HP firmware update blocks non-HP ink cartridges

Martin Brinkmann
Sep 18, 2016
Updated • Sep 29, 2016
Hardware
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81

HP released a firmware update on March 12, 2016 for several of the company's Officejet printers that renders non-HP ink cartridges useless.

HP customers began to complain about the issue on September 13, 2016 on various online forums, the official HP forum, and on community sites like Reddit.

All reported that a HP Officejet printer blocked non-HP ink cartridges from working, and that the device displayed one of the following messages to the user:

Cartridge Problem.

The following ink cartridges appears to be missing or damages.

Replace the ink cartridges to resume printing.

Cartridge Problem.

Until cartridges are replaced, make sure the printer is turned on to avoid damage to the printer.

One or more cartridges are missing or damaged.

The ink cartridge listed above is an older generation ink cartridge that does not work in your printer. It can still be used with some older printer models.

If you do not own an older printer model and your ink cartridge is a genuine HP cartridge, contract HP support for more information.

It appears that HP programmed the firmware update that it released in March to block non-HP ink cartridges from working starting September 13, 2016.

The printers affected by the firmware upgrade are HP Officejet Pro 8610, HP Officejet Pro 8615, HP Officejet Pro 8620, HP Officejet Pro 8625, HP Officejet Pro 8630, and HP Officejet Pro 6230 ePrinter, HP Officejet Pro 6830 e-All-in-One Printer, HP Officejet Pro 6835 e-All-in-One Printer, HP Officejet 6812 e-All-in-One Printer, HP Officejet 6815 e-All-in-One Printer  according to Inkjet 411. There is obviously a chance that other models are affected as well.

hp printer update

HP customers affected by the issue cannot do much about it it appears. The printer won't accept non-HP ink cartridges anymore unless they are specifically designed for the new firmware.

Inkjet 411 for instance asks customers to return all cartridges that stopped working to get them replaced with cartridges that work on devices running the new firmware.

HP customers who don't want to experience an issue like this again in the future may want to disable firmware updates for their printer.

hp software update

The easiest option to do so is to wait for the next HP Update prompt to appear.

  1. Select Settings on the prompt.
  2. On the HP Update Settings page, switch to never under "check for software updates on the web".

Also, whenever a HP Update prompt is displayed, select cancel to block the download and installation of the update.

Closing Words

Most printer manufacturers sell printers at a considerably low price and make profits largely from printer ink cartridges. Some printers are cheaper than a full battery of new cartridges.

While that is not the case for HP's OfficeJet Pro product line, replacing color and black cartridges comes close to 50% of the price paid for the printer (it is about $90 when bought from HP officially.

It is true for Home printers like the HP Officejet 6815 e-All-in-One Printer which retails on Amazon for $64.99 currently. Replacing all cartridges costs more than $70 if you select high yield Black ink, or more than $56 if you don't.

Now You: are you affected by the firmware update?

Update: HP announced today that it will release a firmware update that will remove what the company calls a security feature from its printers. Basically, what it does is remove the restriction so that third-party ink cartridges are accepted by the printer again.

The company plans to release the firmware update in about two weeks, and will announce it on the HP forum when it is ready.

Summary
HP firmware update blocks non-HP ink cartridges
Article Name
HP firmware update blocks non-HP ink cartridges
Description
HP released a firmware update on March 12, 2016 for several of the company's Officejet printers that renders non-HP ink cartridges useless.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Bill said on December 7, 2021 at 5:20 am
    Reply

    HP have stopped supplying the older firmware. I’m needing it for the 8600 Plus. Does anyone have the actual file somewhere? Thank you

  2. A said on May 10, 2019 at 12:32 am
    Reply

    Re inkjet office hp8715 printer due to a firmware update my printer is rendered useless.Sneaky and devious by HP . Fortunately had a warranty withCurrys and they refunded the cost of the printer with no hassle at all. Will never purchase any HP product again due to their unprofessional ethics. Only thing lost was some non HP ink cartridges.

  3. Cabando said on May 1, 2019 at 9:59 pm
    Reply

    Deskjet 2632. Firmware up to date (Latest update released 2018-11-06). I get this error for non HP cartridges. I HATE these printer manufacturers with every fibre of my being

  4. Trent said on November 21, 2017 at 6:31 am
    Reply

    I’m guessing this is the source of the “Regionalized” ink. Been buying ink from multiple sources for an 8630 and 8620 with no issues. Last fall I bought a few 100 dollars worth so we’d always have ink. No problem. Still got the boxes, no region mentioned – HP ink, compatible with the printers I have.

