Very slow printing in Windows 10

Recently (past few months), printing has become a major headache for me on my computer. I cannot figure out why it has become so painfully slow. It doesn't matter what application I use to generate the print job; it sends it to the spooler quite quickly. Once the spooler has it, it can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes to get around to waking the printer up, then sometimes upwards of another 10 minutes to get around to actually sending the print job to the printer.

Printer: Brother DCP-8080DN

Connection: wired ethernet

This is from 2 different Windows 10 computers. From my Linux computer, print jobs are practically instant, just like they used to be from the Windows computers until a few months ago.

I have uninstalled and re-installed the Brother drivers multiple times trying to solve this. I have deleted and re-defined the IP printer ports (because if I don't, each time I re-install the printer I get yet another IP printer port since it refuses to all me to use an existing one!). 

I have cleared the print spooler as noted in multiple other "slow printing" articles such as:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware/window-10-very-slow-spooler/8e45a1ab-2db1-4247-a71f-b4c5c5d8bf541

Documents can be as simple as a 10 word sentence in notepad (raw text, nothing fancy) and still take 10-30 minutes to get around to actually printing, while I can send a full page photo from my Linux system and receive it in 30 seconds. I don't think the problem is with the printer.

Any ideas on what else I can try?

Did you download the latest drivers from Brothers website?

I notice the latest drivers are from 2013
http://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadlist.asp...

Please try the steps recommended below to uninstall printer software

Press Windows key + X, click Apps & Features or Programs and Features
Select your Brother printer.
Select Uninstall.

Press Windows key + R, type control, hit Enter
Open Devices and Printers.
In the Devices and Printers window look for your Brother Printer. If you see it listed, right-click on it and choose "Delete" or "Remove Device.”

Open up the run command with the "Windows Key + R" key combo.
Type printui.exe /s and click OK.
Click on Drivers tab.
Look for Brother Printer driver. If you see it click on it and click Remove at the bottom.
Select OK.
Select Apply and OK on the Print Server Properties windows.
Close Devices and Printers.

Proceed to reinstall the driver.

http://support.brother.com/g/b/downloadlist.asp...
Best,
Andre
twitter/adacosta
groovypost.com

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Yes, I have uninstalled/reinstalled the Brother drivers multiple times using those "latest" drivers from 2013.

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Which version of Windows 10 is currently installed? See how to verify:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wik...

Which version and edition Windows did you originally upgrade from?

Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Windows 8.0 Core, Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8.0 Pro, Windows 8.1 Pro

This seems to be a compatibility issue and you might have to consider downgrading to a compatible release such as Windows 10 1607.

Would you be willing to do that? If so, see instructions how:

I am going to recommend you downgrade to Windows 10 1607.

Step 1: download Windows 10 1703 from the following link:
https://tb.rg-adguard.net/index.php?sid=74a7cf5...

Step 2: create a bootable copy
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wik...

Step 3: perform a custom install
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/wiki...
Best,
Andre
twitter/adacosta
groovypost.com

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Version 1709 build 16299.125

originally upgraded from Win 7 Ultimate about 2 years ago.

If I were to downgrade windows (to 1607 or 1703?),

1) would everything installed be retained, or would this wipe everything?

2) wouldn't it just upgrade itself again overnight?

3) what about all the security updates?

Is there some way to check and verify it is a compatibility issue first?

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You would have to reinstall your applications and make backup files in advance.

It would attempt the upgrade again, but you can block it:
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/block-windows-...

Windows 10 1607 is still supported as receives security updates. Microsoft will provide support until January 2023.

You can try reinstalling the existing 2013 driver using compatibility mode to see if it helps:

Run Old Software on Windows 10 with Compatibility Mode - groovyPost
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/run-old-softwa...
Best,
Andre
twitter/adacosta
groovypost.com

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Last updated April 18, 2025 Views 31,855 Applies to: