How to fix
0x00000bc4 (No printers were found) error
on Windows

Hello, I am generally using a networked printer at work, and I had no problems with doing so whatsoever. However, in the past few days, I suddenly started receiving the 0x00000bc4 error, which says that no printers were found. Please advise.

While printers became a bit less of a necessity over the years, with digital data being used more often, these machines are still very prevalent, especially in corporate environments. In the said locations, printers are usually connected to a network of computers[ref en-1] so that users can print out a document from their desks for convenience purposes.

Even though networked printers are not necessarily in a worse condition than those which are not connected, additional issues may arise when using them. To be more precise, users might encounter various networking issues which prevent them from using printers. 0x00000bc4 is one of the errors some people encounter, and it prevents them from using their devices properly. They usually receive the following error message:

Operation could not be completed (error 0x00000bc4).

No printers were found.

The message can come as a surprise as those affected know that the printer is indeed connected and should be working. Unfortunately, no matter how many times users try, they receive the same error code and message.

Several reasons could be causing the "0x00000bc4 No printers were found" error on a Windows device. In some cases, users can fix the problem by simply resetting the printer, while, in other cases, more thorough troubleshooting steps need to be undertaken - updating drivers and restarting the print spooler service, among other options.

We provide all the manual fixes below, so check them out and see which one works for you. We also recommend running a scan with [d1] PC repair tool, which is particularly useful when dealing with common PC issues, including errors, registry[ref en-2] corruption, BSODs,[ref en-3] etc.

Solution 1. Reset your printer

Trying this solution is among the easiest ones, so let's start here. You can easily hard reset your printer by simply unplugging its power cord, waiting a few minutes, then plugging it back in. This method could be problematic if the power cord is unreachable, however. If that's the case, proceed with the next steps.

Solution 2. Run the troubleshooter

Troubleshooters are great built-in tools that can resolve various computer issues automatically, including when one has problems with printers. Follow these steps:

• Type in Troubleshoot in Windows search and hit Enter
• Select Additional Troubleshooters
• Pick Printer and click Run the troubleshooter
• Wait till the scan is finished, and then apply the proposed fixes
• Restart your PC.

Solution 3. Clear and reset Print Spooler

• Type cmd in Windows search
• Right-click on Command Prompt result and select Run as administrator
• When User Account Control shows up, click Yes
• Type in the following command, and press Enter after each:
  net stop spooler
  del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers* /Q”
  net start spooler
• Close down Command Prompt and restart your system.

Solution 4. Update printer driver

An outdated printer driver may occasionally be the cause of the error. In this situation, we advise downloading and installing the most recent driver. There are a few ways to accomplish that, with [rev id="DriverFix"] being one of the simplest. As an alternative, you can download the driver from the website of the printer's maker or try to install all the optional Windows updates, although this option might not always be effective:

• Type Updates in the Windows search and press Enter
• Here, click Check for Updates
• If optional updates are available, access the Drivers section
• Select all the available drivers and then click Download and install
• Reboot your computer.

Solution 5. Use Windows registry

Changing values in the Registry Editor managed to solve the problem for many. Make sure you back up the registry database just in case before proceeding.

• Type regedit in Windows search and press Enter
• Go to the following location:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC
• Double-click the RpcOverNamedPipes entry on the right
• Set value data to 1 and click OK
• Next, double-click the RpcOverTcp (default) entry and set the value to 0, then click OK
• Restart your PC.

Solution 6. Uninstall the latest Windows updates [workaround]

This method could help users who started facing the update error after they applied the newest Windows update. Note that this option is not available for some users.

• Type Control Panel in Windows search and hit Enter
• Go to Programs > Uninstall a program
• Select View installed updates
• From the list, uninstall the most recent Windows update (right-click > Uninstall)
• Type in Updates in Windows search and press Enter
• Here, click the Pause updates for 7 days button.