Tell me about it! I had the same problem with an Epson hanging on the network at a customer site. I downloaded the 75MB "driver" and installed it. Course the crapware comes along for the ride without even a box to indicate that you're sane and want it about like you want the plague. So I uninstall the crapware and it deletes the driver!! I didn't realize anything actually deleted drivers. The only workaround I found was to install it on another machine and share it, then configure a printer from Windows on the machine where you really want to have it (selecting the option where Windows goes and gets the driver from the share machine and installs it locally), then delete it from the other machine! What a load of crap all in an effort to try to FORCE their customers to run their spy/mal/crap/shovelware. I have noticed in the last couple years, though, more and more printer mfgrs offering a minimal "driver only" install for download. I still trust the other method more, though, to get only the driver and avoid any of the other stuff. (They may still include what they consider the absolute minimum level of crap they're willing to let you get away with otherwise.)
[ Tell me about it! I had the same problem with an Epson hanging on the network at a customer site. I downloaded the 75MB “driver” and installed it. Course the crapware comes along for the ride without even a box to indicate that you’re sane and want it about like you want the plague. So I uninstall the crapware and it deletes the driver!! I didn’t realize anything actually deleted drivers. The only workaround I found was to install it on another machine and share it, then configure a printer from Windows on the machine where you really want to have it (selecting the option where Windows goes and gets the driver from the share machine and installs it locally), then delete it from the other machine! What a load of crap all in an effort to try to FORCE their customers to run their spy/mal/crap/shovelware. I have noticed in the last couple years, though, more and more printer mfgrs offering a minimal “driver only” install for download. I still trust the other method more, though, to get only the driver and avoid any of the other stuff. (They may still include what they consider the absolute minimum level of crap they’re willing to let you get away with otherwise.) ]
If I can get the installer to extract the files then point windows to where the *.inf files are stored and use the windows driver installer to look at those files it can cut down on a LOT of the crappy shovelware.