Epson colour 640 User Manual

Printer Basics

Printer Basics

CPD-6967

How To Order EPSON Ink and Paper

To order EPSON ink cartridges, paper and other printing media, contact your dealer
or call EPSON Accessories at [phone] (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call
[phone] for dealer referral.

Here are the EPSON media and ink cartridges you can order:

Media name Size Part number

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper Letter S041060

EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper Letter S041111

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper Letter S041062

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper Letter S041124

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film Letter S041072

EPSON Photo Paper 4 x 6 S041134

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies Letter S041064

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041054

EPSON Ink Jet Note Cards A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041147
(with envelopes)

EPSON Photo Stickers Kit A6 (includes software) S041144-KIT
EPSON Photo Stickers Refill A6 S041144

EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Letter S041153/S041155
Transfer Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Self A4 S041106
Adhesive Sheets

A4 S041059

A4 S041117

A4 S041061
Legal S041067

A4 S041126

A4 S041071
A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041107

Letter S041141
A4 S041104
Panoramic, pre-cut, 8.3 x 23.4 inches S041145

A4 S041063

8 x 10 S041122

Ink cartridge Part number

Black ink cartridge S020187
Color ink cartridge S020191

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. The information contained herein is designed only for use with this
EPSON printer. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers.

Neither SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third
parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse,
or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the U.S.)
failure to strictly comply with SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION’s operating and maintenance instructions.

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION shall not be liable for any damages or problems arising from the use of any options
or any consumable products other than those designated as Original EPSON Products or EPSON Approved Products
by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.

EPSON and EPSON Stylus are registered trademarks and Micro Piezo is a trademark of SEIKO EPSON
CORPORATION.

SoundAdvice is a service mark and PhotoEnhance and EPSON FaxAdvice are trademarks of Epson America, Inc.

General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of
their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those marks.

The ENERGY STAR emblem does not represent EPA endorsement of any product or service.

Copyright © 1998 by Epson America, Inc. 6/98

FCC Compliance Statement

For United States Users

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
interference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning
the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference
by one or more of the following measures.

■

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

■

Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

■

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which
the receiver is connected.

■

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARNING

The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will
invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels
which exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. It is the
responsibility of the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable
with this device. If this equipment has more than one interface connector, do not
leave cables connected to unused interfaces. Changes or modifications not
expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate
the equipment.

For Canadian Users

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference­Causing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement
sur le materiel brouilleur du Canada.

Contents

Contents

Introduction1

Welcome 1
About Your Documentation 2
Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips 2
System Requirements 3
Year 2000 Ready 3
ENERGY STAR Compliance 4
Important Safety Instructions 4

About Your Software

Your Creative and Internet Software Applications 6
Installing the Creative Software 7
Viewing Your Electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual 8

Opening Your Electronic Manual 8
Navigating a Manual 9

How To Print

Using the Guided Printing Exercise 10
Printing a Memo 11
Printing a Photograph 14
Selecting the Correct Media Type 19

i

Maintenance

Cleaning the Print Head 20
Using the Head Cleaning Utility 21
Using the Printer Control Panel 22
Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern 23
Replacing an Ink Cartridge 24
Removing an Empty Ink Cartridge 25
Installing the New Cartridge 26
Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge 28
Aligning the Print Head 29
Transporting the Printer 30

Problems? Need Help?

Diagnosing Problems 31
Checking the Control Panel Lights 31

ii

Running a Printer Check 33
Problems and Solutions 34
Problems Setting Up the Printer or Using the Software 34
Problems Getting Good Print Quality 36
Uninstalling Printer Software 40
Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0 Instructions 40
Windows 3.1 Instructions 40
Where To Get Help 41
EPSON Technical Support 41
Creative and Internet Software Technical Support 42

Printer Software Diskettes

Ordering Printer Software Diskettes 43
Installing the Printer Software from Diskettes 44

Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0 Instructions 44
Windows 3.1 Instructions 45

Additional Installation Instructions

Installing from the CD-ROM for Windows 3.1 46
Configuring for a Windows Network 47

Setting Up the Host System for Printer Sharing 48
Setting Up Client Systems to Share the Printer 48

Index

iii

Introduction

Introduction

Welcome

Your EPSON Stylus® COLOR 640 printer is the ideal output device for small office
or home printing. You can print anything from reports and resumes to photos and
greeting cards with great results.

The printer comes with these features:

■

Exclusive Micro Piezo™ ink jet technology for smaller, cleaner dots

■

Resolutions up to 1440 x 720 dpi

■

Four-color printing for photo quality color and sharp black text on plain
paper or a variety of special media

■

Letter, legal, envelope, card, and panoramic paper printing

■

Bonus creative and Internet software

1

About Your Documentation

To set up your printer and install its software, see the Start Here card.