    I buy new ink, run out of yellow (and only yellow) and suddenly I find that the ink is “regionalized” and the previous ink I had been using was not for the North American region! Somehow my printers were setup for the EU/Africa/ME zone and my new ink isn’t compatible!

    After 2 hours on the phone with HP support, they use a convoluted hash to “reset” my “regionalized settings” so the new ink works, and the ink I had remaining – 1 black, 3 cyan, 3 magenta – suddenly is artificially deprecated.

    “It’s not HP’s fault you bought the wrong ink” an Indian support tech tells me. The “wrong ink” worked up until 5 minutes ago! Utterly maddening – you’re a fool if you buy HP printers.

  5. Jacky said on August 15, 2017 at 9:00 am
    Reply

    Luck to read this blog to find out how to fix the firmware update issue as I mainly use the compatible ink

  6. Elisa said on July 28, 2017 at 3:50 pm
    Reply

    Hey guys, i need to update HP 6230 firmware manually (the update software constantly fails), it is possible ? And do you know where to put the theses files :
    – EnterpriseDU.ini
    – agave_pp_usr_hf_AGP1FN1640AR_update_from_1422A_signed.ful
    Thanks for your help.

  7. Bob P said on December 31, 2016 at 7:09 am
    Reply

    Tried the firmware correction C05308850 for the 8610 on my 8600 plus pro. There was no fix for the 8600. It does not work. I find it necessary to stop the firmware from estimating ink levels, remembering the serial numbers of your cartridges to block them and from allowing automatic downloads for upgrades because the have become deceptive downgrades. The corporate behavior of HP is a national disgrace. Sleazy and probably illegal except for all the fine print that you are forced to sign in order to even use the machine.

    The 8600 warns that the cartridges are defective, the ink may be problematic, sync is out, product may not be genuine, might have been used before, may not be turned off properly, and on and on with such BS. The recommendation is simply to remove all cartridges and replace them with genuine HP devices. Too bad that they are all full, non-HP equivalents that allow HP to brick their machine. Apparently it is not mine even though I bought and paid dearly for it.

    Unless Congress wakes up and takes some action to stop corporate immorality this deceptive behavior will continue to spread beyond ink and Part D Medicare… Shame on you HP!!!!

  8. livingandlearning said on December 8, 2016 at 5:54 pm
    Reply

    Today I downloaded the firmware update and installed it on my HP Officejet Pro 8620. The HP Officejet Pro 8620 now accepts non HP cartridges. I have used HP products since the late 1990s. I noticed that during the last 2 years, HP has refused to take responsibility for flaws in its products and updates that cause more problems than they solve.I have been completing HP surveys since May 2015 about every single problem that I have with HP products and will complete another survey today.

    For the solution for the HP Officejet 8620 that will not accept non HP cartridges —

    * Go to the HP website, look for the firmware update. It’s very clear about what printers are affected and how to update the firmware. The update takes time, but if I did it, so can you.

    *The only glitch was that my wireless network has 2 different options. I had to manually put my computer on the same network as the printer. Once I put the two devices on the same network, the firmware update worked perfectly. I inserted a non HP cartridge and it worked perfectly.

    *You may need to reinsert a name brand HP cartridge if your printer fusses at you just to get through the firmware update. I hope this comment helps. I have been struggling with HP 8620 refusing to accept non HP cartridges since May 2015.

    These are the printers that have firmware updates on today’s date:
    OfficeJet Pro 6230 series
    OfficeJet 6810, 6820 series
    OfficeJet Pro 6830 series
    OfficeJet Pro 8610, 8620, 8630, 8640, 8660 series
    OfficeJet Pro X451dn/dw, X476dn/dw, X551dw, X576dw

  9. BobL said on November 11, 2016 at 3:43 pm
    Reply

    My daughter sent a strongly worded complaint to HP in the UK. She has just received an written apology from HP, together with instructions to download and install the latest firmware to correct the problem. HP also sent her a supply of genuine HP inks, totally free of charge – which will be sufficient to cover her printing requirements for many months to come.

    When she has used the HP inks, she intends to revert to compatible cartridges.

  10. JohnTexas said on November 5, 2016 at 5:49 pm
    Reply

    I finally tossed my HP Officejet 6830 into the trash bin, and it felt wonderful to finally be free of the HP crap! I could wish ill to HP for their stupidity, but I’m not going to waste any more energy even thinking about them.

    I’m now a happy owner and satisfied user of a Brother MFC-J6800W.

