Operation Could Not Be Completed” on Windows

It’s frustrating when something as simple as setting the default printer in Windows results in an error. Fortunately, dealing with “The operation could not be completed (error 0x00000709)” is not so difficult. Here’s what you can do to fix it and print again.

1

Check for interference from other printers

If multiple printers are connected, Windows may occasionally display the error “The operation could not be completed” when trying to change the default printer. To avoid any interference, disconnect all other printers except the one you want to set as default. After that, you should not encounter any errors.

2

Run the printer troubleshooter

Running the built-in Windows printer troubleshooter is an effective way solve all kinds of printer-related errorsincluding this. This tool will scan your system for any common problems and try to fix the problems that may be causing the “Operation could not be completed” error.

To run the printer troubleshooter, follow the steps below:

1. Right click Begin button and select Settings.

2. Select the System tab from the left sidebar.

3. In the right pane, click Solve problems.

4. Click Other troubleshooting.

5. Locate the Printer troubleshooter, and click run button next to it.

   

Wait for the troubleshooter to run and then try changing the default printer again.

3

Change printer preferences

By default, Windows manages the default printer for you. While this feature is useful, especially if you frequently connect to different printers, it can sometimes cause problems. Therefore, it is better to turn it off.

To prevent Windows from managing the default printeruse these steps:

1. Press Win + I to open the Settings app.

2. Select the Bluetooth and devices tab from the left sidebar.

3. In the right pane, click Printers & scanners.

4. Under Printer preferences section, turn off the toggle next to it Allow Windows to manage my default printer.

4

Rename the Printer in the Registry Editor

The error message 0x00000709 advises you to set the printer name correctly. In this next step, you will manually rename it in Registry Editor.

Although the tweak below is known to fix the problem, you need to be careful and follow the steps correctly. Incorrect changes to registry files can cause serious problems.

Before proceeding, make sure of yourself create a backup copy of the relevant registry files. Once done, follow these steps:

1. Press Vinci + S to open the search menu.

2. Type Editor of the Register in the search box and click Run as administrator.

3. In the Registry Editor address bar, paste the following path and click enter to quickly navigate to the Windows key:

           Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
       

4. Double click on the Device entry in the right pane to edit.

5. In the Value data field, replace the first entry with the name of your printer.

6. Click OK to save the changes.

Make sure to restart your computer after completing the steps above. If renaming the registry keys makes no difference, apply the remaining fixes.

5

Change RPC connection settings

After changing the printer name, you must make sure that your printer is connected to the network. If it is connected but you still encounter the error, try modifying the RPC (Remote Procedure Call) connection settings in the Group Policy Editor. This policy manages the protocol settings for outbound RPC connections to a remote print spooler.

The Local Group Policy Editor is only available on Professional, Education, and Enterprise editions of Windows. If you are using the Home edition, this fix will not apply to you.

To enable and change policy settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the search menu, write Edit group policy and select the first result that appears.

2. Use the left pane to navigate Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Printers.

3. Double click the Configure RPC connection settings policy to your right.

4. Click the Enabled option to enable the policy.

5. Click the Protocol to use for outgoing RPC connections drop down menu and select RPC over named pipes.

6. Hit Apply followed by OK.

Restart your computer for the changes to take effect. If the error persists even after this, repeat the above steps and select RPC over TCP in the Protocol to use for outgoing RPC connections descending menu. If this still doesn’t work, you can enable or disable authentication from the Use authentication for outbound RPC connections drop down menu – try to change this to what was not already selected.

6

Uninstall the problematic update

Have you encountered error 0x00000709 right after installing a Windows update? If so, the update may have caused the problem. In this case, uninstalling the problematic update should resolve the error and restore normalcy.

There are many ways to uninstall windows updatesbut the easiest is through the Settings app. Here are the steps to do so:

1. Press Win + I to open the Settings App.

2. In the left sidebar, click Windows Update.

3. In the right pane, click on Update the story.

4. Below Related parametersclick Uninstall updates.

5. Find the most recent update by checking its installation date.

6. Click the Uninstall it option next to the name of the update and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process.

Once the update is removed, you should be able to change the default printer without any problems.

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Not being able to set a default printer is incredibly annoying. That said, unless there’s a problem with the printer itself, one of the steps listed above should help resolve the “The operation could not be completed (error 0x00000709)” problem in Windows and get you printing in no time. time