This book contains instructions on:

■

running the Guided Printing Exercise with Adobe® PhotoDeluxe

■

printing on plain paper

■

printing on EPSON Photo Paper

■

accessing your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual

■

maintaining the printer

■

troubleshooting basic problems

■

obtaining printer software diskettes and installing software from them

■

installing the printer software on Windows® 3.1

■

configuring your printer for use on a network

For more details about advanced printing options or troubleshooting, see your
electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual. You’ll always have easy access to
this manual—see page 8 for instructions.

™

2

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips

Please follow these guidelines:

Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.

Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.

Notes contain important information about your printer.

Tips contain additional hints for great printing.

System Requirements

To use your printer and its software with a PC, your system should have:

■

An IBM® compatible PC with at least a 386/25 MHz (for Windows 3.1x),
486/25 MHz (for Windows 95 or Windows NT® 4.0), or 486/66 MHz (for
Windows 98) processor (Pentium® processor recommended)

■

Windows 3.1x, Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0

■

At least 16MB of RAM (32MB for Windows 3.1, 95, or 98 or 64MB for
Windows NT 4.0 recommended)

■

At least 50MB of free hard disk space for storing images
(100MB recommended)

■

VGA, Super VGA, or better display adapter and monitor

■

Double-speed CD-ROM drive (quad-speed or faster recommended)

■

A shielded, twisted-pair parallel printer cable (6 to 10 feet long) to connect
your computer to the printer; the cable must have a D-SUB, 25-pin, male
connector for your computer and a 36-pin, Centronics® compatible
connector for the printer.

Note:

If you don’t have a CD-ROM drive, you can get the printer driver
software on diskettes or download it through your modem. See page 43
for details.

Year 2000 Ready

Your EPSON printer is Year 2000 Ready. However, be sure the other parts of your
computer system are also ready for the year 2000.

3

ENERGY STAR Compliance

As an ENERGY STAR Partner, EPSON has determined that this
product meets the E

NERGY STAR guidelines for energy efficiency.

The EPA E

NERGY STAR Office Equipment program is a voluntary

partnership with the computer and office equipment industry to
promote the introduction of energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers,
fax machines, and copiers in an effort to reduce air pollution caused by power
generation.

Important Safety Instructions

Before using your printer, read the following safety instructions to make sure you
use the printer safely and effectively.

■

Always use the power button to turn the printer on or off. Never use an
external switch—such as a power strip—to turn off the printer.

■

Turn off and unplug the printer before cleaning. Clean with a damp cloth
only. Do not spill liquid on the printer.

■

Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a radiator or heating
vent.

■

Do not block or cover the openings in the printer’s cabinet or insert objects
through the slots.

4

■

Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s label.

■

Connect all equipment to properly grounded power outlets. Avoid using
outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that
regularly switch on and off.

■

Place the printer near a wall outlet where the plug can be easily unplugged.

Placez l’imprimante près d’une prise de contacte où la fiche peut être
débranchée facilement.

■

Do not let the power cord become damaged or frayed.

■

If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the total ampere
rating of the devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the
cord’s ampere rating. Also, make sure the total of all devices plugged into the
wall outlet does not exceed 15 amperes.

■

Except as specifically explained in this guide, do not attempt to service the
printer yourself.

■

Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the
following conditions:

If the power cord or plug is damaged; if liquid has entered the printer; if the
printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged; if the printer does not
operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. Adjust only
those controls that are covered by the operating instructions.

■

Do not put your hand inside the printer or touch the cartridge during printing.

■

Under normal circumstances, ink will not come out of the cartridge. If it does
get on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, flush
them immediately with water.

■

Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

■

Do not dismantle the ink cartridges or try to refill them. This could result in
damage to the print head.

■

Once you install an ink cartridge, do not open the clamp or remove the
cartridge except to replace it with a new one. The cartridge may become
unusable otherwise.

■

Install the ink cartridge immediately after you remove it from its foil package.
Leaving the cartridge unpacked for a long time before use may result in
reduced print quality.

■

Do not use an ink cartridge beyond the date printed on the cartridge carton.
For best results, use up the ink cartridges within six months of installing them.

■

Do not shake an ink cartridge; this can cause leakage.

■

Always turn the printer off using the power button. When this button is
pressed, the power light flashes briefly then goes out. Do not unplug the
printer or turn off the power to the outlet until the power light is off.

■

Before transporting the printer, make sure the print head is capped in the far
right position and the ink cartridges are in place.

