How to Fix 0x000003e3 Printer Error in Windows 10/11
In this article, I will provide solutions to fix the 0x000003e3 printer error in Windows 10/11.
Troubleshooting error 0x000003e3
If you’re encountering the 0x000003e3 printer error in Windows 10/11, follow these troubleshooting steps to fix the issue:
1. Check Printer Connection: Ensure that your printer is properly connected to your computer and turned on.
2. Restart Print Spooler Service: Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box, then type “services.msc” and hit Enter. Locate the “Print Spooler” service, right-click on it, and select “Restart” from the context menu.
3. Update Printer Driver: Open Device Manager by pressing Windows key + X and selecting “Device Manager.” Expand the “Print queues” section, right-click on your printer, and choose “Update driver.” Select the option to search automatically for updated driver software.
4. Run the Printer Troubleshooter: Press Windows key + I to open the Settings app, then go to “Update & Security” > “Troubleshoot.” Scroll down and select “Printer” from the list, then click on “Run the troubleshooter” and follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Clear Print Queue: Open the Control Panel, go to “Hardware and Sound” > “Devices and Printers.” Right-click on your printer and select “See what’s printing.” In the new window, click on “Printer” from the top menu and choose “Cancel All Documents.” Confirm the action when prompted.
6. Reset Print Spooler Folder: Press Windows key + R, type “%WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers” (without quotes), and press Enter. Delete all files in the folder. If prompted for administrator permission, click on “Continue.”
7. Disable Antivirus/Firewall: Temporarily disable your antivirus software or firewall, as they may be blocking the printer’s communication. Refer to your antivirus/firewall documentation for instructions on how to disable them.
8. Check Printer Settings: Open the Control Panel, go to “Hardware and Sound” > “Devices and Printers.” Right-click on your printer and select “Printing preferences.” Ensure that the correct paper size, print quality, and other settings are selected.
9. Reinstall Printer Driver: Open the Control Panel, go to “Hardware and Sound” > “Devices and Printers.” Right-click on your printer and select “Remove device.” Afterward, reinstall the printer driver by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
10. Perform System File Check: Press Windows key + X, select “Command Prompt (Admin)” or “Windows PowerShell (Admin).” Type “sfc /scannow” (without quotes) and press Enter. Wait for the scan to complete and follow any instructions provided.
Restarting the Print Spooler
To restart the Print Spooler and fix the 0x000003e3 printer error in Windows 10/11, follow these steps:
1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open the Start menu.
2. Type “services” and open the Services app.
3. Scroll down and find “Print Spooler” in the list of services.
4. Right-click on “Print Spooler” and select “Stop” from the context menu.
5. Once the Print Spooler has stopped, right-click on it again and select “Start” from the context menu.
6. Close the Services app.
By restarting the Print Spooler, you are clearing any pending print jobs and refreshing the system’s printing functionality. This can often resolve common printer errors like the 0x000003e3 error.
If the error persists after restarting the Print Spooler, you may need to check for any issues with your printer drivers, update your operating system, or run a system file check using the System File Checker tool.
Copying the mscms.dll file into the driver installation folder
1. Locate the mscms.dll file on your computer. You can use the File Explorer to search for it.
2. Once you find the mscms.dll file, right-click on it and select “Copy”.
3. Now, navigate to the driver installation folder for your printer. This is usually located in the “Program Files” or “Program Files (x86)” folder.
4. In the driver installation folder, right-click and select “Paste” to copy the mscms.dll file into the folder.
5. Confirm any prompts asking for administrator permission to copy the file.
6. After the file has been copied, restart your computer.
7. Try printing again to see if the 0x000003e3 error has been resolved.
By copying the mscms.dll file into the driver installation folder, you are ensuring that the necessary files are present for the printer to function properly. This method has been known to fix various printer errors in Windows 10/11.
If the error persists, you may need to try other troubleshooting steps such as updating your printer drivers, running the System File Checker tool, or performing a system restore to a previous point in time.
