HP Printer driver in WIndows update fails to install, no longer have this printer attached

[D-WW]

Every time I run windows update (Win10 pro) on HP Pavillion laptop, I keep getting an install error for a HP printer driver.
8.1.1320.2917 Failed to install on ‎- 0x800f020b.
I've read your previous answers about making sure the printer is connected but in my case I ditched this printer a long time ago, so it is no longer in my system.  Still, the driver update keeps trying unsuccessfully to install. 
How do I simply tell either windows update or HP or both to quit trying to install this driver on my system???

[Alden4 · Accepted solution]

Hi @D-WW,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like Windows Update is persistently trying to install a driver for a printer that is no longer connected to your system. Here's how you can try to stop Windows from attempting to install the driver.

Hide the Update: You can use the "Show or hide updates" troubleshooter package provided by Microsoft to hide the specific update causing issues. You can download it from the Microsoft support website. After downloading, run the troubleshooter, and it should give you the option to hide the problematic driver update.

Block Driver Updates: Windows 10 allows you to block specific driver updates. Here's how you can do it:

• Press Windows + X and select "System" from the menu.
• In the System window, select "Advanced system settings" from the left pane.
• In the System Properties window, go to the "Hardware" tab and click on "Device Installation Settings".
• Choose "No, let me choose what to do" and then select "Never install driver software from Windows Update".

Manually Remove the Driver: You can try manually removing any remnants of the HP printer driver from your system. Here's how:

• Press Windows + X and select "Device Manager" from the menu.
• In Device Manager, locate the printer driver under "Print queues" or "Other devices" (if it's listed).
• Right-click on the driver and select "Uninstall device". Follow the prompts to uninstall the driver.
• After uninstalling, restart your computer.

Registry Edit (Advanced): This method is more advanced and should be approached with caution. Editing the registry incorrectly can cause system instability.

• Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.
• Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching.
• Set the value of SearchOrderConfig to 0 (zero).
• Restart your computer.

After trying these steps, check Windows Update again to see if the driver update still appears. If it does, repeat the steps to ensure the update is properly hidden or blocked.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4

HP Support