Wailing Wednesday follows Patch Tuesday as versions of Windows 10 stop playing nicely with plugged-in printers
- Reference: 1591986005
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/06/12/microsoft_printer_problems/
- Source link:
The issues appear connected to [1]KB4557957 and [2]KB4560960 for Windows 10 2004 and 1903/1909 respectively.
"KB4560960" was "stopping users from printing to [the] locally attached Brother printer," according one Reg reader. The resolution was to remove the offending cumulative patch. Those connected to a network printer, he reported, continued rocking along as normal.
The timing is unfortunate since many Windows 10 users are now working from home and relying on directly connected printers (via USB) for remote working. The dusty devices will also have been pressed into service printing out the endless amounts of home-schooling worksheets for those with poppets also locked away.
A glance at [3]Reddit shows a number of people experiencing similar issues, with some pointing to PCL5 drivers as being related. PCL6 seemed fine, according to others.
The [4]company's own forums are alive with complaints from users finding themselves unable to print, with some reporting the error "Windows cannot print due to a problem with the current printer setup."
The only "known issue" in KB4560960, according to Microsoft, is with LTE modems that might prevent devices equipped with the hardware accessing the internet. And for KB4557957? "Microsoft is not currently aware of any issues with this update."
USBorked
While the support pages for the update may not acknowledge issues with local printers, Microsoft [5]has admitted that something has gone awry with USB printer ports from version 1903 onward (including the shiny new Windows 10 2004).
The issue, according to the [6]BSOD Bobs , occurs when Windows is shut down with a printer connected, the printer turned off or removed, and Windows is then restarted. Like a bad parlour trick, the printer USB port will have vanished from the list of available ports.
The fix is to have the printer turned on and plugged in before starting Windows. Hardly "plug and play".
Microsoft has remained tight-lipped as to whether the USB woes and wailing arising from the recent patches are connected. We asked the company if it had any comment to make regarding the complaints, but it has yet to respond. ®
Sponsored: [7]Free Hands-on Training: Anthos Service Mesh
[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4557957/windows-10-update-kb4557957
[2] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4560960/windows-10-update-kb4560960
[3] https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/gzrbxj/cumulative_updates_june_9th_2020/
[4] https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/cumulative-updates-june-9th-2020/45a8a7f3-cb89-459e-acf1-32d9de15c099
[5] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4566779/usb-printer-port-missing-after-disconnecting-printer-while-windows-10
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2020/05/15/microsoft_regism/
[7] https://go.theregister.com/tl/1956/-9050/free-hands-on-training-anthos-service-mesh?td=wptl1956
I do wonder, in these situations, whether the testing is a most obvious/easiest case only. e.g. Reboot," Check printer.Yup, printer works. Next..." Rather than thinking about , say, bolting the USB printer that no one normally bothers with ( or just bought) onto the computer that's been in use all morning.
Rejects Strike Again
Brother printers are not exactly rare and this would something that could be easily tested with a proper QA staff. Alas, the Rejects of Redmond are relying on the 'beta testers' to actually test something without proper procedures and often knowledge. Compound this the Rejects inability to read the reports and you have this mess.
Re: Rejects Strike Again
To be fair, as a test, for the Devilment* I just switched off my trusty little Brother HL-1110 laser printer. Rebooted and all was fine when I switched it back on.
*I have a few recent restore points and images if I need to use them. And a Canon multifunction printer that's on wifi. But this little old USB Brother has done sterling work for printing everyday black print documents and drafts of stuff I'll print properly in colour later. For years.
Fix one bug, grow two more
"Windows 10 users woke up to borked printers following the monthly Microsoft bugfix party, Patch Tuesday."
99 new bugs found in the code
99 bugs in the code
you take them down, patch it around
127 new bugs found in the code
(I saw something like that in a meme, thought it would be apprpriate)
icon to prevent spilled coffee on keyboard
NOTE: I appreciate the attempts at Micros~1 fixing bugs, especially the serious vulnerabilities, but they need to go back to having in-house testers when it comes to thorough testing before releasing them...
(printer drivers, at least kernel drivers, are ALL submitted for signing now, so it's not like they don't have all of them handy, just run down the list and test 'em - tick, tick, tick, tick, *OOOPS*)
Here we go again
I have a Brother multi function device plugged into a Win10 desktop. The desktop knows it has a device connected but calls it 'Unspecified' rather than putting it in the printers section. A Win10 laptop can print over the network.
I also have a Linux Mint laptop that used to be able to print over the network, using Samba, but now it cannot connect.
Printer problems have become a regular issue after the six-monthly major updates.
@HimInDoors - Re: Here we go again
That's why I love network connected printers. This means I have at least one computer in my house that is able to print.
Yep, here we go again!
Why in the bloody hell is Microsoft touching the code that is working just fine ? What possible new hot features does MS think we crave to see in USB printer connections ?
Still waiting for Win 10 to "stable".
Didn't happen this month again... I'll just crunch along with Win 7 and continue to be patient.
Borksoft
I guess the one tester that MS employs was taking a break when it came to validating connected printers. This is the sort of thing that was bad back in the bad old days of Windows 98 but in 2020? Please... YAFGMFMS (Yet Another FootGun Moment For MicroSoft).