HP Scan cannot find scanner when printer is switched on after the PC — Windows update regression

[Niterunner]

I would like to report a reproducible compatibility issue between HP Scan and Windows WIA, and share my findings with the HP software/driver team.

The everyday problem

My printer is an HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4302fdw.

If the printer is powered on before Windows starts, HP Scan works. However, if I start the PC with the printer switched off and turn it on later when I need to scan, HP Scan cannot find the scanner—even though the printer is now powered on and ready.

Once this happens, waiting does not restore scanning: the problem persists for the rest of the Windows session. Restarting Windows with the printer already on restores operation. Restarting the Windows Image Acquisition service (StiSvc), with the printer on and ready, also works as a temporary workaround.

What I found

Controlled tests show a short initial period after Windows starts during which the scanner remains available in WIA. After a few minutes—the timing varies—WIA excludes it. Switching on the printer afterwards does not reliably make it available again.

HP Scan then displays “Initializing drivers” and reports that the HP imaging device cannot be found.

Windows update comparison

I tested the same virtual machine, keeping HP software and drivers unchanged:

• Before installing cumulative update KB5129195, HP Scan retained the correct behaviour with the printer offline.
• After installing KB5129195 and restarting, the problem appeared.
• After uninstalling KB5129195 and restarting, normal behaviour returned, without reinstalling HP software or restoring a snapshot.

I completed this comparison on Windows 11 24H2, with the 25H2 enablement package KB5054156 absent. I have also observed the symptom on a physical PC running Windows 11 26H2.

This identifies the cumulative update as the trigger in my tests, although the responsible change could originate in an earlier update included in that package.

Technical findings

HPScan.exe: 63.8.0.1234
HP IMAGE network driver: 63.8.7466.0

With the printer switched off, WIA logs an initialization error, 0x8021000A. In the affected configuration, it subsequently reports:

“Driver ... failed to load, marking as unpreferred to allow fallback to counterpart”

The runtime device type changes from 0x10002 to 0xFFFF0002, and enumeration reports:

“Skipping HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301 4302 4303 (NET)”

Initialization errors also occur in the working configuration, but the scanner remains included. The important difference is its subsequent exclusion.

Could an HP representative forward these findings to the HP Scan/WIA driver team for investigation and a possible software correction, in coordination with Microsoft if necessary?

I can provide diagnostic logs and before/after component inventories through an appropriate private channel.

[Meghana_10]

Hello @Niterunner, Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for providing the information.

Thank you for documenting your findings so thoroughly. Your controlled before-and-after testing, unchanged HP software configuration, WIA logs, and successful recovery after restarting the Windows Image Acquisition service provide useful evidence for investigating this issue.

The key detail is that HP Scan works when the printer is on before Windows starts but may stop detecting it when the printer is switched on later in the same session. Your tests suggest that the problem involves scanner enumeration or device-state handling in the Windows WIA/HP imaging-driver interaction, rather than simply a printer connectivity failure.

I will forward your request to the relevant team in the meantime, please let us know if you have any issue with the printer please let us know we will assist you. 

You can access the official support page for your printer here:

HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4302fdw – HP Support
 

For now, restarting the WIA service while the printer is powered on appears to be a useful temporary workaround based on your tests. I would avoid recommending repeated HP software reinstalls, since you have already isolated the behavior with the software held constant.
 

Thank you for providing such detailed technical evidence. It should help the support team investigate the issue more effectively

[Niterunner]

Hello Meghana_10,

Thank you for reviewing my findings and offering to forward them to the relevant team.

I have now narrowed down the Windows update that triggers the issue in my tests: KB5089573, released on May 26, 2026.

Keeping HP Scan 63.8.0.1234 and the HP IMAGE driver 63.8.7466.0 unchanged, I reproduced the same transition on both Windows versions:

• Windows 11 24H2: KB5089549, build 26100.8457, works correctly; installing KB5089573, build 26100.8524, introduces the issue.

• Windows 11 25H2: KB5089549, build 26200.8457, works correctly; installing KB5089573, build 26200.8524, introduces the same issue.

All tests were performed after restarting Windows with the printer switched off. The working configurations remained correct beyond ten minutes. In the affected configurations, HP Scan initially works, but after roughly one or two minutes displays “Initializing drivers” and can no longer find the scanner.

The WIA logs show the same distinction on both versions: initialization errors also occur in the working configurations, but the scanner remains included. After KB5089573, WIA marks the HP driver as “unpreferred to allow fallback to counterpart” and subsequently reports “Skipping HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301 4302 4303 (NET)”.

This narrows my earlier report: KB5129195 was a later cumulative update carrying the affected behaviour; the transition is already reproducible between KB5089549 and KB5089573. Upgrading from 24H2 to 25H2 is not required to trigger it.

Could you please add these findings to the information forwarded to the HP Scan/WIA driver team? I have retained the before-and-after logs for both Windows versions and can provide them through an appropriate private channel.

Best regards,

Niterunner