March 2021 Security Update (KB5000802) Print Errors

Windows 10 KB5000802 (March 2021 update) has been going seriously wrong for some PC owners in the last twelve hours, with several users reporting that the botched update is causing Blue Screen of Death errors when they use printers (Kyocera and Ricoh/Lanier brands are some of the affected devices).  KB5000802 is an automatic security update, which means it has been downloaded and installed automatically for some customers by Windows.  For our MNS customers we are working currently to mitigate the effect of this update, blocking it where possible. If affected by this update Windows 10 completely crashes and throws up a Blue Screen of Death with stop error code “APC_INDEX_MISMATCH for win32kfull.sys” when attempting to print to an affected brand.  Reports of printer failures include Kyocera, Ricoh/Lanier, Zebra, and others.

How to fix win32kfull.sys BSOD after March 2021 update KB5000802

The fix for BSOD is simply rolling back to an earlier restore point on the PC or uninstall the update manually. To uninstall the update, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
2. Click on ‘View Update History’
3. Click on ‘Uninstall updates’ link.
4. Locate the update (KB5000802 and/or KB5000808) and click on ‘Uninstall’.
5. Return to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
6. Click Pause Updates
7. Restart the Computer

These updates can also be removed via an elevated Command Prompt.

1. Open a Command Prompt with Administrator rights. Click on the Start button and type “cmd”. The following will be displayed.
2. Click Run as Administrator on the right to open the Command Prompt Window. Accept the prompt to open with elevated rights and make changes to the computer.
3. In the Command Prompt enter the following command and press enter. – wusa /uninstall /kb:5000802
4. The Stand alone install will launch and remove the Update.
5. Repeat the process for the second update by entering – wusa /uninstall /kb:5000808
6. Reboot your PC when the installer has finished removing the Updates and the BSOD problem will be resolved.

We expect an update set of files will be made available by Microsoft soon. For now, removing the Updates is the best way to recover your ability to print.

For more information on the KB5000802 update, visit Microsoft’s documentation page.