Windows 10 20H2 Unable to install printer with new driver or update existing printer with new driver

Question

We seem to be running into an issue at our facility with printers when trying to install a printer with a new driver or update an existing printer to a new driver. In this particular example I am installing a Xerox AltaLink with the GPD version. I am able to install printers with the Xerox GPD PCL 6 driver version v3.6.433.6.0.0, but if I try to update or install a printer to any other driver it gets an RPC failure and kills the print spooler. I have tried driver versions (PCL6) v5.433.6.0, v5.645.5.0, v5.733.11.0, and v5.810.8.0 and they all fail. Below is the output from trying to upgrade the driver. As a note, these machines all have the latest C++ redist. Anyone help is appreciated.

Log Name: Application
Source: Application Error
Date: 3/15/2022 10:46:03 AM
Event ID: 1000
Task Category: (100)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: <scrubbed>.xx.xx.xxx
Description:
Faulting application name: mmc.exe, version: 10.0.19041.746, time stamp: 0x52055893
Faulting module name: msvcrt.dll, version: 7.0.19041.546, time stamp: 0x564f9f39
Exception code: 0x40000015
Fault offset: 0x000000000000ae22
Faulting process id: 0x3a04
Faulting application start time: 0x01d83882fd8c9316
Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe
Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\msvcrt.dll
Report Id: 0d0898ac-6fcd-4097-972b-69f95003dfcc
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Application Error" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">1000</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>100</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2022-03-15T15:46:03.0509587Z" />
<EventRecordID>59722</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer><scrubbed>.xx.xx.xxx</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>mmc.exe</Data>
<Data>10.0.19041.746</Data>
<Data>52055893</Data>
<Data>msvcrt.dll</Data>
<Data>7.0.19041.546</Data>
<Data>564f9f39</Data>
<Data>40000015</Data>
<Data>000000000000ae22</Data>
<Data>3a04</Data>
<Data>01d83882fd8c9316</Data>
<Data>C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe</Data>
<Data>C:\WINDOWS\System32\msvcrt.dll</Data>
<Data>0d0898ac-6fcd-4097-972b-69f95003dfcc</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
<Data>
</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

Answer 1

Hi,

May I know if you are using the admin users to install/update printer driver？

Windows updates released August 10, 2021 and later will, by default, require administrative privilege to install printer drivers.

You can edit below registry key to allow non-admin users to install/update printer drivers.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PointAndPrint
RestrictDriverInstallationToAdministrators
set value = 0

For your reference:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/kb5005652-manage-new-point-and-print-default-driver-installation-behavior-cve-2021-34481-873642bf-2634-49c5-a23b-6d8e9a302872

Best regards,

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