Fix printer error 0X00000A71 - server not found

Quick answer

Restart the print spooler, reinstall the printer driver, and check the network path. If that doesn't work, delete and re-add the printer.

What's going on here?

This error code 0X00000A71 means Windows tried to talk to a print server, but the server didn't respond. It's not a server problem — it's a client-side misconfiguration. I've seen this mostly on Windows 10 and 11 machines trying to connect to a shared printer on a workgroup. The trigger is usually a bad driver or a broken network share. Had a client last month whose entire print queue died because of this after a Windows update broke the SMB connection. The NERR_DfsNoSuchServer part just means the Distributed File System couldn't find the server. Don't bother with DFS — that's not the real issue here.

Fix it in 5 steps (the main way)

Restart the print spooler service — Open Services (type services.msc in Run). Find Print Spooler, right-click, Restart. Then try printing again. Works about 30% of the time.
Delete the printer and re-add it — Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Click the problematic printer, select Remove. Then add it again by IP address or network name. Don't use the automatic search — it often fails. Use Add a printer by IP address or hostname.

Clear the print spooler files —

net stop spooler
del %systemroot%\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*.* /q
net start spooler

This wipes stuck jobs that confuse Windows.

Reinstall the printer driver fresh — Go to Print Management (type printmanagement.msc). Under Print Servers > Drivers, delete the driver for that printer. Then install the latest driver from the manufacturer's site — not Windows Update. Had a client whose HP driver from 2019 caused this exact error. Updated to 2023 driver, fixed.
Check the network path — Open File Explorer, type \\server-name (replace with your print server's name). If you get an error, the network share is dead. Restart the server or check SMB settings. On the server, make sure SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support is installed (Windows Features). Yes, SMB1 is old, but some cheap printers still need it.

If the main fix doesn't work

Try these alternatives:

Run the Printer Troubleshooter — Windows has a built-in tool. Search for Find and fix printer problems. It's not great, but sometimes it clears a stuck setting.
Reset TCP/IP stack — Open Command Prompt as admin, run netsh int ip reset then netsh winsock reset. Reboot. This helps if the network path is flaky.
Use LPR instead — Some older printers work better with Line Printer Remote. Add the printer with port type Standard TCP/IP Port, then change protocol to LPR. You'll need the printer's IP and queue name (often a blank string).
Switch from WSD to TCP/IP — Windows sometimes uses Web Services for Devices (WSD) which is flaky. Delete the printer, add it by IP, and choose Standard TCP/IP Port during setup. This is my go-to for stubborn network printers.

How to stop this happening again

Prevention is simple but boring. Keep your printer drivers up to date — check the manufacturer's site every 6 months. Avoid using WSD ports for network printers; always use TCP/IP. And if you're on a workgroup (no domain), set a static IP for the printer so Windows doesn't lose it. Turn off Windows' automatic driver updates for printers — they often push broken versions. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization, then toggle off Download updates from other PCs. That's it. No more error 0X00000A71 unless something else breaks.