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I recently installed Lexmark's MarkVision Professional print server utility to monitor my Windows 2000 Professional printers' network printer models. After the installation, all the printer icons disappeared from my Win2K Pro desktops. When I selected the Add Printer icon in an attempt to solve the problem, I received the error message Print Spooler service was not started. I tried to start the Print Spooler service and received the error message A Dependency service has not been started.
To check the dependencies, I started the Control Panel Administrative Tools applet and double-clicked Services. I right-clicked the Print Spooler service and selected Properties. Then, I selected the Dependencies tab. The Dependencies window contained the item LexBceS, but the item was shaded out and not accessible for removal. I tried to use the Control Panel Add/Remove Programs applet to remove the Lexmark utility but was unsuccessful.
Finally, I decided to edit the registry. I navigated to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Spooler registry subkey and found an entry with the name DEPENDSonService, of type REG_Multi_SZ, and value of LexBceS. I deleted this entry, closed the registry editor, and restarted the workstation. Afterward, all my printer icons reappeared and the Add Printer applet worked.
—Cy Tymony
cy@sneakyuses.com