This fix is known to cure HP Error 79 issues and depending on your printer manufacture and model it may fix other error indicators. Some of the other symptoms of this issue may include the printer rebooting repeatedly. Hopefully this fix works for you and it take little time to try. Follow the instructions exact or have a trusted administrator complete the steps.
Windows7 instructions
0. To save time you may wish to try only completing Step 6-7. If you cannot delete the files as explained in Step 6-7 then start at Step 1.
1. Go to Start menu and right click on Computer (My Computer on XP) and select Manage.
2. In the window that opens, click on the Services and Applications to open that list.
3. Click on Services to view all the services.
4. Double-click on the Print Spooler.
5. In the Print Spooler Properties window click the Stop button to temporary stop this service and leave this window open, you will close this window after the following 2 steps.
6. Open up Windows Explorer (Not Internet Explorer and not a browser). If you don’t know how to do this simply go to theStart menu and click Computer.
7. In the window go to the printer spool folder C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete any files in the printer spool folder especially any shockwave files. Be sure not to accidently delete the folders.
Corrupt printer files or files made deliberately or found to confuse a printer may have somehow been sent or placed into the printer spool.
Common Issue: Error from four Shockwave files sent to “..\spool\PRINTERS” folder. For some reason a possible program bug in the HP Update Utility, a Windows bug, or a virus can place or send four shockwave files into the “..\spool\PRINTERS” folder.
8. In the Print Spooler Properties window click the Start button to restart this service and click the OK button to close this window.
9. Try printing again and best luck to you.