Microsoft’s Fix for the ‘Microsoft – WPD – 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM – 5.2.5326.4762’ driver issue

[German]Microsoft has published a forum post in Microsoft Answers forum addressing the botched 'Microsoft – WPD – 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM – 5.2.5326.4762' driver update that affected users with connected phones or portable devices.

Microsoft has released at 03/08/2017 an optional Windows Update. It's a driver 'Microsoft – WPD – 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM – 5.2.5326.4762' for Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. This update has been automatically installed on Windows 10 machines. After installation, mobile devices (phones or other portable devices) are nor longer detected, because the driver package also changes the MTP driver (used for Media Transfer Protocol).

I've had addressed the whole thing within my blog post Windows update: Microsoft – WPD – 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM – 5.2.5326.4762, because Microsoft hasn't provided details about that Windows update.  My blog post also contains a workaround to fix the driver issue for mobile devices.

Because I'm a community moderator, I've  escalated this issue in Microsoft Answers forum. This assures, that the case will be inspected by Microsoft's support staff. 

Now Microsoft has published a post After installing a driver update "Microsoft – WPD – 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM – 5.2.5326.4762" you lose access to your connected phone or portable device in Microsoft Answers, addressing this issue.

An incorrect device driver was released for Windows 10, on March 8, 2017, that affected a small group of users with connected phones or portable devices. After installation, these devices are not detected properly by Windows 10, but are affected in no other way.

We removed the driver from Windows Update the same day, but if the driver had already installed, you may still be having this issue.

You can check if you installed it by looking in your Windows 10 update history.

From Start, choose Settings, then Update and Security, Windows Update, and then select Update History.

This driver will be listed as Microsoft – WPD – 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM – 5.2.5326.4762. If it is in the list, try the methods below to remove the driver and fix the issue.

Thank you to Communities members Seasidepc, GBorn, and others for the workaround suggestions of reinstalling previous drivers and the many posts confirming that the suggestions helped.

The workaround mentioned within the last paragraph is an indirect reference to my blog post Windows update: Microsoft – WPD – 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM – 5.2.5326.4762, Lets have a closer look at Microsoft's proposals.

Method 1: Use a System Restore Point

Of course, it's the best choice to use system restore to roll back a faulty update. This will work in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 (hopefully). Windows 10 users are facing probably trouble. While system restore shall work in Windows 10 RTM and Windows 10 Version 1511, Windows 10 Version 1607 users run into the issue I've addressed within my blog post Windows 10 Version 1607: System restore error 0x80070091 [Fix]. 

BTW: I've seen that system restore is deactivated by default in Windows 10 Insider Preview after installation. 

Method 2: Driver rollback

Well, because it's a driver update, this update can't be uninstalled via Windows Update. The only solution is a driver rollback. So the 2nd approach to fix the issue, proposed from Microsoft, is a rollback of the MTP driver. This is described within my blog post Windows 10 Version 1607: System restore error 0x80070091 [Fix].  

How to prevent a driver reinstalling?

I've proposed within my blog post Windows-Update: Microsoft – WPD – 2/22/2016 12:00:00 AM – 5.2.5326.4762 to hide this optional update in Windows 7 SP1 or Windows 8.1 in Windows Update. In Windows 10 you can use the hints given within my blog post How to block Windows 10 updates to hide this update. 

Microsoft has pulled the faulty update from Windows Update  servers, after we reported the issues with mobile devices. So this package should no more been offered to Windows systems via Windows Update. 

But, if the update has been installed, the faulty drivers are in driver cache. Each attempt in updating the MTP driver will result in a broken mobile device detection. Microsoft describes now, how to clean the driver cache from the faulty package.

1. Open an administrative command prompt window (type cmd in search box of  Windows 7, 8.1 or 10, right click the result and select context menu command Run as administrator, see also Windows 10: Open command prompt window as administrator).

2. Type pnputil.exe –e and press enter to enlist all installed driver packages.

Below is the output in command prompt window shown on my Windows 7 system (where I haven't installed the faulty update).

Now you need to detect the details of the faulty package within the command prompt window. Search for an entry like it is given in the example below:

Published name : oem42.inf
Driver package provider : Microsoft
Class : Portable Devices
Driver date and version : 02/22/2016 5.2.5326.4762
Signer name : Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility Publisher

It should be something like oem##.inf with a one or two digit number after the oem in the name, and have the Driver date and version as shown in the above example. Then enter the following command and press enter: 

pnputil.exe -d oem##.inf

where the ## is the number in the file name noted above (for instance oem62.inf). The command removes the faulty driver package from driver cache. When you disconnect and reconnect your device, it should not  reinstall the incorrect driver.

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