MS Auto installing HP Smart app on some PC's

[bonehead123]

I saw this earlier this morning......seems awful shady to me, especially for those folks who don't have any HP hardware in, on, or connected to their machines....

lookie here:

Microsoft is reportedly auto-installing the HP Smart app on Windows 10 and 11 PCs - gHacks Tech News

Users say that the HP Smart app is being automatically installed on Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs. Here's what's happening.

www.ghacks.net

And worse yet, M$ is supposedly "looking into it" but doesn't have a fix for it yet

 

[Bill_Bright]

I think this is being greatly overblown and exaggerated and once again, it seems Microsoft is being blamed for the actions of others.

I have 6 computers here, 4 are W10 and 2 are W11 - all fully updated. Past experience with HP software has me adamant knowing I sure don't want HP Smart installed on any of my systems - even if HP claims,

HP Smart is the #1 rated printer app in the world

So when I saw your post, I looked to see what apps and programs are install on my computers and not one has that HP Smart app installed. And FTR, I have an HP all in one printer on my network that all the computers are configured to print to.

Did you, Bonehead, look on your systems to see if HP Smart was recently installed?

The article claims,

What is interesting about this scenario is the fact that the report says that the app got auto installed even when no HP products were connected to the PC.

What I find interesting is, if you look closely at the laptop in that article, what do you see? I see the HP logo under the screen. And I know from past experience with HP laptops, HP is a leader at pre-installing "crapware" on their laptops.

 

[Klemc]

Why to buy HP in the first place ?

 

[bonehead123]

Past experience with HP software has me adamant knowing I sure don't want HP Smart installed on any of my systems

Did you, Bonehead, look on your systems to see if HP Smart was recently installed?

Same here on the experience part, and YES I did look to be sure this hasn't happened to my any of my 7 machines (yet), and if it ever does, somebody's gonna get a seriously nasty email from me immediately after I delete that crapwarez

 

[Onasi]

Probably just a bug in the automatic Windows Driver Update, users might have had AT SOME POINT had an HP device connected in some way, like a printer, the ID stuck around and servers pushed out an unnecessary software package. I really doubt MS intentionally maliciously decided to start installing HPs bloatware on people’s computers just for giggles.

 

[A Computer Guy]

I saw this earlier this morning......seems awful shady to me, especially for those folks who don't have any HP hardware in, on, or connected to their machines....

lookie here:

Microsoft is reportedly auto-installing the HP Smart app on Windows 10 and 11 PCs - gHacks Tech News

Users say that the HP Smart app is being automatically installed on Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs. Here's what's happening.

www.ghacks.net

And worse yet, M$ is supposedly "looking into it" but doesn't have a fix for it yet

"My guess is that it was probably a "technical error" that pushed the app to all PCs, instead of only those that were connected to an HP accessory." - from the article

Well that's kind of scary if true but for now taking that statement with a grain of salt.

The HP Smart App does install automatically for me when I setup a Windows to my HP printer over IP but never noticed it doing so by itself.

Probably just a bug in the automatic Windows Driver Update, users might have had AT SOME POINT had an HP device connected in some way, like a printer, the ID stuck around and servers pushed out an unnecessary software package.

In that case wouldn't it be a pull not a push?

I really doubt MS intentionally maliciously decided to start installing HPs bloatware on people’s computers just for giggles.

I'm on the same page here with the same doubt.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Let me add, I sure am not suggesting Microsoft would never attempt to "foist" unwanted software on our systems without our knowledge. I am just saying "this time", it appears to be HP who have a long history of doing so. This is why I never, as in NEVER EVER install their programs when installing a new HP printer. Instead, I download and install only the basic drivers (if Windows does not already include them). You typically have to hunt them down, but thus far, HP does maintain the basic drivers on their site.

"My guess is that it was probably a "technical error" that pushed the app to all PCs

Huh? "All PCs"? As I noted, none of my computers got it. Bonehead noted his didn't either. Are you saying your PCs got it?

 

[Onasi]

In that case wouldn't it be a pull not a push?