  11. dag said on November 4, 2016 at 10:02 pm
    Reply

    It doesn’t work for the Officejet Pro 8630. Even had an IT guy try it – still no success.

  12. Tazz Anderson said on October 27, 2016 at 2:38 pm
    Reply

    Frustrating I know, but here is the new firmware update that fixes it all…from HP. The table at the top of the page shows which printers this is for, supposedly all the ones that were affected! I did it and it works great! Back printing with more cost effective cartridges!

    http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c05308850

    Tazz

    Printer: HP Officejet Pro 8615
    Windows 10

  13. CHRISS said on October 16, 2016 at 8:23 pm
    Reply

    HAVE ALWAYS USED HP PRODUCTS & NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS! HP IS TOP OF THE LINE IN COMPUTERS & PRINTERS TO MY KNOWLEDGE! EASY TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM, USE HP INK THAT’S MADE FOR YOUR HP PRINTER & THERE SHOULDN’T BE ANY PROBLEMS!

    1. Bob said on October 19, 2016 at 5:05 pm
      Reply

      Typing everything in upper case is viewed as shouting. Please refrain from this unacceptable practice.

      I won’t bother to argue with your view that the best way to resolve the problem is to pay excessive prices for genuine HP inks. I doubt whether other readers will agree.

      Fortunately, HP have released new firmware to reverse the damage they have caused. Full details are available at http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c05308850.

  14. steveH said on October 3, 2016 at 5:57 pm
    Reply

    What’s this about mid October please, are they actually going to fix this?

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on October 3, 2016 at 6:17 pm
      Reply

      Yes they plan to release a firmware that fixes this.

  15. Sarita said on October 3, 2016 at 11:34 am
    Reply

    This is a disgusting situation. I am a column writer in Europe and intend to do a piece on this. I use my printer mostly for my kids and clicked on the update without “thinking” which is what most people have done, because they “trust” manufacturers. Now I can’t get any cartridge to work. I thought the USA was all for free trade and free markets, but it seems not. Very disappointed. And by the way a note on 18 September saying a fix will be in place in mid October is not 2 weeks by anybody’s calendar! Which PR idiot thought of that. Fix it, and anyone who is fed up with what has happened keep complaining until HP introduce a fix

  16. Anonymous said on September 26, 2016 at 11:56 am
    Reply

    no, normal site search. For the 6830, there is a download file with type=Firmware. For the 6230 there is only a normal driver download …

    1. McGregor said on September 26, 2016 at 7:02 pm
      Reply

      Yes, I saw that. :( I am really stuck with the 2015 firmware that has the 3rd party ink bug. Anyone has an idea where to find the older fws?

      1. McGregor said on September 28, 2016 at 11:16 pm
        Reply

        Checked: Firmwares for Multifunction Printers are 10 times as big as the one i am searching for, the (just printing) OJ pro 6230. The 6830 will not fit into the Eprom, i am afraid.
        Please, someone, help.

      2. McGregor said on September 28, 2016 at 10:42 pm
        Reply

        Will the fq for the 6830 work withe the 6230 as well. Otherwise : anyone else with a solution for the 6230?

      3. Hil said on September 28, 2016 at 5:51 pm
        Reply
  17. Friedhelm Büscher said on September 25, 2016 at 11:12 pm
    Reply

    saved my live for an 6830. Found the firmware for the 6830 @ http://www.treiber.de Your Solution with

    copy /b c:\fw.ful ….

    worked like a charm.

    1. McGregor said on September 26, 2016 at 4:53 pm
      Reply

      Yes, I saw that. :( I am really stuck with the 2015 firmware that has the 3rd party ink bug. Anyone has an idea where to find the older fws?

    2. McGregor said on September 26, 2016 at 11:43 am
      Reply

      Where did you find the firmware on that site. In the forums? I could not register.
      Could you go and search for a former firmware (has a 14 in its name) for a HP Printer called
      “OfficeJet Pro 6230” for me? That would be awsome!

    3. McGregor said on September 26, 2016 at 10:37 am
      Reply

      Thanks!

  18. Also Frustrated said on September 25, 2016 at 5:14 am
    Reply

    FWIW: I tried resetting the printer date to a couple years back–before the trigger date noted above. No good. The generic cartridges were still rejected as defective, rendering the printer completely non-functional. Even the scan function was unable to work. This is totally unacceptable!

    So, after messing with repeated nights of unsuccessful attempts to downgrade the firmware to hopefully resolve the sabotage, I opted to move on, abandon HP printers, and buy a new Brother all-in-one printer for ~$100. That’s just a little bit more than the cost of a new set of HP-brand ink ($85). Very sad.

