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bottojr
Level 3

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Quickbooks and Microsoft print services for the XPS Document Writer and Microsoft Print to PDF tool are all corrupt on two servers we have - Windows Server 2016.  These print objects are what QB uses to print and we are unable to print from QB - on launch QB states we are missing printing components. I took the following actions thus far: 1. Ran the QB File and Print doctor - unable to fix or re-add those devices - "Element not found" or "Invalid handle" error messages 2. Rebooted the servers - same issue 3. Updated Quickbooks with all available updates - same issue 4. Uninstalled and reinstalled the driver files from Microsoft for those print services via powershell commands and re-ran QB file doctor - same issue 5. Checked all Windows updates applied across all servers - they are an exact match between the one working server running Quickbooks and the two that are not working with QB printing 6. Ran a system file check and system restore DISM scan on both servers - no issues found 7. Attempted to install the known good drivers from the working server to the other two servers - same issue. 8. Attempted to manually re-add XPS Document Writer and Microsoft Print to PDF via manual add printer (in Control Panel and via PowerShell).  Same error messages - Invalid Handle / Element not found I am almost to the point of wiping out these servers / restoring from backup - but I don't like doing that and not finding out what is causing us the grief because what if the issue returns. I feel like I've exhausted QB and Microsoft support forums, but does anyone in the community have any suggestions? Thanks!

33 Comments 33
Mark_R
QuickBooks Team

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

I appreciate you performing the possible troubleshooting steps to fix the printing issues, @bottojr.

 

At this time, we have an ongoing issue with printing pdf files in QuickBooks Desktop. Rest assured that our product engineers are diligently working for a fix.

 

In the meantime, let's try running the QuickBooks Print & Print Repair Tool from the QuickBooks Tool Hub to resolve the issue. Based on the troubleshooting steps you've performed, this solution isn't done yet. Here's how:

 

  1. Close your QuickBooks Desktop.
  2. Download the QuickBooks Tool Hub file. Save it somewhere on your computer.
  3. Open the QuickBooksToolHub.exe file you downloaded.
  4. Follow the on-screen steps to install and agree to the terms and conditions.
  5. When the install finishes, double-click the icon on your Windows desktop to open the tool hub.
  6. In the QuickBooks Tool Hub, select Program Problems.
  7. Select QuickBooks PDF & Print Repair Tool. It will take about a minute to run.
  8. Attempt to print a PDF file in your QuickBooks Desktop again.

I've got you this article for more details: Troubleshoot PDF and Print problems with QuickBooks Desktop.

 

Also, to ensure you'll get an update about the resolution status, I recommend contacting our Phone Support Team. This way, they can add your company to the list of affected users and provide this investigation number for easy tracking: INV-0670.

 

As always, feel free to visit our QuickBooks Community help website if you need tips and related articles in the future.

 

Thank you for your patience while we work for a fix. Keep in touch if you need any more assistance with this, or there's something else I can do for you. I've got your back. Have a good day.

bottojr
Level 3

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

We have already run the print repair tool and followed those instructions.  It did not help.

 

To make sure we are talking about the same issue / confirm that this is really a known problem - here are the steps to duplicate the issue on our end:

This happens for any report - just giving an example:

user opens quickbooks Desktop.

user runs a profit and loss report

user hits print button but nothing happens.  They can export to pdf but that is it.  Are you talking about the same issue?

Mark_R
QuickBooks Team

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

I appreciate you getting back to us and clarifying things, @bottojr.

 

Yes, we're on the same page. Currently, printing a PDF file, whether it's reports or transactions, is affected by the investigation stated above.

 

You'll want to reach out to our Phone Support Team so they can add your account to the list of affected users. This way, you'll receive an email regarding the issue once updates become available.

 

To reach them, click the ? Help button at the top-right and select Contact Us to talk with a live agent.

 

Just in case you want to customize reports in your QuickBooks Desktop, feel free to read this article to the detailed information: Customize reports in QuickBooks Desktop.

 

Thank you for your patience. Please know you can continue to reach me here with any additional questions. I'm always happy to help. Have a great day and keep safe.

greenmtnit
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

@bottojr, I have been suffering from this issue on multiple machines for two months.

Have you tried uninstalling the most recent Windows update, e.g. 2020 May Cumulative Update. I uninstalled the most recent update using DISM.exe (see here) and I got the XPS Document Writer back and fixed QuickBooks saving. You might also need to uninstall April updates.