5

About Your Software

About Your Software

The EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 CD-ROM includes all the software you need for
photo-quality output:

■

Your printer driver runs your printer and lets you control how your
documents look. You can’t use your printer without it.

■

The bonus software includes creative applications for creating unique
projects and special Internet offers.

■

Your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual gives you complete
information about your printer.

If you haven’t installed your printer software yet, see the Start Here card for
instructions.

Your Creative and Internet Software Applications

You can install this software from your EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 CD-ROM:

6

■

Adobe PhotoDeluxe 2.0 for editing photos and producing newsletters,
calenders, and other projects. A Guided Printing Exercise is also included

■

American Greetings® CreataCard® Special Edition™ for creating unique
greeting cards

■

Business Card, Ink. & More™ for creating professional business cards and
letterhead

■

EarthLink Network® TotalAccess™ service provider for getting on the Internet

■

Disney’s Daily BlastSM, the online service for kids

Note:

These applications are not available for Windows 3.1. Business Card,
Ink. & More, EarthLink Network TotalAccess, and Disney’s Daily Blast are
not available for Windows NT.

You also have a CD-ROM containing Broderbund® The Print Shop® Premiere Edition.

You can view your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual from the CD-ROM

®

or you can copy it to your hard drive. Adobe

Acrobat® Reader installs automatically if

it is not already on your system. See page 8 for instructions.

Installing the Creative Software

If you didn’t install the creative software when you initially set up your printer or if
you need to re-install the printer driver, you can install it by following these steps:

1. Insert your EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive.

2. Click Start, select Run, and type D:\Epson (where D is your CD-ROM drive
letter). Then click OK.

In the Main Menu, you can select from the following:

■

Install Creative Software

■

Install Internet Software (not available for Windows NT)

■

View Electronic Documentation

■

Re-install Printer Driver

You can also view the License Agreement.

3. After you make your selection from the Main Menu, you’ll see another menu
with more choices.

4. Select the item you want to install and follow the instructions on screen.

Note:

Some applications may require you to restart your system after
installation. If you need to return to the Main Menu, click Start, point
to Programs, Epson, and click EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Installer.

5. When you’re finished installing the software, click EXIT to close the EPSON

software installer.

To launch any of the creative software you installed, click Start, point to Programs,

and then select the name of the software.

7

Viewing Your Electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640

Manual

Here are some quick guidelines for viewing your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640
Manual using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Your creative and Internet software may also

include electronic manuals. Check their program folders or Help manual options to
locate these manuals.

Opening Your Electronic Manual

How you open your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual depends on your
operating system and whether the manual is on your hard disk or CD-ROM.

Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT Instructions

If you already copied the EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual to your hard disk when

you installed your printer software, click Start, point to Programs, Epson, and click
View EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual. The manual opens automatically.

If you haven’t copied the manual to your hard disk, insert your CD-ROM, then:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, Epson, and click EPSON Stylus COLOR 640
Installer.

2. At the Main Menu, select View Electronic Documentation.

8

3. At the next screen, select View Printer Manual. If you have Acrobat Reader on

your system, it opens and you can view your manual. If you don’t have

Acrobat Reader, it automatically installs on your system. Click View Printer
Manual again to view the manual. Then if you want to copy the manual to
your hard drive, click Copy Printer Manual to Hard Drive.

Note:

You must view the manual from the CD-ROM before copying it in order to
install Acrobat Reader on your hard disk.

Windows 3.1 Instructions

If you don’t have Acrobat Reader, you must install it from the CD-ROM to view your

electronic printer manual. Open the Program Manager File menu and select Run.
Type D:\ACROREAD\16BIT\ACRO16.EXE (where D is your CD-ROM drive letter).

To copy the electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual from your CD-ROM to

your hard disk, use the Windows File Manager. Open the D:\MANUAL directory
(where D is your CD-ROM drive letter) and locate the 640DOC.PDF file. Copy the

file to a directory on your hard disk.

When you’re ready to view the manual, either:

■

Open File Manager and double-click the 640DOC.PDF file

■

Start Acrobat Reader, open the File menu, click Open and select the
640DOC.PDF file.

Navigating a Manual

When you open an electronic manual, you’ll see this toolbar:

Previous Page

First Page

Show Bookmarks and Page

Next Page

Last Page

With Acrobat Reader, you have several ways to navigate through text:

■

Click on hot topics, which are usually underlined or displayed in a different
color. To find out if a topic is hot, move your cursor over it. If the cursor
turns into a pointing hand, the topic is hot—you can jump to it by clicking
once.

