If your PC is suffering from a blue screen of death (BSOD) when trying to print, a recent Microsoft Windows update may be to blame.
According to reports from Windows Latest and other sites, all referencing a Reddit thread, users started experimenting with BSODs right after installing Windows Update KB5000802, which was installed on March 9.
While the Reddit thread specifically mentions BSODs occurring in conjunction with Kyocera printers, Windows Latest reported that it had heard of similar results with printing activities from many different brands and models, including Ricoh. When BSOD occurs, users may receive the error message “APC_INDEX_MISMATCH for win32kfull.sys”.
PCWorld has contacted Microsoft, but has received no comments so far. After publishing this story, however, Microsoft confirmed the problem. “We are working to resolve an issue that affects a subset of customers who use certain printers,” a company representative said by email.
Rolling back the patch seems to solve the problem. Some users on the Reddit thread reported that they were able to uninstall the Windows 10 patch, but others were not.
Unfortunately, since the update in question was a security update, rolling back the patch can expose users to a security issue. If necessary, however, users can uninstall the patch by following these steps:
- Open the Windows Settings menu and go to Settings> Update and security> Windows Update.
- Click View update history.
- Click Uninstall updates link and then search for the update in question.
- Once you find it, click Uninstall.
This story was updated at 17:11 with a statement from Microsoft.