How to Fix 0x000006BA Error on Windows 10

The 0x000006BA error typically appears as “Operation could not be completed” during printing, even if the printer is correctly configured. It means the RPC (Remote Procedure Call) server is unavailable, which is critical for the Print Spooler to function.

The main cause is a stopped or unresponsive Print Spooler service; additional triggers include corrupted spooler files, outdated drivers, or side effects from Windows updates such as KB5005565 or KB5016616, which introduced security changes that disrupted remote and network printing for many users, especially in enterprise environments.

These updates may indirectly trigger the 0x000006BA error by interfering with RPC-based printer communication Now that you know the common causes of the error, here are some solutions that can help you in solving this error.

1. Run the Printer Troubleshooter

If this is your first time troubleshooting the problem, start by running the built-in Printer Troubleshooter in Windows 10 and applying any recommended fixes.

Microsoft regularly updates these troubleshooters to solve common problems. If this specific issue is already recognized by Microsoft, the Printer Troubleshooter may fix it automatically.

1. Press the Windows key + R keys together to open a Run dialog box. In the box, type ms-settings:troubleshoot and press Enter to open the Troubleshooting section in the Settings app.

   

2. On the right side, scroll down and click on the Printer icon under the Get up and running section.

   

3. Click Run the troubleshooter in the menu that appears.
4. When the utility opens, select your printer from the list. Wait for the scan to finish. If a solution is offered, click Apply this fix to let Windows fix the issue automatically.

   

   Note: You might be prompted to complete a few extra steps, depending on your situation.

5. Once the fix is complete, restart your computer. After it restarts, try printing again to see if the 0x000006BA error is gone.

2. Restart the Print Spooler Service

If the Printer Troubleshooter couldn’t fix the issue, the next recommended step is restarting the Print Spooler service using the Services screen—a widely effective solution for these kinds of printing errors.

1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run dialog box. Type services.msc and press Enter to open the Services window. If you see a User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click Yes to proceed.

   

2. In the Services window, scroll down and find the Print Spooler service. Right-click it and choose Properties.

   

3. In the Properties window, go to the General tab, set Startup type to Automatic, then click Apply to save your settings.
4. If the Service status says Stopped, click Start to start the service.
5. Once you’ve restarted the Print Spooler service, try printing or connecting your printer again to check if the error is resolved.

3. Verify RPC and Dependent Services

Since the 0x000006BA error directly involves the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) mechanism, it’s important to confirm that all essential services for RPC and the Print Spooler are running properly.

These services must be active to allow communication between the system and the printer—especially when connecting over a network.

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type services.msc and press Enter.

   

2. In the Services window, locate the following services one by one:
   • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
   • RPC Endpoint Mapper
   • DCOM Server Process Launcher
3. For each of these services:
   • Double-click the service to open its Properties.
   • Ensure the Startup type is set to Automatic.
   • Make sure the Service status shows Running. If it doesn’t, click Start.
4. Once all three services are confirmed running, restart your computer and try printing again to check if the error persists.

4. Clear the Printers Folder

You may see the 0x000006BA error if old printers left behind partially installed or corrupted files that are now blocking new printers from working with the spooler service. This often happens after a failed printer driver installation or when Windows was interrupted during the process.

1. Disconnect all printers, whether they’re connected wirelessly, by USB, or by Ethernet.
   Important: Before proceeding, you must stop the Print Spooler service—otherwise, some files may be in use and can’t be deleted. – Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. – In the Services window, scroll down to Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Stop.
2. Open File Explorer and navigate to:

   C:\Windows\System32\spool

3. If you’re prompted with a UAC (User Account Control) window while accessing the System32 folder, click Yes to allow admin access.
4. Double-click the PRINTERS folder inside the spool directory.

   

5. While inside the folder, press Ctrl + A to select all files, then right-click and choose Delete, or just press the Del key.
6. Confirm that you want to delete these files.
7. After deletion, go back to the Services window, right-click Print Spooler again, and select Start to restart the service.
8. Finally, restart your computer. After it reboots, try setting up your printer again and see if the problem is resolved.

5. Run SFC and DISM Scans

Some system-level issues that interfere with the Print Spooler or RPC services may be caused by corrupted or missing Windows files. Microsoft provides two tools to help with this: SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management).

Begin by running an SFC scan, which checks the integrity of critical system files and replaces any corrupted ones with healthy versions stored locally.

1. Open the Start menu, search for Command Prompt, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   sfc /scannow

3. Wait for the scan to finish. Do not close the window until it’s 100% complete.

After the SFC scan, restart your system. Once you’re back in Windows, proceed with a DISM scan.

While SFC uses local cache, DISM goes further by checking the Windows component store and using Windows Update to download and replace damaged system files—especially useful if local repair files are also corrupted.

1. Open Command Prompt again as administrator.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

3. Ensure your device is connected to the internet, as DISM fetches required files from Microsoft’s update servers.
4. Once the process completes, restart your computer and continue troubleshooting.

6. Enable Printer Sharing

If this error appears when you try to use a printer shared over your local network, printer sharing might not be turned on for the computer hosting the printer.

Several users have solved this by enabling printer sharing on the host computer using the Printers & Scanners interface.

Remember, these steps must be completed on the host PC—which means the computer that is directly connected to the printer via USB or installed as the main printer-sharing device. This is not the computer you’re using to send the print command over the network.

1. On the host PC, press Windows key + R to open a Run box. Type ms-settings:printers and press Enter to open the Printers & Scanners section of Settings.

   

2. Find and click the printer you want to share, then click Manage.

   

3. Click on Printer Properties.
4. In the Printer Properties window, open the Sharing tab and tick Share this printer.

   

5. Click Apply to save changes. Next, press Windows key + R again, type control.exe /name Microsoft.NetworkAndSharingCenter, and press Enter to open the Network and Sharing Center.

   

6. Click Change advanced sharing settings in the left menu.

   

7. Scroll down to File and printer sharing and select Turn on file and printer sharing.

   

8. Click Save changes and confirm any User Account Control (UAC) prompts. Finally, restart your computer.
9. Try printing again or connecting to the printer to see if the 0x000006BA error is fixed.