    While setting aside the old HP 6850, thinking I might be able to use its scanning capabilities or something at a later date, the HP printer LEAKED BLACK INK (that had apparently puddled in the bottom of the printer housing) onto my carpet! @#$%! I was so mad, I picked it up and tossed the HP printer straight into the trash dumpster! The new Brother printer (MFC-J680DW) is working perfectly. Good bye HP printer-monopoly crap.

  19. A different Martin said on September 24, 2016 at 8:38 am
    Reply

    My dad sometimes takes off for three months at a time and got tired of returning home to find his HP inkjet dried up and — let’s say, messing up — so I got him an HP color LaserJet. Well, just today, I saw that HP proposed a big update for it. The printer works as is (although it already has an authentic HP cartridge nagging routine), and I’m not going near this update until further developments transpire. Now that the DOJ and FTC are in their pockets and the US Supreme Court has allowed them to bar class-action and individual lawsuits in contracts of adhesion (EULAs), I wouldn’t put anything past OEMs and vendors, at least in the US. There’s always individual and class-action suits grounded in tort rather than contract, I guess. Nothwithstanding Microsoft EULAs’ mandatory individual arbitration language, that businesswoman in California took them for $10,000 in small claims court for borking her computer with an unwanted Windows 10 “upgrade,” and it looks like she grounded her claim in tort…

  20. Greg said on September 22, 2016 at 8:07 pm
    Reply

    I think they should be charged with a pollution fee to cover the costs of the millions of cartridges and HP printers that will be thrown in the trash because of this update.

  21. Tim Johnson said on September 22, 2016 at 6:51 pm
    Reply

    Hi Martin,

    Just wanted to add that not all third party cartridges are affected, and this problem only affects some HP printers. But this is the kind of thing customers need to know *before* they buy the printer. We updated our comparison tool to highlight printers with known issues so consumers can find the printer with the lowest running cost and know in advance if they’re going to have problems with using cheaper inks http://www.inkfactory.com/compare-printers/ (we don’t sell printers, there’s no ads or sponsored links)

    Best regards, Tim

  22. Cheap on-Ink said on September 22, 2016 at 5:31 pm
    Reply

    This update time bomb really pissed me off- bought my HP8620 jan 2015 and it must have had this bullshit software as oem as I never recall updating the firmware.

    Alter successfully using the same 950xl and 951xl cartridges bought on eBay for around $40( set of 4 ) for several months – all of a sudden September 18th 2016

    was shut down by this “damaged cartridge installed please replace ” bullshit. After 100hrs of trying everything posted online.. drivers, uninstall re-install software cartridge in = out off on …blah bla blah I found that nothing worked ?

    even with my router and pc turned off if replaced the generic ink with genuine ones error were gone then when put generic back in all seemed fine ink levels seemed ok only 1 warning saying non genuine ink installed but seemed ok?

    But soon as tried to print a test page from the lcd screen the warnings came back and locked be out !!@@!#$# firstly- this confirmed the issue was not a background internet checking or windows driver file but some kind of firmware issue with the printer only

    firstly I believed the chip on the cartridge was somehow being encoded with this error and therefore would be permanently lost – M.F*#kers..and facing a $160 genuine cartridge purchase

    But proved this wrong and finaly got all back to normal by following a post on a HP 8630 regarding downgrading the software to a 2014 (pre time bomb) release. I can confirm works with my 8620 and I hope will assist what must be 100.000’s of equally pissed off HP printer owners similarly F*#ked over by these corporate money grabbing nazis and their illegal stomping of ones individual freedom of choice //here it is ..good luck note: will require intermediate operator skill level .. perhaps someone can take the time to re-work in a simple learners basic how to step by step and share the POWER :-)

    – Download and install the HP Web Jetadmin tool from HP website( another bullshit exercise in registering as user to download ).
    This tool allows remote management of HP printers. It allows firmware upgrades
    and can be configured to allow downgrades (see below).
    – Once Jetadmin is installed, run it and have it discover the printers on your network.
    Then you can get the 2014 firmware for HP 8630 by going to the Firmware->Repository->Get Images.
    This will put the older firmware into the repository, but you still can’t downgrade yet. Go to next step.
    – On Windows go here:C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\HP Inc\HPWebJetadmin\WjaService\config.
    Edit the file FirmwareUpgrade.config.xml
    and change the following to “True”
    HP.Imaging.Wjp.Sdk.Core.Framework.ConfigurationItemString.
    True
    HP.Imaging.Wjp.Sdk.Core.Framework.ConfigurationItemString
    True
    Save this change

    and now Jetadmin will allow downgrade. So let’s do it.

