"All Pipe Instances Are Busy" Copying a File to an LPT Port

ID: Q232126

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server

SYMPTOMS

When you copy a text document to an LPT port at a command prompt, you may receive the following error message:

All pipe instances are busy.
Starting a new command prompt yields the same error message.


CAUSE

This error message can occur if you issue the COPY command to the port at the same time that a job is being printed by the spooler in Windows.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, restart the spooler. To do so, type the following commands at a command prompt:

net stop spooler
net start spooler
Or, restart the Spooler service using the Services snap-in.


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words: cmd vdm

Keywords : kberrmsg kbprint
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: December 30, 1999
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