The scenario you described can be caused by a corrupted desktop printer, which will remain even following a clean install.
Solutions:
Try one or both of the following solutions to remedy this problem.
1) Simply trash the desktop printer icon so that a new one is generated.
2) Complete the following steps.
1. Start up with extensions off
2. Locate the desktop printmonitor in the extensions folder
3. Get info on desktop printmonitor (command-I, or get info from the file menu)
4. Add 100k to minimum and preferred sizes.
Depending on what is loaded into memory (applications, extensions), how many desktop printers there are, etc., you may have to add more memory to the desktop printmonitor in order for it to have enough room to do its work. The more desktop printers you have the more memory you need. Adding 100k usually does the trick.
This article was published in the 16 June 1997 "Information Alley".