    configure your router to block Wan to printer ip and ensure auto updates, eprint etc are off

    – From Jetadmin, now click the Firmware->Repository->Upgrade Firmware->Device Firmware (next)->(Select the printer)->Select the older firmware
    and under New Version select the old version. Continue one and firmware will be downgraded.

    takes a while to restart the printer after 99% so don’t interrupt

    1. Sarah said on September 23, 2016 at 7:44 pm
      Reply

      Can you download Jetadmin to a mac computer? Seems that it’s only for windows…

    2. McGregor said on September 22, 2016 at 10:42 pm
      Reply

      I can not get this HP Web Jetadmin Tool to work, for i wont let HP get access to the computer/printer via the internet. Also my IE is turned off for i am using Iron-Browser.

      Could someone harvest the Devices Firmwares in that HP Repository? Ar the ful-files or the fw.exes are saved to a temp folder, while installing them, so they could be copied and saved away.
      I would need the FWs called: AGP1FN1432AR, AGP1FN1423AR or AGP1FN1422AR.

      That would be great :) I would like to install them the way i described above.

      1. McGregor said on September 23, 2016 at 2:25 am
        Reply

        OK, i did the whole procedure Getting and Installing this HP Web Jetadmin – just to find out, that the repository holds fw fpr every d*mn printer except the OfficeJet Pro 6230.
        Still hoping, that someone can find them enywhere for us.

    3. John said on September 22, 2016 at 8:04 pm
      Reply

      I tried this but I don’t have a folder called AppData. I am running windows 10. Do you have a better fix for me? Thanks!

  23. Bill Anderson said on September 21, 2016 at 8:19 pm
    Reply

    HP’s President Meg Whitman was driving her car the other day when a service light came on. She took her 3 year old car back to the dealer where they upgraded the firmware. The mechanic told her that her replacement transmission she put in her car last month was not a genuine part and the car’s updated software would not work with an unauthorized transmission. They told her she could replace the transmission or buy a new car. What is the difference?

    Don’t worry car manufactures are not far behind. “ lawmakers in Lansing are set to pass legislation that would put more money in the automakers’ pockets while increasing costs for consumers and crippling Michigan small businesses. An amended House Bill 4344, updating motor vehicle repair laws, would legislate the types of collision replacement parts that can be used to repair vehicles five years old and newer.” May 18, 2016 http://www.mlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/05/auto_repair_law_would_hurt_par.html
    One study showed dealers make 43% of their profits on part. Now they want to be like printer companies.

    1. SteveH said on September 21, 2016 at 8:44 pm
      Reply

      Some of this is “our” fault. Everybody does price comparisons nowadays, so the poor manufacturers really have to go for a (ridiculously) low cost for the printer and then recover it on the inks. Same as cheap flights and then charging for the peanuts. I don’t know what the answer is.

      1. A different Martin said on September 21, 2016 at 9:27 pm
        Reply

        The answer is for manufacturers (a) to follow established antitrust and consumer-protection law and not engage in artificial tying, and (b) to price their products honestly, without lowballing by factoring in a hidden bait-and-switch gotcha.

  24. A different Martin said on September 21, 2016 at 5:22 pm
    Reply

    Call me cynical, but every time something like this happens I imagine our fine public servants at the US Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission dancing jigs of joy, followed by in-house negotiations to determine who gets the revolving-door payoffs for doing nothing — sorry, I meant to say “for exercising investigative and prosecutorial discretion” — this time ’round. (Actually, that’s unfair. I’m sure members of Congress horn in on the action when they see an opportunity, as they have with net neutrality.) And with the EU Court of Justice’s recent ruling in the Sony Vaio / Windows Vista tying case (Deroo-Blanquart v. Sony Europe), I’m not optimistic that any action will be taken in Europe, either.

    1. steveH said on September 21, 2016 at 6:28 pm
      Reply

      You are cynical.
      Actually I have found something relevant

      extracts from http://www.eurovaprint.eu/fileadmin/eurovaprint_files/pdfs/VA_version_5.2_April.pdf

      EuroVAprint is a not-for-profit association bringing together all manufacturers of imaging equipment that operate in Europe and have signed the present Voluntary Agreement. The association provides the legal and administrative means to supervise the implementation and monitoring of the present set of binding commitments made by its members.

