Windows error 0x00000057 - the parameter is incorrect
Windows rejected the printer connection because a value it was handed did not make sense, typically a mismatched driver name or version between the client and the print server. It appears most often when connecting to a shared printer whose driver differs from the one already on your machine. The connection is refused before any job is queued.
What causes it
- The client already has a different version of the same-named driver
- The print server offers a driver whose files conflict with the local driver store
- A leftover driver from an earlier install is registered under the same name
- The spooler's driver cache is stale after an update
- The share name or port entry contains characters or a path Windows will not accept
How to fix it, in order
Work down the list and stop when the printer recovers. The steps are ordered from most likely and least invasive to last resort.
Restart the spooler and retry once
Press Windows+R, type services.msc, press Enter, right-click Print Spooler and choose Restart, then try connecting again. A stale in-memory driver list is a common and trivially fixed cause. If it fails again, move on to clearing the driver properly.
Remove the conflicting local driver
Open printmanagement.msc, expand Print Servers › your computer › Drivers, and look for a driver with the same name as the one the server offers. Right-click it and choose Remove driver package. Restart the PC so the driver store settles before you reconnect.
Clear the spooler driver cache
Stop the Print Spooler in services.msc, then in File Explorer open C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\3 and delete the files inside that folder. Start the spooler again. This forces Windows to fetch a clean copy of the driver rather than reusing a mismatched cached one.
Match the driver version to the server
Ask which driver version the print server publishes and install exactly that version locally from the manufacturer. When client and server agree on both name and version, point-and-print completes without a parameter mismatch. Mixed versions of the same-named driver are the classic trigger.
Connect by IP instead
In Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device › Add manually, choose Add a printer using an IP address or hostname, set TCP/IP Device and enter the printer's address. You then pick your own local driver, so no negotiation with the server takes place at all.
Use the universal driver for the brand
If the fleet uses Lexmark, Xerox, Kyocera or Ricoh hardware, install the vendor's universal print driver on both ends. A single consistent driver across machines removes the version skew that generates this error.
Recreate the printer port
Open the printer's properties from Printers & scanners › the printer › Printer properties › Ports, and check the port points at a valid address with no stray spaces. Create a new Standard TCP/IP Port if the existing entry looks malformed, then assign the printer to it.
Stopping it happening again
When it is not worth fixing yourself
If you would rather not work through this alone, a printer specialist can take a look with you on a screen-share and tell you honestly whether the machine is worth saving.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to delete the contents of the spool drivers folder?
With the spooler stopped, yes. Windows rebuilds the cache, though you may need to reinstall drivers for printers that stop working immediately afterwards.
Why does this only happen with the shared printer?
Because only a shared connection has to reconcile the server's driver with yours. A direct IP queue uses your local driver alone.
Does the error mean my printer settings are wrong?
Not usually. The incorrect parameter is internal to the driver negotiation, not something you typed.
Questions & comments (0)
No comments yet. Describe your printer model, operating system and the exact message you see; comments appear after review.
Ask about this page
Your comment appears after our team approves it. Or sign in to post faster.