Several printing issues are plaguing Windows installations currently, Microsoft is investigating them right now.
Key Takeaways
- Strange bugs reported by Windows users include unwanted installations of the HP Smart app.
- Microsoft is investigating these bugs plaguing printers and icons, but printing processes are not affected.
- The bugs affect various versions of Windows, both client and server SKUs, and there is no timeline for resolution.
In the past few days, a number of strange bugs and issues have been reported by Windows customers. Users with multi-monitor configurations have reported problems using Copilot where their icons will start to move around unexpectedly, while others have complained that the HP Smart app installs on their machines without their consent and printers get renamed as well. Now, Microsoft has confirmed the latter two bugs, saying that it is currently investigating the root cause of the issues.
In an update on the Windows release health dashboard, Microsoft has documented a few Windows issues related to printers. These include unwanted and automatic installation of the HP Smart app, printers being renamed to HP LaserJet M101-M106, icons being changed, and error messages of “No tasks are available for this page” being displayed when you double-click on a printer from the dedicated settings.
In its preliminary investigation so far, Microsoft has confirmed that printing processes are not affected by these bugs, fortunately. You can continue utilizing them with the expected printers being used, even if they have been incorrectly renamed due to the bug. Similarly, the HP Smart app installation only affects devices which have access to the Microsoft Store.
The following client and server SKUs of Windows are being plagued by these bugs:
- Client: Windows 11, version 23H2; Windows 11, version 22H2; Windows 11, version 21H2; Windows 10, version 22H2; Windows 10, version 21H2; Windows 10, version 1809; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2016; Windows 10, version 1607; Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB
- Server: Windows Server 2022; Windows Server, version 1809; Windows Server 2019; Windows Server 2016; Windows Server 2012 R2; Windows Server 2012
Microsoft has noted that it is investigating the bugs, which also means that it’s unknown when the issues will be resolved. One would hope that they are fixed by December’s Patch Tuesday release, but there’s no guarantee of this happening given the active nature of the problem.
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