HP breaks down its own printers (again) with a firmware update Ars Technica

A firmware update rendered several models of HP OfficeJet printers useless for weeks. As I mentioned sleeping computer On Saturday, a recent firmware update inadvertently left many users with devices that would not print and would only display a dreaded blue screen.

HP support forums are now available littered Users have been complaining that their printer is no longer working and its screen has turned blue with the error code “83C0000B”. The problem dates back to May 8th. According to Bleeping Computer, the problem affects owners of OfficeJet 902x printers.

At least one HP representative has been on the forum previously Proposal That error came from a “printer head problem”. However, Bleeping Computer reported that the problem is caused by a firmware update released in May.

“I just spoke to customer service. They confirmed it’s a firmware bug that happens everywhere in the world. They won’t have news until Tuesday the 16th so there’s nothing they can do at the moment,” an HP customer says. books In the support forum on May 12th.

HP told the publication that a “limited number” of users were affected, but support indications show the issue reaches dozens of customers in the US, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Poland.

HP responds

HP has reportedly told customers that the issue will be addressed or fixed at various dates throughout the month but has yet to issue an official remedy, leaving customers without a way to print.

Late responses and alleged promises to fix the problem by earlier dates have led to visible frustration and customers reconsidering HP products.

1 user on May 12th books:

I spoke to HP customer service and they told me that they do not have a solution to fix this firmware issue, at this time. They said next Tuesday maybe. I’ll wait until Tuesday and then I’ll take the printer back to Amazon for a refund.

HP shed more light on the situation in a statement it sent to Bleeping Computer:

Our teams are working hard to address a blue screen error affecting a limited number of HP OfficeJet Pro 9020e printers. We recommend that customers who encounter the error contact our customer support team for assistance: https://support.hp.com.

However, we still don’t know when users will see a fix, why the firmware update was released, or why the update broke HP printers. We asked HP about these remaining questions, but the spokesperson only answered with the same statement sent to Bleeping Computer.

Another bad look for HP printers

It’s bad enough that customer printers become bricked for weeks. Usually when you want to print something, you need it to have it on hand now, Not when HP finds out about its firmware issues. But on top of that, HP doesn’t have much grace left when it comes to suddenly released firmware updates that ruin customers’ days. Now some people are running out of patience.

On May 16th, a user got frustrated books:

In fact, HP was supposed to fix the problem “at the latest” by May 16th. I called HP France support this morning…can’t blame the person on the phone who used diplomacy to explain that the HP engineers were aware and working on this issue (which is exactly the message I got last week). This time there was no time allotted for a solution. I find it strange that HP doesn’t even attempt to post apologies, known explanations for the problem, and regular updates on their efforts to resolve it, instead letting their customer service agents deal with our growing frustration. It doesn’t give confidence that HP is paying attention to a problem, rendering their product completely useless and preventing hundreds of customers in many countries from printing anything… Certainly not what we can expect from HP, and that affects customer loyalty.

It’s not clear what exactly prompted the firmware update that broke HP’s printers and support pages for 9020 AH And 9025 AH The series only emphasizes the printers’ use of HP’s malicious dynamic security. HP Dynamic Security is used to prevent printers from working with non-HP ink cartridges. HP’s sudden release of Dynamic Security for Printers has all of a sudden rendered ink stacks useless.

Officially, HP He says It uses “dynamic security measures to protect the quality of our customers’ experience, maintain the integrity of our printing systems, and protect our intellectual property,” but since its debut in 2016 it has led to class-action lawsuits and angered customers who have stuck with otherwise working ink. He works.

HP Dynamic Security page notes Dynamic Security printers require periodic firmware updates to “maintain the effectiveness of Dynamic Security” and that “updates can enhance, enhance, or extend printer functionality and features, protect against security threats, and serve other purposes.”

Bleeping Computer stated that the only way users could have avoided this frustration was to disconnect the printer from the Internet, and HP is advising customers to do this until the problem is fixed. This is not a good look for automatic firmware updates, which are supposed to ensure customers that their devices will remain secure and working without much effort on their part.

HP’s mishandling of printer firmware updates can deter people from potentially important future updates. Meanwhile, HP has traumatized countless customers, and many will now think twice before relying on an HP printer again.