220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that they cannot print to a network printer. Other users on the same network can print to this printer successfully. The technician verifies that the workstation can ping the printer by IP address. The technician checks the print queue on the workstation and sees the job stuck with a 'Spooling' status. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume a network printer issue must be solved at the printer or server level, overlooking that a local service hang (Print Spooler) can cause a job to appear stuck even when network connectivity and printer functionality are confirmed.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Restart the Print Spooler service on the workstation
The Print Spooler service on the workstation manages the queue of print jobs sent to the printer. A stuck job with a 'Spooling' status indicates that the spooler has stalled or is hung, preventing new jobs from processing. Since the workstation can ping the printer (network connectivity is fine) and other users can print (printer and print server are functional), the issue is isolated to the local spooler. Restarting the Print Spooler service (via `net stop spooler` then `net start spooler` or through Services.msc) clears the stuck job and resets the spooler, which is the quickest and least disruptive first step.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Restart the Print Spooler service on the workstation
Why this is correct
Restarting the Print Spooler service on the workstation is the correct action because the spooler is the local subsystem that accepts print jobs, writes them to disk, and forwards them to the printer. A hung spooler will leave jobs stuck in a 'Spooling' state indefinitely, even though the network path and printer are healthy. Since other users print successfully, the fault is isolated to this workstation's spooler process, and restarting it clears the stuck job without impacting other users. This is a low-risk, targeted fix that does not require reconfiguration or affecting shared resources.
- ✗
Delete and re-add the printer on the workstation
Why it's wrong here
Deleting and re-adding the printer does not resolve a stalled spooler service, which is the subsystem responsible for writing print jobs to disk before sending them to the device. Since the workstation can ping the printer and other users print successfully, the fault lies in the local spooler process, not in the printer driver or network configuration. This action is tempting because it often fixes corrupted driver bindings or incorrect port settings when a printer fails to install or connect initially, but here the job is already spooling, indicating the spooler itself is hung.
- ✗
Reboot the network printer
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting the network printer is unnecessary because the printer is demonstrably working for other users on the same network; the fault is local to the workstation's print submission pipeline. Restarting the printer would interrupt active print jobs from other users and could temporarily disrupt availability, yet it would not address a hung spooler on the user's machine. The user's ability to ping the printer confirms network reachability, and the spooler is the component that actually manages the job's state. Therefore, this action is both disruptive and misdirected, making it an incorrect troubleshooting step in this scenario.
- ✗
Check the user's permissions on the print server
Why it's wrong here
Checking the user's permissions on the print server would be appropriate if the job were failing with an 'Access Denied' error or if the user could not see the printer at all, but the job is stuck in a 'Spooling' state, which indicates the spooler has already accepted the job locally. Since other users print without issue, the shared printer and print server permissions are configured correctly, and the problem is isolated to the workstation's spooler service. Overlooking the local spooler and focusing on server permissions would waste time and fail to resolve the hung job, making this an incorrect diagnostic path for the reported symptom.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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