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Stop windows updating printer driver

Anonymous
2023-11-08T18:49:24+00:00

I have an HP Envy 6200 Photo printer. I cannot print via the USB port following a recent Windows 10 Home update. Digging deep showed that the current driver was of type 4. Using the search for an alternative driver with Windows update threw up the 2006 type 3 driver. I installed it and printing via the USB port resumed. However, Update decided this was wrong and replaced it with the type 4 driver again. I have repeated this several times with the same result. A recent Insider Preview claimed to include a fix for the Type 4 printer driver reporting an error. This update has been installed but I still cannot print via USB. How do I stop being overridden when I choose the old driver, the one that works?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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  1. David-M 110.4K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-11-08T19:30:57+00:00

    Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

    I understand that you want to disable automatic driver installation.

    Do the following to disable automatic driver installation:

    1. Press "Windows + X" and select "System";
    2. Under "Related Settings", select "Advanced System Settings";
    3. Select the "Hardware" tab;
    4. Select "Device Installation Settings";
    5. Select "No (your device may not work as expected);
    6. Click "Save Changes" and then "Ok".

    You can also do this through "Registry Editor" (regedit). Instructions in the article below under "How to stop updates for drivers with Windows Update using Registry".

    https://www.windowscentral.com/how-disable-auto...

    Remember to back up your registry before proceeding.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-t...

    The article does not specify to restart Windows for the changes to take effect. Therefore, I suggest you restart the device after doing the procedure.

    Feel free to ask back any questions.

    ________________________________________________________

    Standard Disclaimer: There is a link to a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. David-M 110.4K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2023-11-09T13:13:13+00:00

    The procedures I suggested are the only ones available to set Windows to stop updating drivers. Unfortunately, there is no procedure to prevent a specific driver from being updated.

    An alternative to this is to hide the update that is installing the latest driver. But you have to do this before the driver is updated by Windows Update. This can be complicated to do as Windows does not warn you when it is updating a driver in the background. You need to have Windows Update open to see this.

    You can hide a driver update using Microsoft's "Show or Hide updates" tool.

    https://download.microsoft.com/download/f/2/2/f...

    You may need to restart your computer or wait a few minutes for the update to be removed from the Windows Update list.

    If it is not possible to hide the update using Show or Hide updates, your best option is the procedures I suggested in my first answer.

    If you need to update a driver, I recommend you download it from the support area of the device manufacturer's website. In fact, it is through the manufacturer that you will find newer drivers.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2023-11-09T10:32:44+00:00

    Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

    I understand that you want to disable automatic driver installation.

    Do the following to disable automatic driver installation:

    1. Press "Windows + X" and select "System";
    2. Under "Related Settings", select "Advanced System Settings";
    3. Select the "Hardware" tab;
    4. Select "Device Installation Settings";
    5. Select "No (your device may not work as expected);
    6. Click "Save Changes" and then "Ok".

    You can also do this through "Registry Editor" (regedit). Instructions in the article below under "How to stop updates for drivers with Windows Update using Registry".
    https://www.windowscentral.com/how-disable-auto...
    Remember to back up your registry before proceeding.
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-t...

    The article does not specify to restart Windows for the changes to take effect. Therefore, I suggest you restart the device after doing the procedure.

    Feel free to ask back any questions.
    ________________________________________________________
    Standard Disclaimer: There is a link to a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

    Many thanks. I'll give it a try, but do I really want to stop ALL new drivers being installed?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2023-11-09T10:27:06+00:00

    You install the full feature software from HP, and when you have done so there would be an HP prompt when any new HP driver was released

    I did. It didn't. In fact, long before the HP installation was finished, I had a notification that the printer had been found and shortly thereafter another that said the printer was ready to use. Then another that told me to start HP smart. I have tried everything possible to clean the system of HP stuff before retrying (several times).

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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  5. Anonymous
    2023-11-08T19:03:31+00:00

    You install the full feature software from HP, and when you have done so there would be an HP prompt when any new HP driver was released

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