The latest scandal involves firmware update 20250209, which was rolled out on March 4 for the LaserJet MFP M232-M237 series. HP claims the update was meant to improve security, fix bugs, and comply with regulatory requirements. However, it seems to have rendered perfectly functional printers useless.

HP has long been notorious for sneaky firmware updates that block third-party ink, but this time, even those obediently paying the HP tax for official toner are getting shafted. A growing number of HP support forum users report that their printers are flashing Error Code 11 and refusing to print, no matter how often they reinstall the toner or clean the contacts.

One particularly frustrated user said, "Insanely frustrating because it's my small business printer and just stopped working out of nowhere, and I even replaced the toner, which was a $60 expense."

HP has admitted that there’s a "firmware issue affecting a limited number" of devices and suggested that affected customers contact support. There is no timeline for a fix or an offer of refunds.

So far, it’s unclear how many users are affected, but if history is anything to go by, the problem is likely bigger than HP is letting on. The HP LaserJet MFP M232-M237 series was designed for small offices, home offices, and personal users. It might take such low use users time to notice they have run out of ink.