■

Use the bookmark section on the left side of the screen to move quickly to

the topic of your choice. Click the Show Bookmarks icon on the

toolbar to see the bookmark section, if the manual has bookmarks. Some
manuals only have a table of contents, but you can also use this to navigate
the manual if the topics are hot.

■

Use the arrow buttons in the toolbar or the vertical scroll bar on the right
side of the document to move through a manual. (The box to the left of the
scroll bar displays the current page number.)

If you need more information, see your Acrobat Reader online guide.

9

How To Print

How To Print

This chapter includes a guided printing exercise and basic steps for printing. For
instructions on printing on special media such as EPSON’s Photo Quality Glossy
Film or envelopes, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual. You’ll
also find instructions for using custom software settings to fine-tune your printouts.

Using the Guided Printing Exercise

For a quick lesson in printing, run EPSON’s Guided Printing Exercise in Adobe
PhotoDeluxe.

Note:

If you haven’t installed Adobe PhotoDeluxe yet, you can install it now by
following the steps on page 7.

Follow these steps to launch the Guided Printing Exercise:

10

1. Click Start, point to Programs, Adobe, PhotoDeluxe 2.0, and then click Run
Guided Printing Exercise.

2. When you see “Would you like to print a high-quality color image with your

new printer?” window, click YES to continue with the exercise.

3. Follow the instructions on screen. For each step in the exercise, a window
appears next to the menu or dialog box with an explanation of what to
select.

After you’ve completed all the steps, a color image will be printed.

If you want to exit the exercise before completing all the steps, click Cancel (you
may need to click Cancel more than once, depending on which step you’re on).

Printing a Memo

Here are the basic steps for printing a document on letter size paper, for example if
you want to print a memo or resume. For details on advanced print settings, see
your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual.

1. Make sure your printer and computer are turned on.

2. Fan your stack of paper, then load it with the printable side up. Make sure it
is against the right edge guide. Then slide the left edge guide against the
paper’s left edge. If you are using letterhead or preprinted paper be sure the
top of the paper feeds into the printer first.

right edge

guide
don’t load paper
above this mark

3. Open your application and select a document to print.

4. From the File menu, click Print. You see a Print dialog box, similar to the

one below.

Make sure your printer
is selected here

If you see a
Properties
button, click it

If you see
Setup, Printer,
or Options, click
that button
instead

11

5. Make sure your EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 printer is selected.

6. If your application’s Print dialog box contains a Properties button, click it

and go to step 7.

If you see a Setup, Printer, or Options button, click it. You see another
dialog box that contains the Properties button. Click it and go to step 7.
(In Windows 3.1, you won’t see a Properties button; just click Setup, Printer,
or Options until you see the window shown in step 7.)

7. You see your printer settings dialog box. If necessary, click the Main tab to

display the basic settings shown below.

Media Type setting

Automatic mode
setting

8. Check the following settings:

■

Make sure Media Type is set to Plain paper. (If you’re using a different

type of paper, select a corresponding Media Type; see “Selecting the
Correct Media Type” on page 19.)

■

Set the Ink to Color if your document has colored text or pictures. If
not, set the Ink to Black.

■

Set the Mode option to Automatic. This is the easiest way to get good

results for all kinds of documents, on all types of paper; the printer
software optimizes the other settings according to the media type and
ink settings you make.

Ink setting

Quality/Speed
slider

12

■

Move the Quality/Speed slider to the Quality setting. This selects the

highest quality available for the paper you’re using. If you’re in a hurry,

select Speed. (The slider is not available for some media types.)

9. Click the Paper tab at the top of the dialog box if you need to change the

paper size, number of copies, or page orientation.

10. Click OK until you see the Print dialog box again.

11. Click OK to start printing. After a moment, the Progress Meter (Despooler in

Windows 3.1) will appear and show the progress of your print job. You can
cancel , pause , or restart your print job as necessary.

Progress Meter

(Windows 95, 98, NT)

Despooler

(Windows 3.1)

13

Printing a Photograph

Here are the basic steps to print a photograph. For more details on advanced
settings, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual.

1. Make sure your printer and computer are turned on.

2. Make sure your paper is against the right edge guide and that the left edge
guide is snug against the left paper edge. The printable (whiter) side of the
paper should be face up.

14

EPSON Photo Paper, Letter siz e

EPSON Photo Paper, 4 x 6 inches

3. Open your application and select your image to print.

4. From the File menu, click Print. You see a Print dialog box, similar to the

one below.

Make
sure your
printer is
selected
here

If you see a
Properties
button, click it

If you see
Setup, Printer,
or Options, click
that button
instead

5. Make sure your EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 printer is selected.

6. If your application’s Print dialog box contains a Proper ties button, click it

and go to step 7.

