Error message when you try to install a network printer on a Windows Vista-based computer: "Windows cannot connect to the printer Operation could not be completed (error 0x0000000d)"

When you try to install a network printer on a Windows Vista-based computer, you may receive the following error message:

Windows cannot connect to the printer. Operation could not be completed (error 0x0000000d).

This issue occurs because the following registry subkey on the print server contains invalid data: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\

CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-3\<DriverName>\Previous Names

Note In this registry subkey, represents the name of the driver for the printer.

The Previous Names registry entry belongs to the REG_MULTI_SZ registry value type. The Previous Names registry entry is considered an invalid REG_MULTI_SZ registry value type if the following conditions are true:

• The value of the Previous Names registry entry begins with a null.
• This null is followed by some values.
• The value of the Previous Names registry entry ends with a null.

To resolve this problem, modify the value of the Previous Names registry entry on the print server so that it contains valid data. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
2. Click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x86\Drivers\Version-3\<DriverName>
4. On the File menu, click Export.
5. In the File name box, type printerName, and then click Save.
6. Right-click printerName.reg, and then click Edit.
7. Locate the sentence which starts with the "Previous Names" string, and then replace the sentence with the following text:
   "Previous Names"=hex(7):00,00
8. On the File menu, click Save.
9. Exit Notepad.
10. Right-click the file that you saved in step 7, click Merge, and then click OK.
11. Restart the Print Spooler service. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Starttype services.msc in the Start Search box, and then click services.msc in the Programs list.
       
       If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
    2. Right-click Print Spooler, and then click Stop.
    3. Right-click Print Spooler, and then click Start.