Windows error 0x000006ba - the RPC server is unavailable
This code means Windows could not reach the service that handles printing, and in almost every printer case that service is the Print Spooler. Either the spooler has stopped, crashed, or is stuck restarting in a loop. Until it runs, nothing can be added, removed or printed.
What causes it
- The Print Spooler service is stopped or has crashed
- A corrupt print job in the spool folder crashes the service each time it starts
- A faulty printer driver takes the spooler down with it
- A service the spooler depends on, such as Remote Procedure Call, is not running
- Malware cleanup or an aggressive optimiser disabled the spooler service
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.
Start the Print Spooler service
Press Windows+R, type services.msc and press Enter. Find Print Spooler in the list, right-click it and choose Start, or Restart if it already claims to be running. Double-click it and set Startup type to Automatic so it comes back after a reboot.
Check the Remote Procedure Call service
In the same services.msc window, confirm Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is Running and set to Automatic. The spooler depends on it, and if RPC is unhealthy the spooler cannot start no matter how many times you click Start. RPC should never be disabled on a working Windows install.
Clear the stuck spool folder
Stop the Print Spooler in services.msc, then open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS. Delete everything inside that folder, but not the folder itself. Start the spooler again. A single malformed job here is the most common reason the service dies within seconds of starting.
Watch whether the service stays running
After starting it, wait a minute and press F5 in services.msc. If Print Spooler shows as stopped again, a driver is crashing it rather than the service being merely switched off. That changes the fix from starting a service to removing a bad driver.
Remove the suspect driver
With the spooler running, open printmanagement.msc, expand Print Servers › your computer › Drivers, right-click the driver for the printer you last installed and choose Remove driver package. Reinstall a current driver from the manufacturer afterwards. Old drivers written for much older Windows builds are a frequent cause of repeated spooler crashes.
Set the service to recover automatically
Double-click Print Spooler in services.msc, open the Recovery tab, and set First, Second and Subsequent failures to Restart the Service. That will not fix the root cause, but it keeps printing usable while you track down the offending driver.
Run System File Checker
Right-click Start, choose Terminal (Admin), and run sfc /scannow. Let it finish, then run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and restart. If spooler binaries themselves are damaged, this repairs them from the component store.
Check the event log for the crashing module
Open eventvwr.msc and look under Windows Logs › Application for Application Error entries naming spoolsv.exe. The faulting module listed there is usually a vendor DLL, which tells you exactly which driver to remove. This turns guesswork into a targeted fix.
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 files in the PRINTERS folder?
Yes, with the spooler stopped. Those files are only queued print jobs; deleting them cancels the queue but harms nothing else.
Why does the spooler keep stopping?
Almost always a corrupt queued job or a badly behaved driver. The Application event log names the faulting module so you can remove the right one.
Can I disable the Print Spooler if I do not print?
You can, and some organisations do so for security reasons, but you will then see 0x000006ba whenever any app tries to enumerate printers.
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