      From INDUSTRY VOLUNTARY AGREEMENT TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF IMAGING EQUIPMENT PLACED ON THE EUROPEAN MARKET
      VA v.5.2 April 2015

      Hewlett Packard are amongst the signatories to this

      5.4 Cartridges
      For all new product models first placed on the EU market after 1 January 2015:
      5.4.1 Any cartridge produced by or recommended by the OEM for use in the product shall not be designed to prevent its reuse and recycling.
      5.4.2 The machine shall not be designed to prevent the use of a non-OEM cartridge

      Sadly that doesn’t help me, my 6230 was introduced late 2014. It might help others..

      1. steveH said on October 3, 2016 at 6:03 pm
        Reply

        Thanks to Daffy Jones.

        So I took the trouble to write and institute a complain to the supervisors of this agreement.
        Their reply – I would have to pay 4000€ (appx $5000) in escrow which would be forfeited if the complaint is not upheld. £$%^&* that makes me mad – an insitution which has no intention whatsoever of delivering on its promise.

        To name and shame the guilty party
        I also wanted to draw your attention to the fact that the escrow mechanism for this procedure -and associated cost- is clearly stated in the Voluntary Agreement, under Annex E, so this should come as no surprise.
        If the non-compliance is confirmed by the investigation of the independent inspector, the party making the allegation (in this case, you) is fully reimbursed and the costs are borne by the signatory who is found to be non-compliant.
        Do let me know if you would like to proceed and I will send you both the form and the escrow contract.
        Until then, do not hesitate to contact me should you have any other questions.
        Feriel Saouli secretariat@eurovaprint.eu

        I wrote and asked who was paying his or her wages – no reply.

      2. Daffy Jones said on September 24, 2016 at 5:25 am
        Reply

        Even the older versions of the Voluntary Agreement had the same clause.
        http://www.eurovaprint.eu/fileadmin/eurovaprint_files/pdfs/Lot4_VA-version_4.pdf

        4.4 For all products placed on the market after 1 January 2012:
        4.4.1 Any cartridge produced by or recommended by the OEM for use in the product shall not be designed to prevent its reuse and recycling.
        4.4.2 The machine shall not be designed to prevent the use of a non-OEM cartridge

        Basically every manufacturer ignores the voluntary agreement.

        The compliance reports on the EuroVAprint site claim that they have had 100% compliance from all signatories (including HP, Canon, Brother, Epson, Lexmark, Sharp and Samsung) since 2011. Just a joke. You can report non-compliance to their compliance officer secretariat(at)eurovaprint.eu but I bet nothing will happen

  25. kalmly said on September 21, 2016 at 2:52 pm
    Reply

    I always buy HP computers, but I only buy Brother printers.

  26. mw71 said on September 21, 2016 at 1:59 am
    Reply

    Have You any link to old software to HP Officejet Pro 6230???? My printer break down tomorrow and guaranty end… today!!!! Reason: “problem with printerhead” :

    1. cr said on October 6, 2016 at 6:50 am
      Reply

      Try this site from the Dutch company that did the investigative testing to confirm HP’s actions:

      http://www.123inkt.nl/news/Persbericht+123inktnl+reageert+op+geblokkeerde+HP+printers-589.html

  27. steveH said on September 21, 2016 at 1:44 am
    Reply

    Anyone know where to find old firmware (6230e in my case)?

    1. McGregor said on September 21, 2016 at 2:32 pm
      Reply

      Found the solution to push the Downgrade to the OfficeJet Pro 6230 and it worked.
      The FW Version is now 1517, but it won’t help the problem with refused 3rd party cardridges.

      Method:
      1) Extract the OJ6230_R1517A.exe
      2) Rename agave_pp_usr_hf_AGP1FN1517AR_update_from_1422A_signed.ful to fw.ful
      3) Place fw.ful to c:\
      4) Open Command and enter copy /b c:\fw.ful \\your computername\printer sharename

      For printer sharename use the name under which the printer is shared in windows. I renamed my printer to “6230” in windows, gives less typing…

      5) After the command, the printer does some blinking and restarts.
      6) Downgrade from 1544 to 1517 done.
      7) If you have e-printing enabled, don’t forget to switch automatic updates off.

      Now, the only thing I still need is a .ful file or an Update.exe, that is dated earlier.
      There are FWs from 2014 named AGP1FN1432AR, AGP1FN1423AR, AGP1FN1422AR

      but i can not find them… Please help.

