How to Fix “0x0000007c” Windows Printer Error?

When attempting to connect to a shared network printer, the error message “Windows cannot connect to the printer. Operation failed with error 0x0000007c” may appear, preventing successful printer installation. The error code 0x0000007c corresponds to ERROR_INVALID_LEVEL, indicating a mismatch or incompatibility in the expected interface level between the client and the print server.

This issue often arises after installing Windows updates KB5006670 (Windows 10) or KB5006674 (Windows 11), which introduced changes to the Print Spooler service, leading to authentication and driver installation problems.

Additional causes include corrupted or outdated printer drivers, misconfigured registry settings, and conflicts with the Print Spooler service. Now that you know the causes, let’s discuss the solutions.

1. Uninstall Problematic Security Update

As mentioned earlier, one way to fix this problem is by uninstalling the security update that caused the error. The specific update in most cases is KB5006670. Uninstalling Windows updates is fairly simple. If a Windows update causes issues, uninstalling it can usually resolve the matter right away.

However, for this solution to work properly, you should pause Windows updates temporarily. Otherwise, Windows might automatically reinstall the update, and the problem may return.

1. First, press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Windows Settings window.
2. Go to Windows Update from the navigation menu.

   

3. Click on View update history.

   

4. On the new page, under Update history, click Uninstall updates.
5. A Control Panel window listing installed updates will open.
6. Find the KB5006670 update in the list.
7. Double-click on it to uninstall it.

   

8. After uninstalling, return to the Windows Update section in Settings.
9. Click Pause updates for 7 days to stop updates for a week.

   

10. Finally, restart your computer.
11. Check if the problem is resolved after your computer restarts.

2. Reinstall the Printer

Another way to fix the error is by reinstalling the printer. However, before reinstalling, it’s important to clear the drivers folder on your computer. The location of this folder is slightly different depending on whether you have a 64-bit or 32-bit version of Windows, but don’t worry as we’ll explain both below. You’ll also need to restart the Print Spooler service using the Services manager.

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Copy and paste one of the following addresses into the address bar, depending on your system type:

   64-bit OS: C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\3
   
   32-bit OS: C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\W32X86\3

   

3. Once inside the folder, cut all the files and paste them somewhere safe, like your desktop.
4. Next, press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
5. Type services.msc and hit Enter to open the Windows Services window.

   

6. Find the Print Spooler service in the list.

   

7. Right-click on it and select Restart.

   

8. After restarting the service, open the Control Panel (search for it in the Start menu).
9. Click on Uninstall a program.

   

10. Uninstall the printer from the list by double-clicking on it.
11. Now, manually add the printer again and install the required drivers by downloading them from the printer manufacturer’s website.
12. After these steps, your printer should work normally, and the error message should be gone.

3. Cancel Driver Installation Midway

If the solutions above do not work for you, here’s another method that has worked for some users. To try this, first download the drivers for your printer from the manufacturer’s website. Begin the installation process, and when prompted to connect the printer using a cable, select the option to connect to a remote printer instead.

Once the connection is established, cancel the installation. After doing this, check to see if the problem still exists. This workaround may seem a bit unusual, but it has resolved the issue for some people.