Update bricks HP printers - WITH HP TONER CARTRIDGES!

2025-03-10T18:36:56Z

In the ultimate own-goal, a recent HP "security update" has bricked models LaserJet MFP M232-M237, preventing them from printing even with HP toner cartridges. Some people have gone out buying Brother lasers and just junking the HP gear.

Good on them! Not that it will get HP to change their terrible behavior, but at least you can hurt them in the wallet.

Now, Brother had a bit of trouble last week. News came out that they did a similar DRM move and that people had trouble using non-Brother toner in Brother laser printers, but it was a very small number of printers and never confirmed. I'm not sure what to make of that. We'll see if it's ever confirmed and I shall report on it if it happens. Brother is denying it, whereas HP revels in it.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/firmware-update-bricks-hp-printers-makes-them-unable-to-use-hp-cartridges/

comments

Canon can't get enough chips for the DRM in its ink jet printers, tells users how to ignore the DRM

2022-01-12T14:50:40Z

I'm sure HP will follow suite any moment now.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I think I might have peed a little bit there!

With the ongoing world-wide chip shortage that's creeping into everything, it has now crept into the ink jet refill supply chain! I guess Canon has either been getting slammed with support calls or has decided to be preemptive and is telling people that the refills they are now producing will not have chips, like third-party refills that you can buy for much less than the Canon-brand refills. And when you get a warning on "its imageRUNNER large-office printers how to defeat its own protections against cartridges that don’t have chips.

The software on these printers comes with a relatively simple way to defeat the chip checks. Depending on the model, when an error message occurs after inserting toner, users can press either “I Agree,” “Close,” or “OK.” When users press that button, the world does not end. Rather, Canon says users may find that their toner cartridge doesn’t give them a low-toner warning before running empty.

“Although there are no negative effects on print quality when consumables are used without electronic components, certain additional functions, such as the detection of the toner level, may be impaired,” Canon’s support site says.

So don't worry about print quality, just don't be surprised if it runs completely dry without any further warnings. Seems fair.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/01/chip-shortage-has-canon-telling-customers-how-to-skirt-its-printer-toner-drm/

https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/22/01/10/1959243/chip-shortage-has-canon-telling-customers-how-to-defeat-its-drm

comments

Always strive to learn something useful. --Sophocles

Update bricks HP printers - WITH HP TONER CARTRIDGES!

Canon can't get enough chips for the DRM in its ink jet printers, tells users how to ignore the DRM