      1. Pedro said on November 23, 2016 at 12:06 am
        Reply

        what the meaning of 1422A? why did you put that? i don´t understand

    2. McGregor said on September 21, 2016 at 9:46 am
      Reply

      I know a source for the firmware AGP1FN1517AR for 6230, downloaded it, but a downgrade seems to be prohibited. The software does not allow the installation. :(((

      Source: https://driverscollection.com/_47572782378ea76771f7dbd8fa2/Download-HP-Officejet-Pro-6230-ePrinter-Firmware-v.AGP1FN1517AR-free

      There are historical firmwares für all the other HP models, too!

      https://de.driverscollection.com/?V=HP&S=10&hpage=13

      1. steveH said on September 21, 2016 at 2:08 pm
        Reply

        Thanks for the help, now downloaded and let’s see

  28. Also_Frustrated said on September 20, 2016 at 11:08 pm
    Reply

    Yes, I am “affected,” putting it nicely. New off-brand ink cartridges worked fine for several weeks, and then the “missing or damaged cartridge” error appeared—first on magenta, then yellow, then black, and nothing has eliminated it. (Not even all the arcane reset tricks suggested online). So, is there a way to go back to the old firmware, or has somebody come up with a hack to the existing firmware to circumvent this communist plot to sell HP ink?

    1. shauna street said on March 5, 2019 at 8:05 pm
      Reply

      same issue here on 3 printers the hp 6820 the hp8620 and hp8630 now I am out all the money I kept spending on these non hp inks carts for like 250 now down the drain plus the price of the printers

    2. SteveH said on September 21, 2016 at 10:08 am
      Reply

      I think capitalist rather than communist. This stinks of some mid level MBA who has managed to trash the company for the sake of a temporary bump in ink sales.

  29. Frustrated said on September 20, 2016 at 8:52 pm
    Reply

    I am interested in the legal position here. I bought a 8610 without, as far as I am aware, any restrictions that I can ONLY use HP inks. Now, without my permission, they have decreased the functionality of MY asset. Can they do this ?

    1. A Roze said on January 7, 2017 at 10:11 pm
      Reply

      Excellent point! An attorney should pursue this on behalf of all HP customers … should be a sizable outcome, done correctly! You are right, this is not an ethical move on HP’s part …

  30. dlweld said on September 20, 2016 at 7:08 pm
    Reply

    Had an HP ink jet printer a few years ago – worked OK, but came up with a printer error on occasion – very hard to clear, no explanation available, even powering it down and restarting didn’t clear it reliably – so frustrating and time consuming that I literally turfed it into the garbage and bought an inexpensive Epson laser printer – which just sits there and consistently prints what I ask it to – year after year. HP used to be great – not so much now. Felt so good chucking the HP into the bin! I recommend it!

  31. dwarf_tossn said on September 20, 2016 at 4:04 am
    Reply

    Brother makes solid laser printers that tend to have support for bargain toner drums.

  32. Ralphy said on September 20, 2016 at 3:33 am
    Reply

    What does one expect from a sleazy company run by sleazy people that produces sleazy products.

  33. Wayfarer said on September 20, 2016 at 1:40 am
    Reply

    I haven’t used a printer in quite a while, though I have two standing idle in my home. Both (one inkjet, one laser) need cartridges, but (living on a limited fixed income) I back off every time I see the ludicrous prices asked.

    Hard copy is handy on occasion, but sooner or later I’ll be dropping those printers off at a local rubbish skip and accepting that it’s just not worth the candle. I’ve already – for years now – been leaving hard copy photo printing to a local print shop. If not actually cheaper per print then certainly cheaper in the long run than trying to maintain a printer that’s only used once or twice a month, and whose consumables seem to cost more than gold bullion.

    I suspect it’s only a matter of time before the technology giants find a way to DRM/copyright the use and contents of the paper notebook I’ve carried in my coat pocket for decades.

    Progress?? Seems to me that more is being lost than is being found.

  34. Wolfie0827 said on September 20, 2016 at 12:56 am
    Reply

    Martin, you forgot one other way to fix this issue, DO NOT INSTALL the bloatware, go to the support site and only install the drivers without the update software.It’s what I did for our officejet pro and my non-HP cartridges are working fine.

    1. Bob said on September 20, 2016 at 12:11 pm
      Reply

      The HP update site only offers the latest firmware, which blocks the use of “compatible cartridges”.

    2. Martin Brinkmann said on September 20, 2016 at 5:24 am
      Reply

      Good point, thanks for mentioning that.

