Windows 10 users and administrators report widescale network printing issues after installing the KB5006670 cumulative update and other updates released this week.
On Tuesday, Microsoft released Windows updates to fix bugs and security vulnerabilities as part of the October 2021 Patch Tuesday.
These updates include KB5006674 for Windows 11, KB5006670 for Windows 10 2004, 20H1, and 21H1, KB5006667 for Windows 10 1909, and KB5006714 for Windows 8.
Since installing the KB5006670 update, users are reporting that they cannot print to network print servers, with some users receiving 0x00000709 or 'Element not found' errors when attempting to print.
In an eight-page forum topic at BleepingComputer, Windows administrators recounted their frustration with the printing bugs and came to the same conclusion — uninstalling this week's updates resolves the problem.
Since July, Microsoft has been releasing a constant stream of security updates to fix the PrintNightmare vulnerabilities in the Windows Print Spooler.
As threat actors, including ransomware gangs, actively exploit these vulnerabilities, Microsoft has changed its Point and Print printing feature drastically. Unfortunately, while these changes fix the vulnerabilities, they also lead to problems printing to network print servers.
This week, Microsoft released further security updates for Windows printing vulnerabilities tracked as CVE-2021-41332 and CVE-2021-36970, likely causing the new network printing issues.
While most of the reported problems are related to Windows 10's KB5006670 update, this is likely because it is the most widely used version of Windows at this time.
The same security fixes were also released for Windows 10 1909 and Windows 11 and will likely cause similar issues on those Windows versions.
How to fix KB5006670 network printing issues
When the September cumulative updates caused printing issues, it was possible to fix them by allowing non-Admins to install printer drivers or disabling the 'RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled' Registry value.
However, this Registry key is no longer working for the problems caused by the October updates, and users are required to fix it using other methods.
The BleepingComputer forum topic includes numerous suggestions from Windows admins on how to resolve the networking printing issues caused by the Windows 10 KB5006670 update. Unfortunately, as these suggestions either remove security updates or don't always work, they are not ideal for resolving the issues.
What makes these printing issues so frustrating is Microsoft's lack of clear guidance and the numerous changes that happen each month to the Windows printing feature.
As these changes all resolve different vulnerable aspects of the Windows Print Spooler, they create a mess of individual fixes that Windows admins need to figure out whether they will fix their printing problems.
BleepingComputer has reached out to Microsoft for official guidance on resolving all of these issues but has not heard back at this time.
Method 1: Uninstall the KB5006670 update
The most common suggestion is to simply uninstall the KB5006670 update, which can be done using the following command in an elevated command prompt:
wusa /uninstall /kb:5006670
However, uninstalling the update will remove the security fixes for 74 vulnerabilities, including one actively exploited, making this a dangerous method.
Method 2: Replace C:\Windows\System32\Win32spl.dll
Others have found that replacing the Win32spl.dll DLL file with the version from the September 2021 updates will fix the network printing problem.
"KB5006670 replaces C:\Windows\System32\Win32spl.dll with version 10.0.19041.1288 which halts printing
We replace this dll with version 10.0.19041.1237 that was installed September's Cumulative update
The attached batch script will copy your "good" dll file to each computer this runs on from a server location and rename the "bad" dll. I run it as a startup script for ease"
As this DLL was likely changed as part of a security update, this too will cause your computer to become less protected from possible future vulnerability exploits.
Method 3: Recreating printer queues on print servers
Some users have also reported that removing and reinstalling their printers on the print server resolved their problem.
When you remove the printer and install it again as an admin, the queues will be rebuilt, potentially allowing printing to work again.
However, workstations may need to be reconfigured to use the new printer queue, which may be a very time-consuming task for some organizations.
Method 4: Enable CopyFiles feature again
Finally, some HP printer drivers require the CopyFiles feature, which Microsoft disabled in September by default.
For users who still need this feature, Microsoft introduced a hidden Group Policy that allows you to enable it again.
To enable the CopyFiles feature, create a Windows Registry value under the HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers key named CopyFilesPolicy. When set to '1', CopyFiles will be enabled again.
Comments
h_b_s - 2 years ago
At this point it seems like there'd be less pain if Microsoft were to ditch the antiquated print spooler system with a modern one written in a memory safe language that follows modern security guide lines all in one swoop. They could have done that with Windows 11. But they were more concerned with shoving it out the door in a panic before Christmas. Marketing still rules the roost at Microsoft.
bluscarab - 2 years ago
Simply uninstalling the update will only work temporarily. The update will be automatically reinstalled within the next several days. To prevent it from reinstalling, use the Microsoft Show/Hide Update Tool called wushowhide.diagcab after the KB5006670 update is fully uninstalled. It will list all the updates that are scheduled to be installed with checkmark boxes next to each item. Put a checkmark in the box for the KB5006670 and run it. After its done, that particular update will no longer be installed.
doriel - 2 years ago
Poor quality of patches, what else to say. This protects like 10 users around the world, while 9000000 cant print because of really low quality of deivered patches.
ModularC - 2 years ago
Hi all,
Firstly, thanks for you post - I eventually got it working - see below.
Just a thought - how do Microsoft actually want this to work? So far everyone (myself included) has been trying to find ways around the problem, but how do Microsoft actually expect this to work? Has anybody got it to work without having to override settings?