If you see a Setup, Printer, or Options button, click it. You see another

dialog box that contains the Properties button. Click it and go to step 7. (In

Windows 3.1, you won’t see a Properties button; just click Setup, Printer, or
Options until you see the window shown in step 7.)

7. You see the dialog box for your printer software. If necessary, click the

Main tab to display the basic settings shown below.

Media T ype setting

Custom

Ink setting

Select your
predefined
custom setting
here

15

8. Change the Media Type to Photo Paper. (If you are using a different type of

paper, see “Selecting the Correct Media Type” on page 19.)

9. Set the Mode option to Automatic. The printer software automatically
analyzes your image data and selects the correct settings.

If you’d rather select the settings yourself, click the Custom button
(Advanced in Windows 3.1) and at the drop-down menu, select

PhotoEnhance3 (if your image was captured using video or a scanner) or
Digital Camera (if your image was taken with a digital camera). If you’re

using Windows 3.1, select Digital Camera.
For more fine-tuning, click the Advanced button (More Settings in

Windows 3.1). The Advanced (or More Settings) print dialog box appears:

16

■

You can change the Print Quality, depending on the media type you
selected.

■

In the Tone box, you can select Normal for standard tones, Hard for high
contrast, or Sepia for an old-fashioned look.

10. Click OK to apply these settings and return to the Main menu.

11. Click the Paper tab to change the paper size, number of copies to print, or
page orientation. If you loaded EPSON 4 x 6 inch Photo Paper, change the
paper size to Photo Paper 4 x 6 in.

12. Click the Layout tab (not available in Windows 3.1) if you want to change

the size of your image (for example, if it is too large to fit on your paper),
print multiple pages on one sheet, or add a watermark.

17

13. Click OK to close the printer software and return to your application’s Print

dialog box.

14. Click OK to start printing. After a moment, the Progress Meter (Despooler in

Windows 3.1) will appear and show the progress of your print job. You can
cancel , pause , or restart your print job as necessary.

18

Progress Meter

(Windows 95, 98, NT)

Despooler

(Windows 3.1)

Selecting the Correct Media Type

Follow the guidelines in this table when selecting the Media Type setting for your
paper. There are more detailed media loading guidelines in your electronic EPSON
Stylus COLOR 640 Manual.

Select this Media Type setting in your

For this media name... printer software...

Plain paper Plain paper
Envelopes
Labels (single sheets)
EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper
EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper
EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper
EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper
EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards
EPSON Ink Jet Note Cards
EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets
EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper Photo Paper
EPSON Photo Paper
EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film
EPSON Photo Stickers
EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies Ink Jet Transparencies
EPSON Iron-On Transfer Paper

1

1

2

Photo Quality Glossy Film

1

Use the Flip Horizontal option to reverse your image before you print
it—especially if it includes text—so the image will appear correctly when it’s
transferred.

2

For best results, load EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film one sheet at a time.

Caution:

Don’t use the cleaning sheets that may be included with your special
media; they may damage the printer.

19

Maintenance

Maintenance

Cleaning the Print Head

Caution:

Don’t use the cleaning sheets that may be included with your special
media; they may damage the printer.

If your printed image is unexpectedly light or faint, or dots are missing from the image,
you may need to clean the print head. This unclogs the print head nozzles so they can
deliver ink properly.

Cleaning the print head uses ink, so clean it only if print quality declines. You can use
either of the following to clean the print head:

■

The Head Cleaning utility in your printer software

■

The printer’s control panel buttons

Note:

To use the Head Cleaning utility, your printer must be connected to a
local port, not on a network.

20

Do not clean the print head while printing is in progress; otherwise your
printout may be marred.

Using the Head Cleaning Utility

Follow these steps to run the utility:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and that the black and
color ink out lights are off. If either ink out light is on, you must replace
the ink cartridge before cleaning the print head.

2. For Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0:

Click Start, point to Settings, and then select Printers. Right-click the
EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 icon in the Printers window. Select Properties
(Document Defaults in Windows NT).

For Windows 3.1:

Double-click the Control Panel icon in the Main group. Double-click the
Printers icon. Select EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 from the list of installed
printers and click Setup.

3. Click the Utility tab. You see the Utility menu:

4. Click the Head Cleaning button.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to run the
head cleaning utility. Cleaning takes about one
minute, during which the printer makes some
noise and the power light flashes.

When the cleaning cycle is finished (the power
light stops flashing), you need to run a nozzle
check to confirm that the print head nozzles are
clean and to reset the printer’s cleaning cycle.

Caution:

Never turn off the printer while the power light is flashing, unless the
printer hasn’t moved or made any noise for more than 5 minutes.