  35. Anonymous said on September 19, 2016 at 5:50 pm
    Reply

    what next car makers demanding you only use there petrol there tires etc
    greedy bastards using mafia tactics

  36. Dave said on September 19, 2016 at 1:43 pm
    Reply

    Man, everything is becoming sh*t: Operating systems, consoles, graphics cards, printers. The future of computing technology is looking increasingly worse. And every time a new freedom-promising upstart comes along, a tech giant buys them.

    1. kevin said on September 19, 2016 at 5:28 pm
      Reply

      I agree with you, but you forgot games! There’s no reason for me to need to sign up for some on-line service just to play a purely single player game, other than to ensure that I’m being tracked by mega-corporations and that I’m in the NSA database, of course!

  37. Will said on September 19, 2016 at 12:33 pm
    Reply

    not entirely true. the updates was sent last year with a command to react last week, according to 123inkt.nl

  38. Chris said on September 19, 2016 at 11:11 am
    Reply

    That is just nasty.

    To include in a firmware “update” a time-bomb that makes non-HP cartridges fail is obscene.

    I’ll never buy or recommend HP products again.

  39. A or B, not C. said on September 19, 2016 at 5:21 am
    Reply

    If there had been no viable competitor like Brother who do not region-block n cartridge-block their printers, HP would hv likely made updates for their printers mandatory, just like what M$ did with their Win 10, who hv a market-monopoly in desktop OS of PCs.
    …….Seems, most American tech companies r greedy like pigs.

  40. Ken said on September 19, 2016 at 1:52 am
    Reply

    Just downgraded the firmware, done

    1. yar said on January 11, 2017 at 10:04 pm
      Reply

      how firmware downgraded for HP6230?

    2. John said on September 22, 2016 at 6:20 pm
      Reply

      How? That’s what I am trying to do.

    3. Anonymous said on September 22, 2016 at 6:19 pm
      Reply

      How?

      1. ken said on September 22, 2016 at 8:49 pm
        Reply

        i manually set the printer ip to 111.111.111.111 subnet 255.255.255.0 and the pc to 111.111.111.112 subnet 255.255.255.0 with the printer Ethernet plugged directly to the pc and updated the bat file to reflect the changes. look at the comments above and also find your specific firmware for the comments below regarding the “historical firmwares” list.

    4. Bob said on September 19, 2016 at 6:43 pm
      Reply

      Ken

      My daughter has a HP Officejet Pro 8615.

      How did you downgrade the firmware?

      Do your have an URL for the download source?

      1. ken said on September 22, 2016 at 8:45 pm
        Reply

        i don’t think this site will let me post the location. do a search for “How to downgrade firmware on HP OfficeJet Pro” in quotes. there is another link in these comments where you can find the firmware for your model.

  41. Hugh said on September 18, 2016 at 11:34 pm
    Reply

    I can confirm this with my HPAIO F2200 series printer.
    I don’t print very often but needed the printer in June of this year.
    I got the blinking lights and cartridge damaged message.
    None of the troubleshooting suggestions from HP’s website helped.
    There was nothing about firmware upgrades. Around that time I may have re-installed the printer drivers from HP but I can’t swear to it.

    I thought at the time I hadn’t used all the ink but bought a new cartridge and re-commenced printing.

    Martin, if it wasn’t for you, I would never have realized the extent of the perfidy of this company.

    Thank you for your investigative work

  42. Maou said on September 18, 2016 at 10:25 pm
    Reply

    I refilled the same cart over 10 times already, my printer carts are cheap but they only print about a hundred pages, and instead of buying new ones I refill then myself or pay to having then “modded” to print 3 times more.
    I know people who make a living by refilling toners and carts, but they use only original empty ones to avoid firmware shenanigans.

  43. T J said on September 18, 2016 at 9:27 pm
    Reply

    Martin, this is a bit off topic but relevant I think.

    I bought a Brother HL1112 mono Laser printer. I do not use it often. The printer cost £ 39.99 nine months ago.
    As the toner cartridge is about one third full, I checked the replacement cartridge price which is £ 38.99 !
    The price of a new printer, including the cartridge, is now £ 42.99.
    When the cartridge runs out, unless I can find a cheap compatible after market cartridge, I will buy a new printer and dump the old one. Talk about encouraging the throw away society !

  44. Mark Hazard said on September 18, 2016 at 8:15 pm
    Reply

    I know for a fact that Samsung does the same thing with their toner cartridges for laser printers.

  45. ilev said on September 18, 2016 at 7:03 pm
    Reply

    Martin,
    This is the case with HP, Canon, Samsung… with ink cartridges and laser too, for years. Nothing new.

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