http://www.mrtechnologyllc.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47:corrupted-print-drivers&catid=32:windows-xp&Itemid=74

Sometimes in Windows XP the print drivers will become corrupted which will prevent the user from printing. I’ve seen this happen primarily when using an HP device. The following are the steps to removing the printer and corrupted driver.

Delete all printers in control panel.

• From the Administrative Tools select Services and stop the Print Spooler service.
• Go to windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32×86\3\ and delete everything in that folder.
• Go to \windows\system32\spool\printers and delete any .spl or .shd files
• Go to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers. If there are any subkeys present with printer names delete them
• Restart the spooler. Re-install the printer drivers.

This would be the starting point to fixing a corrupted hp print driver.

Problem was associated with the Printer Spooler stopping everytime a printer was accessed (not including the XP Fax or Image printer. This was in fact a Network Printer/Fax. When the PC booted up, the service was running, once a Printer was selected within Printers and Faxes, the service would stop. You could start it again quite happily, but would stop again once printer was selected. All printers had to be deleted, including the Fax printer. Here are instructions on removing Network Printers. Here are instructions for cleaning out all printers. Lexmark printers are well known for causing this problem. If you just need to delete printers.

Stop the Printer Spooler service, delete the following from the registry:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\Printname

Then start the Spooler cervice again