How to stop printer update?

Question

How to stop printer update?

I use an HP Photosmart C7280 and with the full driver/software download from HP it works "flawlessly" with my Mac. The problem is that every day I get the ubiquitous "Software Updates Are Available" message and it's Apple's HP Printer Driver Update.

Every time...and I mean EVERY time I install the Apple version over the HP version, the HP Scan Utility stops working and other features are often flaky...but mainly, the ability to scan is simply gone. So I reinstall the HP .dmg again and all is well...but then the Apple update wants to override again.

First...why can't Apple make their driver package compatible? And second, is there some way I can just opt out of that particular driver upgrade forever? Thanks for any help.

Message was edited by: Larry McJunkin

Unibody MacBook - 24" Cinema Display, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Apr 21, 2010 1:53 PM

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Answer 1

PAHU

Level 6

16,723 points

Apr 21, 2010 2:12 PM in response to Larry McJunkin

Without looking too hard, I haven't seen a plist or similar file that could let you set some sort of marker to stop the printer driver update from occurring. If you don't get a satisfactory answer on this forum you may want to post again on the Using Snow Leopard forum.

In the meantime, if you opened System Preferences > Software Update and changed the 'Check for updates' to weekly (daily is way too often) and also untick the 'Download updates automatically', at least then you will get a warning showing what updates are available and when you see the HP update in the list you can deselect it.

Note that Apple does not make the driver package. It is HP that provides it to Apple so that Software Update can do your printer & scanner. So HP must feel that what they are providing to Apple is correct. If you check the HP web site for your model, do they provide the same package you have or the one that you get from Apple.

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Answer 2

CMCSK

Level 6

11,452 points

Apr 21, 2010 2:25 PM in response to Larry McJunkin

The problem is that every day I get the ubiquitous "Software Updates Are Available" message and it's Apple's HP Printer Driver Update.

Open Software Update/select what you do not want/Update/Ignore Update. If you change your mind at a latter date, Software Update will allow you to reset ignored updates so that you can install.

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Answer 3

Apr 21, 2010 5:36 PM in response to Larry McJunkin

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2213639&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2229227&tstart=0

The solution is to delete /Library/Printers/hp/Frameworks/HPSmartX.framework and re-install the HP package once.

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Answer 4

Apr 21, 2010 8:40 PM in response to John Blanchard1

That seemed to take care of it permanently. I realize that Apple gets their updates from HP, but what they're getting is a bare bones printer driver. If I have no drivers at all installed for this printer and use the recommended Update printers, I don't even have the ability to scan, don't have the printer utility, nothing. Just the ability to print. With the HP driver package I have all these things.

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Answer 5

May 10, 2010 2:31 PM in response to John Blanchard1

thanks John for this solution - finally happy to see "Your software is up to date"

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