It would be, I used the term just colloquially. But really, the behavior of the system is quite unpredictable. Just a week ago the Updater decided to re-download the Razer Synapse installer for my mouse (which I promptly closed and removed) even though both the Group Policy disallowing driver updates is enforced and the System setting for downloading manufacturers apps is unticked.

 

[A Computer Guy]

Let me add, I sure am not suggesting Microsoft would never attempt to "foist" unwanted software on our systems without our knowledge. I am just saying "this time", it appears to be HP who have a long history of doing so. This is why I never, as in NEVER EVER install their programs when installing a new HP printer. Instead, I download and install only the basic drivers (if Windows does not already include them). You typically have to hunt them down, but thus far, HP does maintain the basic drivers on their site.


Huh? "All PCs"? As I noted, none of my computers got it. Bonehead noted his didn't either. Are you saying your PCs got it?

To clarify

My experience has been The HP Smart App only installs automatically for me when I add my HP printer to Windows over IP but never noticed it doing so by itself. (probably the same for a USB but I haven't done that in forever) I think the authors guess is probably wrong.

 

[Bill_Bright]

My experience has been The HP Smart App only installs automatically for me when I add my HP printer to Windows over IP but never noticed it doing so by itself.

You likely never noticed it because HP is notoriously sneaky in that way.

I like HP printing devices. I've owned many over the years. I just really despise their software and their overly aggressive tactics to get consumers to install their software. So I never install it. As I noted, you can download just the basic drivers from their website. That said, W10 and 11 already know how to do basic printing functions for many HP and other brand devices.

Also, to make things easier, I always make sure the HP device I get includes their EWS (embedded web server). This feature I love!!! I just plug the IP address of the device in my browser and I can connect to the EWS in the device. From there, I can easily scan documents, fax, check ink levels, check for firmware updates and more, all without installing or using any of their software.

I understand you said it was your "guess". And I am assuming you are right. My concern was you said (guessed!) it pushed the app out to "all" PCs. Clearly we already knew and know that is not the case.

What really concerns me is how it appears Ghacks.net (once again) just jumped on the "let's bash Microsoft" bandwagon and apparently didn't bother to verify the claims with their own computers. Surely Ghacks.net has dozens of Windows 10/11 systems there. Did they verify the claim? We don't know. It just appears all they did was parrot the author. That "rumor-mongering" is exactly how falsehoods go viral.

The IT media should have some journalistic ethics to precisely prevent such things.

One line could have saved their reputation with me. They could have easily said, "We found HP Smart on several of our computers here" or "We were unable to independently verify this report."

But, IMO, they were too lazy, didn't care if true or not and just wanted to push out their story so they could "scoop" their competition. I say, "Shame on Ghacks".

 

[A Computer Guy]

You likely never noticed it because HP is notoriously sneaky in that way.

I like HP printing devices. I've owned many over the years. I just really despise their software and their overly aggressive tactics to get consumers to install their software. So I never install it. As I noted, you can download just the basic drivers from their website. That said, W10 and 11 already know how to do basic printing functions for many HP and other brand devices.

Also, to make things easier, I always make sure the HP device I get includes their EWS (embedded web server). This feature I love!!! I just plug the IP address of the device in my browser and I can connect to the EWS in the device. From there, I can easily scan documents, fax, check ink levels, check for firmware updates and more, all without installing or using any of their software.

I have a rather old OfficeJet Pro 8600 that includes a web interface. The wireless failed on it but still works in wired mode.

I understand you said it was your "guess". And I am assuming you are right. My concern was you said (guessed!) it pushed the app out to "all" PCs. Clearly we already knew and know that is not the case.

No, No, you confused me quoting the article. The author of the article was doing the guessing. That was what I was trying to point out and I had doubts about that guess.

 

[Bill_Bright]

No, No, you confused me quoting the article.

My bad. That was from the article and not you. Sorry about that.

Having said that, it reinforces my point about ethics in journalism. Did he even check his own systems to see if there? Or just assumed it installed on "all" computers? Who knows but clearly it was not.

 

[Deleted member 57642]

What I find interesting is, if you look closely at the laptop in that article, what do you see? I see the HP logo under the screen.

That's just a random Stock Photo - which you'll find on multiple sites. It's not like they took a photo of one of those to whom that happened.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Good point. I still find it interesting, however.