How To Fix: Error 0x0000011b?

One of the main reasons why people are so inclined towards using Windows PCs is due to their accessibility. They are easy to use and come with a plethora of benefits and compatibility. This means that it connects with a variety of third-party printers without any hassle.

However, despite the benefits, in some cases, some users experience errors like Error 0x0000011b when trying to connect their printers. If that is the case with you, identifying the problem and then implementing relevant fixes is vital.

This article will take you through all the information you need to know about the Error 0x0000011b and how to fix it.

What is the Error 0x0000011b?

You will most likely notice Error 0x0000011b on a Windows PC when a specific process fails. It happens a lot more than one would like but the good news is that the situation can be fixed with simple measures. It all comes down to how you identify the cause and then implement a relevant fix.

Some of the common causes include:

Corrupted files
Outdated drivers
Corrupted settings
Malware infections
Incorrect registry entries
Hardware issues
Incompatibility issues

If you want to address the issue, you must diagnose the problem promptly. There’s no way around this because if you don’t identify what’s causing the error, there’s no way to understand how you can fix the problem in the first place.

How to Fix Error 0x0000011b?

Now that you have a fair bit of idea about the potential causes, let us walk you through the troubleshooting fixes. They are simple yet effective.

Restart the printer spooler

If you don’t want to indulge in any complicated process and instead want to streamline the entire thing, we recommend you restart the printer spooler. It is available in the task manager, so you shouldn’t have any issues fixing it.

Here’s what you need to do:

Open and launch Task Manager in your system.
Under Process name, find Spooler SubSytem App and expand the option.
Under the expanded options, find Print Spooler and right-click on it. Next, click on Open Services.
Again return to Task Manager and end the process for Print Spooler.
Next, you have to go to the Services tab.
Find Print Spooler and tap on it.
In the context menu, click on Start.

Once you have done this, you should be able to connect the printer to your Windows PC without any unnecessary limitation or error in the process.

Update the Windows OS

When was the last time you installed a system update? If it has been a long time and you have pending system updates that need to be downloaded and installed, we recommend you prioritize that.

You will need to navigate to your Windows Settings and check if new updates are available. If there are new updates available, download them and install them respectively. Following that, you’d have to restart your system to finish the update process.

Uninstall the Windows OS updates

Now, this might sound counterproductive but it is a fix worth paying attention to. If you find that the errors are becoming more persistent after you have installed the latest OS update or security patch update, the issue could be with the update file.

In that case, you’d have to uninstall the recently downloaded Windows OS update file and see if that fixes the issue.

Here’s what you need to do:

Open the Control Panel in your system.
Find “Programs and Features” and click on it.
Navigate to Uninstall or change a program and click on View installed updates.
From the list, find the recently installed update and then uninstall it.

Doing so should resolve the error that you were experiencing until now. Ensure that you carefully uninstall the files you just installed.

Manually add the printer

If your device is experiencing network disruptions, that can indirectly end up causing issues for your connected printer and computer.

In such cases, you’d need to rely on entering the printer manually into your system using an IP address. It can be a little complicated and lengthy process, which is why we often recommend that you leave the work to the professionals instead of trying to do it by yourself.

Disable the print spooler RPC encryption

Another technical troubleshooting fix that works is disabling the print spooler RPC encryption. It can take a little while to master, so we’d recommend you follow the steps mentioned.

In the Start menu, type Registry Editor and right-click to Run as administrator.
In the address bar, copy and paste HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print.
Find the Print folder and right-click on it to tap on New and then select DWORD (32-bit) Value.
In the name field, type RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled.
In the new value section, mention 0.
Tap OK.

Once everything is done and saved, you’d have to restart your device to implement all the changes that you made.

Replacing damaged or corrupted files

In some cases, Error 0x0000011b can happen if you have damaged and corrupted files saved in your system. It can be hindering with normal functioning and contribute to errors, especially when third-party printers are in question.

Since corrupted files have the potential to damage the entire system, what we’d recommend you do is remain proactive to find what’s contributing to the issue. Finding these corrupted files might require you to download third-party software. So, do the needful.

From there, you can then go ahead, scan the system to find damaged and corrupted files, and then delete them from your system. It can take some time to master but once you do, things should start functioning normally without any hassle and errors.

Conclusion

No one wants to experience or deal with Error 0x0000011b every time they use their PC and printer. If you were confused about the causes and relevant troubleshooting fixes, we hope this article answers all your questions. It can be a little chaotic trying to implement some of these methods, especially if you aren’t tech-savvy. Our tip would be to follow the steps just as they are mentioned.