Under Windows NT 3.5, Can't Print from Word or Excel

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0, 5.0a, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
• Microsoft Office for Windows, versions 4.2, 4.3
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0

SYMPTOMS

After you upgrade from Windows NT 3.1 to Windows NT 3.5, you may be unable to print from Microsoft Excel or Word, and you may receive one or more of the following error messages:

   Windows cannot print due to a problem with the current printer setup.

   -or-

   Word cannot change printers. No printers are installed.

   -or-

   Word cannot print. There is no printer installed.

CAUSE

This problem is caused by incorrect security permissions being written to a section of the Registry from which some applications get printer data. Because this section is set to Read Only, new printers are not written to it and some applications will not be able to access the newly created printers.

For more information about this problem, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q122919
   TITLE     : Some Applications Unable to Print After Stop/Restart Spooler

WORKAROUND

To correct this problem, change Administrators to Full Control in both the Devices and PrinterPorts keys, using the Registry Editor as follows:

NOTE: This problem will occur again if the Spooler service is stopped and restarted. Use this procedure again if necessary.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

1. Start Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE).

2. From the HKEY_CURRENT_USER subtree, go to the following subkey:

         \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
   

3. Select the Devices subkey, and from the menu, choose Security, Permissions.

4. Change Administrators to Full Control, and then choose OK.

5. Select the PrinterPorts subkey and from the menu, choose Security, Permissions.

6. Change Administrators to Full Control, and then choose OK.

7. Exit the Registry Editor.

8. In Print Manager, open the Properties Of A Created Printer dialog box, and choose OK.

   The Created printers will be rewritten to the Registry. Connected To Printers must be recreated.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.5. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.