 

Do you see the XPS Document Writer listed when you run get-printer in PowerShell?

 

You can also try disabling and re-enabling the XPS writer optional feature. You can do this in GUI or PowerShell:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Printing-XPSServices-Features"

then

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Printing-XPSServices-Features"

 

Could you also tell me if you are using third-party AV and what your QuickBooks version is?

 

bottojr
Level 3

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

I have indeed tried running those commands:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Printing-XPSServices-Features"

then

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "Printing-XPSServices-Features"

 

And did the same with Microsoft Print to PDF.  It does not re-enable the printers and I cannot add them back manually either with an add printer command in control panel.

 

This issue is occuring for every version of QB that is installed 2015 up through 2020 on this same server.

 

Uninstalling the May Cumulative update is a bit of a drastic step.  But I think given you had success doing so (the XPS doc writer came back) then while Intuit is "working on the issue" - I will escalate with a Microsoft support ticket since these servers having the issue are hosted on Azure.  I can go that route to get it looked at in parallel....though my bet would be Intuit has more pull with Microsoft than I do.  

greenmtnit
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

OK thanks for the reply.

Do you have third-party AV installed?

I am going to PM you my email if you would be willing to work on the issue with me. I have been in hell with this for two months and would say I know a lot about the issue... except the fix, of course.

greenmtnit
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

@Mark_Rcan you review this thread and offer any suggestion or information? Thanks.

ReyJohn_D
Moderator

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Thanks for joining the thread, @greenmtnit.

 

Allow me to share with you some insights about PDF printing in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

 

My peer Mark_R mentioned about the ongoing investigation for PDF printing in QBDT. Rest assured, our product engineers are still working on this one for a permanent fix. He also provided  steps to help resolve this issue by running the QuickBooks Tool Hub.

 

If you've already tried running the Tool Hub file and you still receive an error, please reboot your computer to ensure no apps are affecting the process. Then, rerun QuickBooks Tool Hub.

 

If the outcome is still the same, let's reset your temp folder permissions. To start with, let's check the folder permissions to the TEMP folder: Here's how:

 

  1. Press the Windows key + R to open the RUN command.
  2. Type %TEMP% and press Enter.
  3. Right-click an empty area of the temp folder, then choose Properties.
  4. Pick the Security tab then ensure all usernames and groups showing on the Security tab have Full Control.
  5. Once the permissions have been set to Full Control, save as a PDF again within QuickBooks.

Then, please follow the rest of the steps outlined in this article starting from Step 2 under resetting temp folder permissions. It highlights the steps on how to test if you're able to print and modify permissions for your XPS Document Writer :  What to do if you encounter PDF and print problems with QBDT?.

Once everything's fixed, you'll want to pull up reports to check the financial health of your business. Thus, feel free to personalized the info and formats for your reports. I've got a great resource that will guide you on how to achieve this in QuickBooks Desktop. How can I customize reports in QBDT?.

 

Feel free to visit again the Community if you have more questions about printing PDF files in QBDT. I'll surely answer them. Take care always.

bottojr
Level 3

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Looks like Microsoft is aware of this issue as well - they have no timeline for a fix at this time.  This is what they admitted on a support ticket I submitted to their Azure team:

 

Microsoft support case number: 120060224004201

"I was able to get in contact with the Windows Support team, and they aknowledge the issue in Windows as a reuslt of the security update.
 
The team is actively working on a fix to this issue, and as soon as it is available it can be deployed and the issue should no longer exist.
 
With the above being stated, the only current work around from the Windows team is to roll back the security updates that were applied.
 
I do know that you had stated that this is a production server, and that you feel it is critical to have the latest security patches applied to the server.
 
Unfortunately, the only work around at this time, pending the permanant fix that is being worked on, is to roll back the security update(s) that cause this issue.
 
I apologize for the inconvenience and and any possible frustration as a result of this, and want to thank you for your patience."
greenmtnit
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Thanks for the info. Here it is Patch Tuesday and I have set the affected machines to delay updates just so I don't run into this again tomorrow. Ugh. Hoping for a fix soon from Microsoft.

ABCA
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

I tried everything suggested in this post. 

Renaming my company files on a so there were no spaces in it resolved my issue. 

