How to keep Windows from installing HP bloatware?

pokeefe0001 · Sep 13, 2023

Every few months Windows maintenance downloads and installs "HP Smart". At first I though I must be imagining this, but records from the Wdows even log prove it:

Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-General
Date: 9/13/2023 2:54:55 PM
Event ID: 16

The access history in hive \??\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\Packages\AD2F1837.HPPrinterControl_149.1.1056.0_x64__v10z8vjag6ke6\ActivationStore.dat was cleared updating 0 keys and creating 0 modified pages.

and

Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-WindowsUpdateClient
Date: 9/13/2023 2:54:57 PM
Event ID: 43
Task Category: Windows Update Agent

Installation Started: Windows has started installing the following update: 9WZDNCRFHWLH-AD2F1837.HPPRINTERCONTROL

UAC prompt alerts me that HP Smart is trying to do something so I guess it actually gets installed but it doesn't show in Programs and Features.
How do I delete it, and how do I prevent Windows from downloading and installing it?

glasskuter · Sep 13, 2023

settings>apps>installed apps>HP Smart>3 dots

FYI newer HP printers do not come with a full featured software suite anymore. They use HP Smart.

pokeefe0001 · Sep 13, 2023

Thanks. I thought I had done that on all 5 of my computers, but I guess I missed one.

Wisewiz · Sep 13, 2023

When I was being pestered by that stupid HP Smart app installing itself, a while ago, I uninstalled it and searched for everything HP Smart-related and dumped that, and when the danged thing came back, I did that again, and this time, it stopped coming back. I think I recall that in Task Scheduler, I found a task that mentioned HP Smart, and I deleted that task, too. You might have a look at your Task Scheduler > Task Scheduler Library, and see whether it's in something there.