Windows cannot connect to the printer. The specified print monitor is unknown.
12 April 2007Today I got this error while trying to connect a networked printer in Windows Vista.
Here is the culprit. If you have disabled User Account Control (UAC), under control panel -> user accounts, then it will give you the error above.
To fix it you’ll have to enable UAC again, reboot, and then you’ll be able to connect to your networked printer. This must be some type of bug in Vista.
In my case I also had to restart my Print Spooler in Services because it stopped working.
But after all that, now my shared / networked printer is all set. :]
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16 Responses to “Windows cannot connect to the printer. The specified print monitor is unknown.”
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Thanks For Visiting!
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Best clue I found on the internet.
Wasted lots of time with HP support and they had NO CLUE.
At least I finally got smart and did a search on google.
I might even tell HP support about this….if I ever get around to it! ;-)
Thanks for sharing this information.
Jeff
June 4th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
You’re a life-saver. I was beating my head against the wall. I should have known when I just put Vista on my 2nd laptop, and that one COULD connect…Since it is my GF’s I left UAC on…She could print to the shared printer, but couldn’t get PS installed. I, on the other hand, had PS installed, couldn’t connect to the printer….coincidence? hardly, I think, UAC blows!
June 12th, 2007 at 12:54 am
Thanks for your tips. It helps me a lots.
July 13th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Thanks!!
July 19th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Worked like a charm…knowing me, I would have spent hours trying to figure this thing out. Thanks!
August 22nd, 2007 at 11:14 pm
You are the SHIT! Spent hours with dothead HP support and they knew nothing. Nothing on Vista site. Turning ON UAC fixed the problem. Once I installed my printer I turned UAC back off and it`s there. You are a GENIOUS. Thanks for helping another white man out.
August 27th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Hi!
Thank you for your helping. I asked the question many people but didn’t get any right answer! Now, you are right! Thank again!
October 17th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I am having the same problem with windows xp first print spooler service not working then print monitor not known. I have a canon bubble jet and lexmark 4200 printer. I finally got the canon back to working but the lexmark isnt. I get the message print monitor unknown. It has been 2 months help!!!
October 26th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
I have the same problem with my Lexmark 6170.
Can’t figure it out.
November 29th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
*laughs* I should have never trusted HP Tech support to help me, they just disconnected. When I wasn’t getting it after the first 30-45 minutes, I should have gone to google to find this page. Effen UAC! Day one with a vista machine, and it’s already started off with a bang. Thanks for the assistance!
November 29th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Just a heads up! After the printer was installed on my Vista machine (laptop). I turned off that UAC thingie and I can still print via the network (the desktop machine is XP, that the printer is connected to).
February 14th, 2008 at 2:54 am
dude, thanks for your solution. you’re amazing.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:25 am
I have been trying to connect a network printer but keeps telling me windows cannot connect to the printer. The specified print monitor is unknown
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Works Great…
March 7th, 2008 at 10:13 am
A proper solution;
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937697
May 4th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
The proper solution doesn’t work if you have any home edition, as gpedit.msc is not included. First I downloaded and installed the printer driver I needed. After that, go to control panel, printers and right click and click server properties. Click the drivers tab and the “add” button. Select the printer driver from the list. After that I was able to add the network printer with no problems, as the error seems to occur when it has to install the printer driver.