HP is working to address a bad firmware update that has been bricking HP Office Jet printers worldwide since it was released earlier this month.
While HP has yet to issue a public statement regarding these ongoing problems affecting a subset of its customer base, the company told BleepingComputer that it's addressing the blue screen errors seen by a "limited number" of users.
"Our teams are working diligently to address the blue screen error affecting a limited number of HP OfficeJet Pro 9020e printers," HP told BleepingComputer.
"We are recommending customers experiencing the error to contact our customer support team for assistance: https://support.hp.com."
Impacted printers include HP OfficeJet 902x models, including HP OfficeJet Pro 9022e, HP OfficeJet Pro 9025e, HP OfficeJet Pro 9020eAll-in-One, HP OfficeJet Pro 9025e All-in-One Printer
Affected customers report that their devices display blue screens with "83C0000B" errors on the built-in touchscreen.
Since the issues surfaced, multiple threads have been started by people from the U.S., the U.K., Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Poland, New Zealand, and France who had their printers bricked, some with more than a dozen pages of reports.
"HP has no solution at this time. Hidden service menu is not showing, and the printer is not booting anymore. Only a blue screen," one customer said.
"I talked to HP Customer Service and they told me they don't have a solution to fix this firmware issue, at the moment," another added.
Others have said that the only to address the issue is to send the printer for servicing to HP and that "The firmware doesn't even load partially, it instantly fails... HP remotely bricked our devices! Some users said that HP would be sending out a replacement."
Since the buggy update seems to install automatically onto Internet-connected printers, HP customers are advised to disable their devices' Internet connection and wait for a firmware update to fix the bricking issue.
ASUS also apologized earlier today for a server-side security maintenance error that led to a wide range of impacted router models losing network connectivity.
Comments
blong10 - 1 year ago
They don't call it HP (Huge Pile) for nothing
aztony - 1 year ago
Solution is send device back to HP? So what are affected customers supposed to do in the interim for their print needs?
Hmm888 - 1 year ago
"Solution is send device back to HP? So what are affected customers supposed to do in the interim for their print needs?"
Buy a Lexmark?
taylor87 - 1 year ago
Don't hold your breath waiting for a fix from HP. I used to (past tense) love HP products. Last October they put out new firmware for my LaserJet Color Pro M281cdw. When the printer asked me if I wanted to install it, I foolishly said yes. The printer has been down since then.
I called support. And paid -- they didn't want to do anything since the warranty was expired -- and they made it worse.
It is now a very expensive and heavy paper weight.
I doubt that I will ever buy HP again.
MischaBearach - 1 year ago
This seems to be a recurring HP issue Oct. 2022 "Firmware update bricks HP printer with Error 49 or 79" Also, "HP ink subscription plan bricks your ink cartridges when you cancel the subscription." Further, this also disables non-print functions, such as scanning.
h_b_s - 1 year ago
While HP is specifically called out as they're a particularly underhanded bad actor with breaking and changing functions after purchase along with just completely broken printer updates, any printer that phones home for automated updates is potentially vulnerable to underhanded tactics and broken updates.
You're best off completely isolating any LAN printer from outside network access, both in and out, and installing any *necessary* firmware updates manually. If the printer is functioning perfectly fine as is and it's completely isolated from the outside world, then no firmware update is *necessary* even in a security sense - especially if you don't know the new update is going to pull some underhanded tactic like breaking recycled toner cartridge use.
Hmm888 - 1 year ago
"While HP is specifically called out as they're a particularly underhanded bad actor with breaking and changing functions after purchase along with just completely broken printer updates, any printer that phones home for automated updates is potentially vulnerable to underhanded tactics and broken updates.
You're best off completely isolating any LAN printer from outside network access, both in and out, and installing any *necessary* firmware updates manually. If the printer is functioning perfectly fine as is and it's completely isolated from the outside world, then no firmware update is *necessary* even in a security sense - especially if you don't know the new update is going to pull some underhanded tactic like breaking recycled toner cartridge use."
I have yet to use or find a non-commercial printer that works "perfectly fine".
compis - 1 year ago
A similar issue has occurred before where HP several years back sent a network advertisement to devices on the local network about buying toner or inkjet. The customers loved them forcing advertisements on there local network.
I should add they used to make medical equipment but stopped.
Ouseman - 1 year ago
A couple of weeks back my OJP8025 was repeatedly trying, and failing, to install a firmware update, despite it already having the latest version. HP support were very responsive and supportive, but when it came to the "fix" - a bypass, really - they came over all coy and instructed me to turn off automatic F/W updates, and disable IPv6 - no more calling home. Apparently I will "receive an email from HP in due course".
GJWS - 1 year ago
When they "brick" their own genuine cartridges because they are older and don't have the newer security chips - and won't replace them because they have sat on the shelf a while and are "out of warranty"....
And the cost of a new, equally capable printer from another vendor is the same price as buying a new set of extended life cartridges.....
It's the last HP printer I will buy and we won't be recommending them at any level to our customer base of 125 plus clients.
In the meantime a small claims court case is cheap and easy to file....