rendering Print
Provider\Servers\RITA\Printers
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers\Client Side Rendering Print
Provider\Servers\RITA\Providers

That is my wife's computer which is connected by LAN. There is a local
printer (Canon) installed on her machine. But it is not listed in the
printers subkey.

Thanks again for all the help.