How to Delete a Printer Port when Resources in use

NOTE: If you receive the message "Selected port could not be deleted. The requested resource is in use," when you try to delete the port, try the following steps:

1. Check the properties for all printers. Change any that are connected to the port to be deleted.
2. Click Start, point to Settings, and the click Control Panel.
3. Double-click Services.
4. Click the Spooler service, and then click Stop.
5. After the Spooler service stops, click Start.
6. After the Spooler service starts, click Close.
7. Attempt to delete the port again by using the steps above.

Delete Printer Port

To delete a port

For this procedure, you must have the Manage Printers permission, which is one of several printer permissions.

1. Open Printers and Faxes.

2. On the File menu, click Server Properties, and then click the Ports tab.

3. In the list of ports, click the port you want to delete, and then click Delete Port.

4. Click Yes to confirm.

Notes:

To open Printers and Faxes, click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.

If you are unable to delete the port and you know that you have printer permissions to do so, it may be that one or more of your printers is set up to print to that port. Reassign the printer or printers to another port, and then try to delete the port again. Deleting a port removes it from the available port list. Any printer that communicates through that port is disconnected.