Subj : Microsoft admits that HP isnt to blame for a weird Windows 11 bug
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Tue Dec 12 2023 10:15:05

Microsoft admits that HP isnt to blame for a weird Windows 11 bug that messes 
with printers

Date:
Tue, 12 Dec 2023 10:02:30 +0000

Description:
Has Windows 11 messed with your printer? Youre not alone, and Microsoft is 
investigating this oddball glitch.

FULL STORY
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Some Windows 11 (and 10) users are experiencing buggy behavior relating to 
their printer, and Microsoft has just acknowledged this issue, elaborating on 
it further. 

You may recall that we previously reported on the bug and how its causing the 
HP Smart app to be installed on PCs without an HP printer  or indeed with no 
printer at all in some instances, causing much scratching of heads. 

Actually, the issue is somewhat broader than the stealthy and unwanted 
installation of this HP app (from the Microsoft Store), because in some 
cases, Windows 11 is renaming connected printers as a specific HP model 
(LaserJet M101-M106) and changing icons. Furthermore, if you click on such a 
renamed printer , you may get an error as follows: No tasks are available for 
this page. 

So, this is a bit of a thorny one to unpick, but at least Microsoft has given 
us information on whats happening here (as Windows Latest noticed). 

The software giant advises : Our investigations indicate that this issue is 
not caused by an HP update. In most cases, it should be possible to use the 
[affected] printer as expected, including queueing printing jobs, as well as 
other features such as copy, scan, or fax. 

Printers on the device will continue to use the expected drivers for printer 
operations. However, this issue might affect associations with other 
manufacturer-supplied printer apps used to extend basic printer capabilities. 
If this is the case, some or all of those extended functions might not work. 

To sum up, then, this glitch shouldnt affect the general operation of any 
errantly-renamed printer, but it could interfere with functionality beyond 
the basics, perhaps. 

Microsoft tells us a further investigation is underway and that itll update 
us when new info is available. Analysis: Metadata mix-up? 

Whats going on here? Well, the problem isnt HPs fault, so it must be 
Microsofts issue and therefore a wrinkle in Windows 11 (and Windows 10). 

Windows Latest puts forward a theory that seems reasonable, namely that a 
recent Windows update used incorrect metadata relating to printers which is 
wrongly identifying a connected printer as a specific HP model (LaserJet 
M101-M106). After that has happened, Windows is then pulling the HP Smart app 
from the Microsoft Store automatically as it thinks an HP printer is now on 
the system. 

What about the HP Smart app being installed on PCs where a printer isnt even 
connected? As Windows Latest points out, on one of their computers, the 
Microsoft Print to PDF icon (present on all systems) was renamed as the 
aforementioned LaserJet, and hence the app was downloaded. Presumably this is 
happening to some other folks without a printer, too. 

Note that this is all theorizing, and we need to wait for Microsoft to 
comment before we can be sure thats whats going on. The good news is that if 
this is the case, presumably the fix wont be too difficult to implement. You 
might also like... The best all-in-one printers around Microsoft rolled out 
the last big Windows 11 update before Windows 12 Dont make these 5 big 
mistakes when using Windows 11



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-admits-that-hp-isnt-to-b
lame-for-a-weird-windows-11-bug-that-messes-with-printers


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