Why, when I try to install a service pack in Windows 2000, does my machine complain about the Print Spooler service?

A. When you install a service pack, the installer activates the Print Spooler service if it's not already running. However, if you've disabled the start-up type for this service, the service will fail to start and the computer will display the following error message:

Cannot install the Service Pack.
The Print Spooler service is not started.

To resolve this problem, perform the following steps to set the service start-up type to manual:

1. Start the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Computer Management snap-in (go to Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, and click Computer Management).
2. Select the Services and Applications branch.
3. Select Services.
4. Right-click Print Spooler, and select Properties.
5. Under the "Startup type:" setting, select Manual.
6. Click OK.