src/java.desktop/windows/classes/sun/print/PrintServiceLookupProvider.java

@@ -401,22 +401,40 @@
        Hence an alternative mechanism is choosen via the EnumPrinters by polling for the
        count of printer status changes(add\remove) and based on it update the printers
        list.
     */
     class RemotePrinterChangeListener implements Runnable {
-        private String[] prevRemotePrinters;
+        private String[] prevRemotePrinters = null;
 
         RemotePrinterChangeListener() {
             prevRemotePrinters = getRemotePrintersNames();
         }
 
         boolean doCompare(String[] str1, String[] str2) {
+            if (str1 == null && str2 == null) {
+                return false;
+            } else if ((str1 == null && str2 != null) || (str2 == null && str1 != null)) {
+                return true;
+            }
+
             if (str1.length != str2.length) {
                 return true;
             } else {
                 for (int i = 0;i < str1.length;i++) {
                     for (int j = 0;j < str2.length;j++) {
+                        // skip if both are nulls
+                        if (str1[i] == null && str2[j] == null) {
+                            continue;
+                        }
+
+                        // return true if there is a 'difference' but
+                        // no need to access the individual string
+                        if (str1[i] == null || str2[j] == null) {
+                            return true;
+                        }
+
+                        // do comparison only if they are non-nulls
                         if (!str1[i].equals(str2[j])) {
                             return true;
                         }
                     }
                 }

@@ -426,20 +444,24 @@
         }
 
         @Override
         public void run() {
             while (true) {
+                if (prevRemotePrinters != null) {
                 String[] currentRemotePrinters = getRemotePrintersNames();
                 if (doCompare(prevRemotePrinters, currentRemotePrinters)) {
 
                     // updated the printers data
                     // printers list now contains both local and network printer data
                     refreshServices();
 
                     // store the current data for next comparison
                     prevRemotePrinters = currentRemotePrinters;
                 }
+                } else {
+                    prevRemotePrinters = getRemotePrintersNames();
+                }
 
                 try {
                     Thread.sleep(minRefreshTime * 1000);
                 } catch (InterruptedException e) {
                     break;