HP "Update" Software - BEWARE and DISABLE IT!

After hooking up my HP Officejet 5610 AIO printer to my newest PC running Windows 7 64-bit, I downloaded and installed the full HP Solution Center package from HP’s web site instead of just the 64-bit driver.

During the install, I told it not to install the HP/Yahoo crapware toolbar. I did, however, leave the HP update manager active in startup programs.

This was a big mistake.

Today I discovered the HP Update Manager had, without asking my permission, downloaded and installed an update for HP Solution Center designed to “fix Windows 7 bugs”. During this update, however, it also forced the HP/Yahoo toolbar onto IE8!

It only took a few minutes to disable and uninstall both HP’s crapware toolbar and automatic update; it appears no harm was done. What royally p1sses me off is the fact that HP forced the crapware onto my PC as part of an “update” after I specifically opted out of adding it in the initial install.

If you own an HP product and don’t want your browser settings f—ked with, I recommend disabling the HP Update Manager ASAP.

P.S. to HP: I have to purchase at least 12 workgroup laser printers on behalf of my employer in the next month. Your Update Manager crapware stunt also updated my purchase plans; it’s going to make someone at Lexmark or Samsung very happy. :flip

 

Update Manager is not part of the browser, and has its own settings. Look closer at it

 

Yes, I'm aware HP Update Manager isn't part of the browser. It can (and did) change settings in it.

Read the post carefully. The HP "update" it automatially downloaded and installed did more than fix bugs - it also did a forced install of the HP crapware bar without my permission, even after I opted out of using it during the initial install.

 

Read mine carefully please. I am merely telling you to check the settings of it, AFTER the install.

Never trust an installer. They can be just as buggy as anything else. Thats like buying a car that you ordered with a specific feature, and never checking to see if that feature was ever added.

 

I understand and, honestly, I'm not trying to start a debate.

My point is people use and should be able to trust automatic updates provided by reputable hardware and software vendors. I do not have time to research and manually patch security flaws and driver updates in every piece of software on my own PCs, let alone the dozens I have built for business and clients.

Over the past few years I have opted out of crapware toolbars offered by Adobe, AVG, McAfee, Canon, IObit, Norton and many others while still allowing automatic updates for the vendor's software with no problems.

HP has violated my trust by slamming crapware on my system in the form of an "update" after I specifically opted out. This is why my post advises people to not trust HP's automatic update and to disable it ASAP.

Most crapware toolbars earn the vendor (HP) a commission from the search provider (Yahoo). It's pretty obvious this wasn't an accident on HP's part. As such, I'll buy my next printers from a company run by less greedy bastards.

 

Hi guys

Thought I have my dimes worth.

I turn off windows up dates as well, had on one occassion several clients whom got to work and found the user name and login details were valid, but the mapped drives, shortcuts etc gone and the desktop like fresh install.

The lovely windows malicious software tool had decided, without notification or prompting that it had found something nasty and recreated the profile..

Tell you what made me very concerned.. so now would rather run the updates on a test box, leave that going for a day or two, than get more grey hairs thanks to MS malicious software tool...Grrr

l8r:wave

 

This isn't about Windows updates?

 

Point taken and thanks for posting.