Remember to always backup your files and create a restore point before making any changes to your system.
I hope this helps you resolve the 0x000003e3 printer error in Windows 10/11.
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Manually installing printer drivers
To manually install printer drivers and fix the 0x000003e3 printer error in Windows 10/11, follow these steps:
1. Open File Explorer by pressing the Windows key + E on your keyboard.
2. Navigate to the folder where you have downloaded the printer driver software.
3. Locate the driver file, usually ending with “.exe” or “.msi”.
4. Right-click on the driver file and select “Run as administrator” from the context menu.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the printer driver software. Make sure to carefully read any prompts or messages that appear during the installation process.
6. Once the installation is complete, restart your computer.
7. After the restart, go to the Start menu and open the Control Panel.
8. In the Control Panel, click on “Devices and Printers” or “Printers and Scanners”.
9. Find your printer in the list of devices and right-click on it.
10. Select “Properties” from the context menu.
11. In the printer properties window, click on the “Advanced” tab.
12. Click on the “New Driver” button and follow the prompts to select and install the driver you just installed.
13. Once the driver is installed, click “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.
14. Close the Control Panel and try printing a test page to see if the error has been resolved.
If you continue to experience the 0x000003e3 printer error, you may need to consider other troubleshooting steps such as updating your operating system, checking for any conflicting antivirus software, or performing a System Restore to a previous point in time. Consult the relevant documentation or seek assistance from a technical expert for further guidance.
Running the printer troubleshooter
To fix the 0x000003e3 printer error in Windows 10/11, you can run the printer troubleshooter. The troubleshooter is a built-in tool that can help identify and fix common printer issues.
Here’s how to run the printer troubleshooter:
1. Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
2. Click on “Update & Security.”
3. Select “Troubleshoot” from the left-hand menu.
4. Scroll down and click on “Additional troubleshooters.”
5. Find and click on “Printer” in the list of troubleshooters.
6. Click on “Run the troubleshooter.”
The troubleshooter will then scan your system for printer-related issues and attempt to fix them. Follow any on-screen instructions that may appear during the troubleshooting process.
If the troubleshooter doesn’t resolve the 0x000003e3 printer error, you may need to try other solutions such as updating the printer drivers, checking for Windows updates, or reinstalling the printer.
Uninstalling recent Windows updates
To uninstall recent Windows updates and fix the 0x000003e3 printer error in Windows 10/11, follow these steps:
1. Open the “Control Panel” by searching for it in the Windows search bar.
2. Click on “Programs” and then select “Programs and Features.”
3. In the left-hand panel, click on “View installed updates.”
4. Locate the recently installed Windows updates that may be causing the printer error.
5. Right-click on the update and select “Uninstall.”
6. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation process.
If you’re unable to find the specific update causing the printer error, you can try uninstalling the most recent updates one by one until the issue is resolved.
After uninstalling the updates, restart your computer and check if the printer error persists. If the error is resolved, it indicates that one of the recent Windows updates was causing the issue. You can choose to keep the update uninstalled or wait for a fix from Microsoft before reinstalling it.
Modifying the registry
To modify the registry and fix the 0x000003e3 printer error in Windows 10/11, follow these steps:
1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “regedit” and press Enter to open the Windows Registry Editor.
3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers
4. Expand the “Printers” folder and locate your printer’s registry key. It will have the name of your printer.
5. Right-click on the printer’s registry key and select “Delete” to remove it from the registry.
6. Close the Registry Editor.
7. Restart your computer to apply the changes.
By deleting the printer’s registry key, you are essentially removing any corrupted or incorrect settings associated with the printer. After the restart, Windows will recreate the registry key for your printer with default settings, which should resolve the 0x000003e3 error.
Note: Modifying the registry can be risky, so it’s recommended to create a backup of the registry before making any changes. Additionally, this solution assumes that the error is related to the printer’s registry settings. If the error persists, you may need to try other troubleshooting steps or seek further assistance from a technical expert.
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