21

6. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer and click Print nozzle check
pattern. Then click Next. The nozzle check pattern prints on your printer;

see page 23 for instructions on examining the nozzle check pattern.

7. If your print quality has improved, click Finish.
If your print quality has not improved, click Clean to run another cleaning

cycle. If you don’t notice any improvement after doing this three or four
times, check the print quality solutions on page 36.

Using the Printer Control Panel

Follow these steps to clean the print head:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and that the black and
color ink out lights are off. If either ink out light is on, you must replace
the ink cartridge before cleaning the print head.

2. Press the

Cleaning takes about one minute, during which the printer makes some
noise and the power light flashes.

After the cleaning cycle is complete and the
you need to confirm that the print head nozzles are clean and reset the
printer’s cleaning cycle. You can do this by printing a page. You can also
run the nozzle check utility; see the previous section.

3. If your print quality has not improved, run another cleaning cycle. If you
don’t notice any improvement after doing this three or four times, check the
print quality solutions on page 36.

cleaning button and hold it down for three seconds.

power light stops flashing,

Caution:

Never turn off the printer while the power light is flashing, unless the
printer hasn’t moved or made any noise for more than 5 minutes.

22

Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern

Examine the nozzle check pattern after printing it. It should look something like
this:

Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no
gaps in the dot pattern. If your printout looks okay, you’re done. If any dots are
missing, as shown below, clean the print head again.

missing dots

23

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

When a black or color ink out light flashes, the indicated cartridge is low on
ink. This is a good time to make sure you have a new cartridge. When the light stays
on, the cartridge is empty and you need to replace it. You cannot print if either ink
cartridge is empty.

You can also check your ink levels using Status Monitor 2 (not available for
Windows 3.1). See your EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual for details.

Note:

If you need to replace an ink cartridge before the lights flash (because
the ink is too old, for example) follow the instructions on page 28.

Use these EPSON ink cartridges within six months of installing them and before the
expiration date on the package:

■

Black ink cartridge: S020187

■

Color ink cartridge: S020191

When you need new ink cartridges, contact your dealer or call EPSON Accessories at
[phone] (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call [phone] for dealer
referral.

24

Caution:

To ensure good results, use genuine EPSON cartridges and do not refill
them. Other products may cause damage to your printer not covered by
EPSON’s warranty.

Removing an Empty Ink Cartridge

You can replace a cartridge when the black or color ink out light is either
flashing or on.

Note:

If you press the cleaning button when neither ink out light is flashing
or on, the printer cleans the print head as described on page 22.

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing.

2. Lower the output tray and raise the printer cover.

3. Press the

The print head moves slightly to the left and the
flashing.

4. Pull up the ink cartridge clamp. The cartridge rises up from its holder.
(Although the illustration shows the color ink cartridge, the procedure is the
same for replacing the black ink cartridge.)

cleaning button and hold it for three seconds.

power light begins

Caution:

To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by hand.
Don’t open the clamp or remove a cartridge except to replace it with a
new one. Once you remove a cartridge, you can’t reuse it. Even if the
cartridge contains ink, reusing it may damage the print head.

5. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it carefully.

6. Follow the steps in the next section to install the new ink cartridge.

25

Installing the New Cartridge

Once you have removed the empty cartridge, you’re ready to install the new one.
Follow these steps:

1. Remove the new ink cartridge from its package.

2. Remove only the yellow part of the tape seal on the top of the cartridge. Do
not remove the blue part. (It’s okay if a bit of the yellow tape does not tear
off.)

black cartridge

Caution:

You must remove the yellow tape seal from the top of the cartridge or
you will permanently damage it. Do not remove the clear seal from the
bottom of the cartridge; ink will leak.

3. Lower the ink cartridge into its holder with the label facing up and toward
the back of the printer.

color cartridge

26

4. Press down the ink cartridge clamp until it locks in place.

Warning:

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If
ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

5. If you need to replace the other ink cartridge, remove it as described
in “Removing an Empty Ink Cartridge” on page 25. Then follow
steps 1 through 4 in this section.

6. Press the

The printer moves the print head and begins charging the ink delivery
system.

The
takes about one minute. When it’s finished, you can print again.

power light flashes and the printer makes various sounds. Charging

cleaning button and close the printer cover.

Caution:

Never turn off the printer while the power light is flashing, unless the
printer hasn’t moved or made any noise for more than 5 minutes.

27

Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge

If an ink cartridge is more than six months old, you may need to replace it. If your
printouts don’t look as good as they used to and print quality doesn’t improve after
cleaning and aligning the print head, try replacing one or both cartridges.

