Microsoft prescribes command-line surgery for HP Smart app malady

Microsoft has issued a fix for the mysterious HP Smart app issue and Windows subsequently renaming printers, and it's anything but simple. For this one weird bug, the IT goliath has decided that one weird fix is needed. Rather than roll out an update to deal with whatever it broke to cause the issue – a Register reader …

[Doctor Evil]

"Fix"?

How many here believe that this troubleshooter will run flawlessly and without causing any further problems?

<crickets>

[david 12]

Re: "Fix"?

Which is why it's a troubleshooter rather than an update.

Fixing the meta-data problem is trivial. Uninstalling a program (HP Smart app) because no HP printer is currently connected, is a step that requires adult supervision.

[Kurgan]

Re: "Fix"?

I'm quite sure that running the "fix" will break my label printer AGAIN.

[cookieMonster]

Windows 11 is a service

and a crap one at that, by the sounds of it.

Icon, cause it’s penguins at home for us.

[simonlb]

Re: Windows 11 is a service

As if you needed any further proof that the fundamental design of Windows has been broken for decades...

[Denarius]

buyout coming ?

does this mean M$ and HP are in merger or buyout talks on the quiet ? Suggest M$ buying printer ink producer because of the commonalities in manglement attitude to "customers"

[Zippy´s Sausage Factory]

Re: buyout coming ?

Honestly, I'm wondering whether some money changed hands to make this happen and whether this was in fact deliberate. Break all the competition's printers and release the fix so close to Christmas that most people are stuck without being able to print until new year.

But I mean that would be just complete tin foil conspiracy nonsense. Maybe I've had too much egg nog.

[xyz]

This has the whiff of a test code escape

Writing printer information collection code (printer, name, trays, paper sizes etc) is pretty simple, so I can only imagine that some test code setting wasn't switched before release..

e. g. use_test_data = 1

I can only imagine that someplace in MS (or HP) there's a bloke with a burning sensation on the back of his neck and a tight lip.

And as for pre release testing, well we all know MS gave up on that years ago.

[PeterM42]

Oh Dear

A combination of Microsoft and HP Printers - NIGHTMARE!!!!!!!!

[ecofeco]

No good guys here

HP and MS? No good buys in this.

Both make crap software.

[Allonymous Coward]

My PC running Debian stable works much more reliably with our HP printer than any Windows machine in the house does. And does so without installing any stupid helper utilities.

Wasn’t always thus, but whatever they’ve done with CUPS and drivers in the last couple of years has been great.

Just saying.

[Rich 2]

Why???

“… it might still take a few hours before icons and metadata change”

Why? I mean, in a normal world, it would correct the problem and the fix would take effect immediately (or at least after a reboot - this IS Windows after all). If it takes “several hours” that sounds like the “fix” is negotiating with some remote (MS/HP) machine somewhere. Or some other unnecessary and undesirable nefarious activity

[Anonymous Coward]

/me looks uneasily in the direction of his (still working) HP Color LaserJets.

[steelpillow]

Drinking the PowerShell koolaid

Don't tell me, the executable was scripted using the forthcoming "command-line text editor".

My next April Fool will be that the new Windows Sever boots into PowerShell by default and you will have to run a script to launch the GUI. Unless of course they have already done it by then...

[BPontius]

Nonevent

OH Pl-lease! "command-line surgery", you are only running a small program. Get a grip people!! Even though I know my system is not affected (and I use an HP printer), I downloaded the troubleshooter and ran it to see what it would do. Gave a "troubleshooter not applicable to this machine, metadata package not found" message. It is a nonevent.