Just to add my experience -
I have a Windows 2016 printer server and mostly Windows 10 clients. I found that if they were on Windows 10 20H2 or 21H1, the clients worked fine. If they were still on Version 2009, then they couldn't print.
I had the problem a couple of weeks ago on my Server 2016 Print server and reluctantly uninstalled the update KB5005573, as the reg fix didn't work for me. I restarted the server and everyone was able to print again.
Roll on two weeks and I installed KB5006669 on my Server 2016 print server and the problem happened again after a server reboot. I eventually got it working by installing the regfix from the original post: https://download.bleepingcomputer.com/reg/fix-0x0000011b.reg
It still didn't work until I restarted the print spooler service, so make sure you do that after applying the regfix.
tmwhilden - 2 years ago
Today I was trying to install 5 different printers on one computer. 2 were network same the rest were usb. It has this update so I uninstalled it. After restarting, the previous update kb5005565 shows in the list again. It won’t let me uninstall At all, and now I keep getting an error that the print spooler isn’t running. So I look in services and it is set to automatic but is not running. Start the service and I get the same error even though it is more running. I can’t even install the usb printers, so there is more going on than just network printing issues. Has anyone else run into this issue yet?
everest101 - 2 years ago
tmwhilden,
See what I did....hope it helps.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/new-windows-10-kb5006670-update-breaks-network-printing/?sa=1#cid21517
everest101 - 2 years ago
I am a very ordinary Win10 home user who just got serious printer sharing problemes on my home network.
First a brief description of my network:..
A main and approx 2 yrs old PC (which I call NEW), with AMD mobo having TPM capability (Win11 ready), running with Win10 20H2 and kb5006670 installed. This PC is sharing a Brother HL-2270DW printer via USB connection to this PC.
A second and much older Pentium 4 on AMD mobo PC (approx 12 yrs old) running as well with Win10 20H2 and kb5006670 installed. This PC does not have TPM capabilities since the modo is too old. But...as soon as that kb5006670 update gets installed...configuration of printer sharing is impossible. So I followed 2 main methods mentionned above in this article and I have corrected this sharing problem. So here is what I did to solve things...
A.1) Using method 2, uninstall kb5006670 update. After rebooting, Windows update will cry out that security is a problem and will fire a new installation of kb5006670. Before doing that...
A.2) Save a copy, in an easy place to recover (ie on a desktop or in some safe folder) of the Win32spl.dll file that is found in your c:/windows/system32 folder. My saved copy was v10.0.19041.630 @ size 865Ko (this is not same version as stated in this article but it still was usefull for me). Then...let the re-installation of kb5006670 go ahead. After rebooting is done...
B.1) Do method 3. I renamed the kb5006670 installed win32spl.dll (v10.0.19041.1288) to win32spl.old.dll. Yes windows does not like this move!!! To make this step work, change security property of win32spl.dll (which is controlled by TrustedInstaller user!) by adding control of this file by you, the PC administrator. Here is one place on the www where you learn how to do this...
https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmagic/you-require-permission-from-trustedinstaller.html
...many other refs will show U how to override control of this file by the TrustedInstaller. Actually, U don't really have to fiddle with TrustedInstaller's control of the file, you simply want to add control by U, the administrator of the PC.
Once you gain Modification and Full Control of the DLL, rename it to win32spl.old.dll
B.2) Now simply copy your saved win32spl.dll file (pre-kb5006670) into the windows/system32 folder....et voila!!! Reboot.
Printer sharing setting up on the OLD PC can now be carried out. The network shared printer from my new PC is visible and most of kb5006670 installation is OK except for that win32spl.dll file which is the older version of the file. Win10 is at kb5006670 update level, it stops complainng and printer sharing can be done.
This works OK for me...finally.
Many thanks for the article...it has saved my marriage!!! :-)
VikingOy - 2 years ago
None of the above has helped me solved the error 0x00000709 cannot connect to network printer. I have several Windows 10 laptops, all updated to the same level. 2 of them has this problem. The others work ok. Same printer server, same network, same KB5006670 and same version Win32spl.dll.
The strange thing is that all has KB5006670 listed as installed, but none of them has it listed as uninstallable.
I have also tried every reg hack proposed on several web sites, but to no avail.
Spud422 - 2 years ago
I think you have to uninstall kb5006683 first, then the the uninstall will show up for 6670. Then uninstall it. That’s what I had to do to get the network printers back.
everest101 - 2 years ago
You may be right Spud....I get the feeling that since our configurations are basically all different, what work for U may or may not work for me regarding correcting this printer BS stuff with MS.
Only thing left is that if your problem persists...just try, try and keep trying until U find the right solution for your rigs.
Using and old DLL version with the KB5006670 update worked for me and it seems to be OK so far....until the surprises hit the fan with the next MS update!!! :-(
everest101 - 2 years ago
This whole printer bug with MS is soo stupid. I get the feeling that MS doesn't really care about our problems with this. I wish U the best of luck in solving your problem...determination may be all that is left to save us from the MS hardballs!!!
everest101 - 2 years ago
In my network setup I do not use a print server but rather a shared printer from/off my NewPC rig. The fix dynamics may be completely different with print servers.