Follow these steps to replace an ink cartridge before the
light is flashing or on:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing.

2. Lower the output tray and raise the printer cover.

3. Press the
print head moves to the left. Never move the print head by hand.

4. Pull up the ink cartridge clamp. The cartridge rises up from its holder.

5. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it carefully.

6. Remove the new ink cartridge from its package. Remove only the yellow
part of the tape seal on the top of the cartridge. Do not remove the blue
part. (It’s okay if a bit of the yellow tape stays on.)

load/eject button and hold it down for a few seconds until the

Warning:

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If
ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

Caution:

You must remove the yellow tape seal from the top of the cartridge or
you will permanently damage it.

black or color ink out

28

7. Lower the ink cartridge into its holder with the label facing up and toward
the back of the printer.

8. Press down the ink cartridge clamp until it locks in place.

9. Press the load/eject button and close the printer cover. The printer moves
the print head and begins charging the ink delivery system. The
power light flashes and the printer makes various sounds. Never turn off
the printer while the power light is flashing, unless the printer hasn’t
moved or made any noise for more than 5 minutes. Charging takes about
one minute. When it’s finished, you can print again.

Aligning the Print Head

For best results, use EPSON ink jet paper whenever you check the print
head alignment.

If your printouts contain vertical banding or jagged vertical lines, you may need to
align the print head. To use the print head alignment utility, your printer must be
connected to a local port, not through a network. Follow these steps:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and paper is loaded.

2. For Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0:

Click Start, point to Settings, and then select Printers. Right-click the
EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 icon in the Printers window. Select Properties
(Document Defaults in Windows NT).

For Windows 3.1:

Double-click the Control Panel icon in the Main group. Double-click the
Printers icon. Select EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 from the list of installed
printers and click Setup.

3. Click the Utility tab. You see the Utility menu:

4. Click the Print Head Alignment button.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to print a test page and select the
correct alignment.

29

Transporting the Printer

If you want to move your printer, you need to prepare it for transportation and
repack it in the original box. Follow these steps:

1. Turn on the printer and wait until the print head locks in the far right
position. Then turn off the printer.

Caution:

To avoid damage, always leave the ink cartridges installed when
transporting the printer.

2. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet. Then disconnect the
printer cable from the printer.

3. Remove any paper from the sheet feeder and remove the paper support.

4. Push in the output tray extensions and close the tray.

5. Repack the printer and attachments in the original box using the protective
materials that came with it. See the Unpacking Sheet that was packed with
the printer.

Be sure to keep the printer level as you transport it. If you notice a decline in print
quality after transporting the printer, clean the print head; if output is misaligned,
align the print head.

30

Problems? Need Help?

Problems? Need Help?

This section gives you the basics for diagnosing and solving printer problems. First
see “Diagnosing Problems” to help determine what the problem may be. Then see
“Problems and Solutions” on page 34 for solutions to common setup and software
problems.

There are additional troubleshooting tips in the “Troubleshooting” section of your
electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual. If none of the suggested solutions
solve your problem, contact your EPSON dealer or see “Where To Get Help” on
page 41.

Diagnosing Problems

You can diagnose some problems by checking the printer’s control panel lights, as
described in the next section. It may also be helpful to try running a printer
operation check; see page 33 for instructions.

Checking the Control Panel Lights

black ink
out light

color ink
out light

paper out
light

load/eject
button

cleaning
button

power light

power
button

31

The four lights on your printer’s control panel show the printer’s status and alert
you to problems like paper jams.

The power light is on when the printer is on and ready to print.
The power light

maintenance operation such as cleaning a print head.

flashes

when the printer is receiving a print job or performing a

or

When the paper out light
Make sure none of the sheets are curled, creased, old, stuck together , or too thin.
Reload the paper, making sure it is placed against the right edge guide and the
left edge guide is slid over to the paper’s left edge. Then press the load/eject
button.

When the
printer and gently pull out all paper. Make sure none of the sheets are curled,
creased, old, stuck together, or too thin. Reload the stack, making sure it is
placed against the right edge guide and the left edge guide is slid over to the
paper’s left edge. Then turn the printer back on.

When an ink out light
replacement cartridge.

When an ink out light
page 24 for instructions.

When the
lights
off the printer by pressing the
again. If no paper ejects, turn off the printer, remove the jammed paper, and turn
the printer on again. If this does not clear the error condition, contact EPSON as
described on page 41.

When all the lights
printer by pressing the
this does not clear the error condition, contact EPSON as described on page 41.

