Inkredible.co.uk’s Barry Foster writes for Huffington Post’s technology department, advising consumers on updating printer firmware to be aware of the issues that might arise.
Foster, Product Specialist at the cartridge retailer, wrote an article entitled Things to know before updating your printer firmware for Huffington Post’s technology section, as well as another about buying printers, with the firmware article advising consumers on what to do before updating printer firmware.
Foster notes that like most people “I always like to have the latest version available regardless of how minute the improvements are”, but “not all firmware updates might be seen as firmware ‘upgrades’”, noting that “if you’re happy with how your device is performing and it does everything you expect of it, then there is usually little point in rushing to install a firmware that could cause you hours of problems or even calls to an expensive helpline”.
With printers, he notes that the process “is relatively straightforward” but that some situations can create issues, and the ticking of a box to “agree responsibility for the upgrade” means manufacturers want the consumer “to be solely responsible for anything that may go wrong”. Power failures and incorrect regional updates can “kill the internal printer software” or “render your printer incapable of recognising your cartridges”, but if it’s a file from the OEM “I would expect them to be kind enough to provide suitable customer service to resolve any such problems”.
He also notes that “especially in the printing industry, a new firmware upgrade can actually downgrade features or functions”, specifically “firmware designed to limit or restrict the use of third-party consumables”, and adds that “it’s probably best if you don’t upgrade to any non-critical versions just yet” if you use third-party “compatibles” or remanufactured cartridges.
Foster notes that “we’ve had many customers with a previously fully-functioning printer contact us to say they suddenly can’t use any third-party cartridges […] almost certainly caused by a recently-installed printer update”, and notes that many updates are installed in “increasingly disguised ways”, such as pop-up boxes, or through automatic updates.
He also reflects on HP recently asking customers to “lock” original cartridges “to protect against theft”, but this means that they “cannot be used in any other printer”, which “has a knock-on effect when the empty cartridge is made available to a remanufacturer, as the printer information remains locked to the cartridge, preventing any future use in a different printer”.
He concludes that users should “read the information thoroughly before agreeing to any such update”, as “there will only be one person to blame if you suddenly lose the ability to use that collection of cheap cartridges, and adds that users shouldn’t be “confused between upgrading printer drivers and printer firmware”, as the former can be “rolled back to a previous version and do not have any impact on what you can and can’t use in your printer”.