Microsoft fixes the thing it broke via another dose of out-of-band patching to deal with BSOD printing problems
- Reference: 1615898267
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/03/16/microsoft_printer_fix/
- Source link:
"Microsoft identified an issue that affects Windows 10 devices which applied the March 2021 security update released March 9, 2021," [1]explained the Windows giant, "and a resolution has been expedited."
[2]
The issue referred to is a [3]Blue Screen of Death that occurred for owners of certain printers following an update last week.
One Register reader, who works for a printer maker, reported issues with a variety of devices from around the world. Those afflicted would not simply be shown an error pop-up, as seen the [4]last time Microsoft broke printing , but would instead be shown the door via a helpful BSOD.
[5]
Another Windows 10 patch that breaks printers ups ante to full-on Blue Screen of Death [6]READ MORE
As with last year's print woes, Microsoft has rushed out an update to deal with its latest handiwork.
Fixes have been emitted across the Windows 10 and Server spectrum, including versions 1803, 1809, 2004 and 20H2. The fix is, however, optional and requires the user to manually install it and even then only "if you are affected by this issue."
Helpfully, Microsoft failed to specify which printers are affected. Instead, devices using "certain Type 3 printer drivers" might get a visit from the BSOD fairy. So if you've not tried printing since applying last week's patch, we'd suggest making sure everything is saved and backed up before crossing your fingers and clicking the Print button, just in case.
It is unclear how Microsoft has managed to break printing in Windows 10 once again, less than a year since the last time it did so. Still, at least it managed to issue a fix, even as other parts of its [7]empire came crashing to the ground in an outage last night that seemingly followed a botched change to an authentication system.
[8]
It is almost as if the company does not test things properly before unleashing them on the world. ®
Get our [9]Tech Resources
[1] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/release-health/windows-message-center#1572
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YFDkK0pTkHBIbcM8lT6CeQAAAFY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/11/printer_problems_windows_10/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/12/microsoft_printer_problems/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YFDkK0pTkHBIbcM8lT6CeQAAAFY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/11/printer_problems_windows_10/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/15/microsoft_azure_outage/
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YFDkK0pTkHBIbcM8lT6CeQAAAFY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: I live in hope ...
Ha, Ha, Ha......
Never going to happen.
Re: I live in hope ...
I've read this comment several times and can't quite make out if you missed a word or you're being sarcastic!
So, did you mean:
"You live in hope that you will survive long enough to see a straight 12 months with Microsoft screwing up systems by a poorly thought out or inadequately tested patch"
in which case, where have you been since... well, forever.
OR
"You live in hope that you will survive long enough to see a straight 12 months with Microsoft [NOT] screwing up systems by a poorly thought out or inadequately tested patch"
In which case i think you'll probably see Satan scating to work well before that ever happens!
I have only one thing to say, and I shall only say it once ...
ISBN 1-55615-551-4
Re: I have only one thing to say, and I shall only say it once ...
Those were the times...
green things with hughe teeth were real green things with huge teeth then.
"It is almost as if the company does not test things properly before unleashing them on the world."
Surely not! :)
Re: "It is almost as if the company does not test things properly..."
In this case, it's OK to call them Shirley.
Stating the bleedin' obvious
It is almost as if the company does not test things properly before unleashing them on the world.
Lemme hear you say: "Duh!"
And what are the chances this patch has been similarly "tested"?
Re: Stating the bleedin' obvious
Releasing them into the world *is* the testing. That's why they need all the telemetry in Windows, to find out what broke.
Kyocera
We had this issue in our office - with a Kyocera MFP driver.
It's all well and good Microsoft issuing a patch, but how in the hell are you supposed to run windows update to apply it? Our machines were crashing before login!
(Pro tip - safe mode, disable print spooler service, then run optional updates in normal mode)
Re: Kyocera
>>Pro tip - safe mode
All well and good if you can get to safe mode without booting Windows 10 in the first place (I'm looking at you 'Secure Boot'). Oh wait, if you reset/power off the machine 3 times as it is doing the whirly icon it detects there is something wrong and lets you get a little further - which of course assumes you get a chance to see the whirly icon.
Once upon a time there was perfectly good way to get at safemode, which didn't rely on you spamming the power button, but it was removed as an improvement. Bring back my f8!
Windows seems predicated on the (misplaced) belief that it won't break before you can log in... shame the people who dream up these things don't actually live in the real world(tm).
"It is unclear how Microsoft has managed to break printing in Windows 10 once again, less than a year since the last time it did so."
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. With a little more practice they'll be able to manage it every month.
Iterative software development at its best:
(1) Release an update that partially breaks $THING.
(2) Study the telemetry and analytics to find out what went wrong.
(3) Use knowledge gained in step 2 to release another update that completely breaks $THING.
Permanent BETA software
MS has turned Windows into a permanent beta software which continue to use its users as testers.
At least back when MS published Windows with new numbers and/or names you knew you would get something out of the box that would work OK.
I live in hope ...
... that I will survive long enough to see a straight 12 months with Microsoft screwing up systems by a poorly thought out or inadequately tested patch.