Fix 0X00000957: NERR_ErrorExecingGhost Background Process Error

What Actually Causes This Error?

You're seeing error 0X00000957 (which maps to NERR_ErrorExecingGhost) when Windows tries to start a background process — typically the print spooler service. The hex code 957 means "a background process failed to start." In the real world, this screams "printer driver corruption" or "spooler crash loop." I've seen it on Windows 10 and Server 2016 after a bad printer driver update or when a ghost printer (a printer that's been deleted but still has leftover files) hangs the spooler.

Had a client last month whose entire print queue died because of this — they'd click Print, nothing would happen, and the event log showed error 0X00000957 every 30 seconds. So don't panic. You're probably in the same boat.

Fix 1: Quick Restart — 30 Seconds

This is the first thing to try. It works about 20% of the time, but it's free and fast.

Press Win + R, type services.msc, hit Enter.
Find Print Spooler. Right-click it and choose Restart.
Check if the error's gone. If you see it again, move to Fix 2.

If the service won't stop or start, skip to Fix 3 — that's a deeper issue.

Fix 2: Clear the Print Queue — 5 Minutes

This targets leftover files from a ghost printer. Here's the exact process.

Open Services (Win + R > services.msc).


Stop the Print Spooler service. Don't close the window.
Open File Explorer and go to: C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
Delete everything in that folder. You'll need admin rights — click Yes if prompted.
Go back to Services and start the Print Spooler again.


This wipes stuck print jobs and orphaned .SPL files. I've fixed this error on three separate Windows 10 machines with this alone. If the error persists, the driver itself is hosed — go to Fix 3.

Fix 3: Nuke the Printer and Reinstall — 15+ Minutes
This is the nuclear option, but it's the one that actually works long-term. We're removing all traces of the printer driver and starting fresh.
Step 1: Remove the Printer

Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
Click on the printer that's causing trouble and select Remove device.
If you can't remove it (grayed out), reboot and try again. Still stuck? Run this in an admin command prompt: printui /dl /n "Your Printer Name"

Step 2: Wipe the Driver Manually
Windows leaves driver files behind even after removing the printer. We're going in.

Open an admin Command Prompt.
Type: printui /s /t2 — this opens Print Server Properties.
Go to the Drivers tab. Find your printer's driver, select it, and click Remove.
Check "Remove driver and driver package" and confirm.
Also delete leftover files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64\3 (or x86 for 32-bit systems). Be careful — only delete files related to your printer.

Step 3: Clean the Registry (Optional but Recommended)
If you're comfortable with regedit, this seals the deal.

Open Regedit (Win + R > regedit).
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64\Drivers\Version-3
Delete any subkey named after your printer brand/model.
Also check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers — delete the offending printer entry there too.

Backup the registry first. I've seen folks delete the wrong key and break all printing. Right-click the key you're deleting and choose Export.
Step 4: Reinstall the Printer
Now add the printer back normally. Go to Settings > Printers & scanners > Add device. If it's a network printer, use the IP address or hostname. Download the latest driver from the manufacturer's site — don't let Windows Update install an old one. I always use the manufacturer's driver, not the generic one.

Still Stuck? Check the Event Log
If the error persists, open Event Viewer (Win + R > eventvwr.msc) and look under Windows Logs > System. Filter by source PrintService or spoolsv. Look for event ID 7031 (service terminated unexpectedly) or 808 (printer driver crash). That'll point you to which driver is the culprit.
One time, the error wasn't a printer at all — it was a third-party fax software that installed a fake printer driver. Uninstalling that software fixed it. So if you've tried everything, check what software you added recently.

Final Word
This error is almost always a printer driver gone rogue. Start with the spooler restart, then clear the queue, then nuke the driver. Nine times out of ten, Fix 3 is the real fix — it's just a matter of whether you have 15 minutes to spare. And if you're on a server, schedule downtime first. I learned that the hard way.