Printer drivers constantly becoming corrupt

[FahzaPenguin]

There is now a Microsoft update that can fix this issue.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3001232

When you try to print on a system that's running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2, the print job fails.

This problem occurs when the DependentFiles registry key for the driver that's used by the printer is overwritten by a NULL string.

The DependentFiles registry key is located under the following subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\<architecture>\Drivers\Version-3\<driver_name>
Note The <driver_name> placeholder represents the name of the driver in question.

[TTurner152]

I too am having this same excat problem. 

Has anyone tested this solution to see if it fixes it for them. 

Thanks

[Chipps1983]

• We did apply the hotfix on our print server 2012 R2. The problem still occurs.

[nicane]

I created an account specifically to reply. This is an ongoing and horrible issue to constantly deal with. I found that the issue about the Dependent Files and Help Files becomming NULL (blank) does seem to be the root cause. I am hoping the fix will actually fix it, otherwise pushing out registry corrections via PDQ deploy will be my new goto fix.

[Janosch]

Hi,

we have the same problem.  our employees call the service desk and explain that they cant print in color. The print configurations is lost and gone. HP Support told us to install the Microsoft Update KB 3001232 on Clients but this Update doesn't help. 

The workaround with these following steps is only working but totally strange:

1. deleting the registry print infos
2 restart the client
3. adding the network printer again

We use the HP UPD Driver version 6.0 and our HP Device Modells are HP X555, MFP 585, MFP 880. It looks like this problem is very very old and not fixed from HP or Microsoft? Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

Greets

Janosch

[Kolham]

Hi,

Same problem here. Today is the second time I've this problem. I'm on Windows 10 (all updates installed) and suddenly Windows says "HP 8615 printer is offline" (or something like that). After that nothing works, even if you uninstall the driver and installs again, when it tries to install the printer "the window where you have to choose the printer", it says it can't install it.

To fix this problem I've to remove all HP drivers installed from "devices manager" -> reboot -> install again. This works, but this is a waste of time.

My printer is an HP 8615 (via network), Windows 10 (x64) and this prolbme just started a couple months ago.