The first error in the windows event log :

An unexpected error has occured in "QuickBooks Desktop Pro":
Got unexpected error 5 in call to NetShareGetInfo for path \\path to my QuickBooks file. 

 

Waiting for Microsoft is not an option for me. 

 

Tracey

MadelynC
Moderator

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Thanks for joining this thread, @ABCA


I appreciate you for performing the steps mentioned on this page. The investigation stated by my colleague was already resolved.


Since you still encountered this problem, I recommend contacting our Technical Support team to check it further. They can determine the root cause of the issue. And have the ability to dig and review some information that can fix your dilemma. If needed, they can open a new ticket and ensure as well you’ll be added to the list of affected users. 


You can follow these steps to reach them:

 

  1. Select the Help menu.
  2. Choose QuickBooks Desktop Help (F1).
  3. Click Contact Us.

DT-contact.PNG

 

For any QuickBooks query, you can always visit our help articles to get some tips and information on how to manage and organize your account efficiently.

 

Thanks for your patience. In case you encounter any problem in the future, don’t hesitate to visit us again. We’re always here ready to help.

Spyderturbo007
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Has this been resolved or is it still "under investigation" with ticket INV-0670?

Spyderturbo007
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Has this been resolved, or is it still under review with ticket INV-0670?

 

I have a client experiencing the same issue.  I've tried the PDF repair tool and it works for one or two PDFs if they are lucky and then crashes again.

LieraMarie_A
QuickBooks Team

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

We appreciate your initiative in attempting to settle the issue, @Spyderturbo007.

 

As of now, we haven't received any updates yet. Rest assured that our engineers are currently investigating and working on an immediate fix.

 

I also encourage you to reach out to our Customer Care Team to add your account to the list of affected users. This way, you will get notified of any updates on the progress of the investigation via email. You can reach the support team through this link: Get help with QuickBooks Online.

 

I'd also like to let you know that our developers are constantly uncovering and considering new ways to improve the program. To be updated with our latest news and enhancements, you can visit our QuickBooks Online Blog site. 

 

I appreciate your patience as we work through this. If you have any other concerns, please don't hesitate to drop a comment below. Take care.

MethodAgent
Level 2

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Has this been resolved?

MethodAgent
Level 2

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Has this issue been resolved yet?

AlexV
QuickBooks Team

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Good day, atuomala.

 

I know you also want this to be fixed. As of the moment, our team is still fixing this to get a permanent resolution.

 

If you haven't yet, it's advisable to perform the steps in this article: Troubleshoot PDF and Print problems with QuickBooks Desktop. This helps in fixing any printing, emailing, or saving PDF files.

 

Shoot me a reply or visit QuickBooks Help if you need more help. I'm looking forward to assisting you again.

jvtaxinfo
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

As of today, 11/24/2020, has this issue been solved? I have tried everything on this tread and nothing has worked so far.

If it is happening since march, does it mean any time there is a windows update, quickbooks will have the same issue?

Kristine Mae
Moderator

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

We want this resolved as much as you do, Jvtaxinfo.

 

Our engineers are working hand in hand to roll out a permanent resolution. While we're waiting for a fix, I suggest reaching out to our customer care support. This way, you'll get added to the list of affected users. You can follow MadelynC's steps on how you can get in touch with us. 

 

Once it's fixed, you can print without any issues. 

 

We're just around if you need help. Feel free to visit us anytime. Keep safe!

ABCA
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

I had this issue last year and talked to tech support. The issue was in the invoice template. It was using a jpg image for a logo.  We replaced the logo with a png image and that solved the issue for us. 

 

Tracey

jchIT
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

I was able to finally resolve this on my end. Results may vary of course. This was on Server 2016 Datacenter. I initially could not add the xps document writer due to element not found. Copied the documents writer folder from a known good server of the same OS over to the problem server, ran  windows updates, this allowed me to re-add the document writer, ran the quickbooks tool hub, selected program problems, and ran the quickbooks print & pdf repair tool. Once all of that was done the user was able to send the reports as a pdf again. Hope this is helpful. 

greenmtnit
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Can you please describe which files/ folders you copied from the working server for the XPS writer?

Thanks.

greenmtnit
Level 1

QB printing issues - XPS and print to pdf corruption - any suggestions?

Hi, can you please describe further which folder/files you copied from the working machine for the XPS writer?

Thanks!

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