When all the lights are

■

■

■

paper out light

power and paper out lights

come on

, jammed paper may be blocking movement of the print head. Turn

flash

Make sure the printer is turned on.
Tur n off the printer, plug in the power cord securely, and turn the pr inter

on.
Make sure the outlet is not controlled by a switch or timer and is operable.

comes on

flashes

flashes

, your ink supply is low. Mak e sure you have a

comes on

, your printer may have an internal error. Turn off the

power button, wait 15 seconds, then turn it on again. If

off

, the printer is not receiving power. Try these solutions:

, your paper ran out or is incorrectly loaded.

, paper is jammed in the printer. Turn off the

, you need to replace the ink cartridge. See

flash

and the black or color ink out

power button, wait 15 seconds, then turn it on

32

Running a Printer Check

You can run a printer check to determine whether the problem comes from the
printer itself or some other source.

■

If the results are satisfactory, the problem lies in software settings, the
interface cable, or your computer.

■

If the printer check does not print correctly, there is a problem with your
printer. See the suggestions in “Problems and Solutions” on page 34 for more
information.

Follow these steps to check the printer:

1. Make sure both the printer and computer are turned off.

2. Disconnect the interface cable from the printer.

3. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer.

4. Hold down the
down both buttons until the

load/eject button and press the power button. Hold

power light starts to flash. Then release

them.

The printer prints one page containing the printer’s ROM version, ink
counter code, character table number, and a nozzle check pattern. Only the
nozzle check pattern is shown below:

5. After it prints the page, turn off the printer. Remember to reconnect the
interface cable, and turn on the printer and your computer.

6. Compare the quality of the printed nozzle check pattern with the sample
above. In particular, look for missing segments in the lines, which may
indicate a misaligned print head or clogged ink nozzle.

missing dots

33

Problems and Solutions

Here are some basic troubleshooting tips if you have any problems setting up your
printer or printing. You can also turn to “Troubleshooting,” in your electronic
manual or look in your printer software online help.

Problems Setting Up the Printer or Using the Software

If you installed the ink
cartridges and the printer
started making noise . . .

■

The first time you install ink
cartridges, the printer must
charge its state-of-the-art ink
delivery system. Charging
can take a few minutes.
Please wait until charging is
finished before you turn off
the printer. If you turn off
the printer while it is
charging, it will begin
charging the system again
and use more ink than
necessary.

■

Make sure the ink cartridge
clamps are locked down
completely and that no
packing material remains in
the printer.

If your printer makes noise
when you turn it on or after
it has been sitting for a
while . . .

If you’re having problems
installing your printer
software . . .

■

Carefully follow the
instructions for installing
the printer software on
the Start Here card.

■

If you see a screen telling
you that new hardware is
found in Windows 95 or

Windows 98, click Cancel.

You can’t install your
printer software that way.

■

Make sure your printer is
turned on and the printer
cable is securely connected
to the printer and
computer.

■

Make sure you’ve closed
all other applications,
including any screen savers.
Then try installing the
software again.

34

■

Your printer is performing
routine maintenance.

If you need help with the
creative software on your
CD-ROM . . .

■

For installation instructions,
see the Start Here card or
page 7.

■

For assistance using the
creative or Internet
software, contact the
company that produced it.
For contact information, see
page 42.

If you can’t see EPSON Status
Monitor 2 . . .

■

Status Monitor 2 is not
available for Windows 3.1.
If you’re using Windows 95,
Windows 98, or Windows NT

4.0, make sure you installed
Status Monitor 2. If you
didn’t, uninstall your printer
software, then reinstall it,
making sure you choose to
install the Status Monitor
when prompted. (See
page 40 for instructions on
uninstalling your printer
software). If you installed
Status Monitor 2, make
sure background monitoring
is turned on. See your

EPSON Stylus COLOR 640
Manual for details on Status

Monitor 2.

35

Problems Getting Good Print Quality

If your printout has
horizontal banding . . .

■

Clean the print head
(see page 20).

■

Make sure the Media Type
setting matches the paper
you loaded (see page 19).

■

Make sure the printable side
of the paper is face up. The
printable side of ink jet
paper is usually whiter.

■

Make sure the ink cartridges
aren’t low on ink. If either
ink out light is flashing,
replace the ink cartridge
(see page 24). If your ink
cartridge is more than six
months old, you may need to
replace it (see page 28).

■

Try using Automatic mode.

If your printout has vertical
banding . . .

■

Clean the print head
(see page 20).

■

Run the Print Head Alignment
utility (see page 29).

■

Set the thickness lever to
the 0 position.

36

■

Set the thickness lever to
the 0 position.

If your printout is blurry or
smeared . . .

■

Check the thickness lever
position. If it’s in the
+ position, your printer is
set for thicker paper or
envelopes and your image
may smear. For most papers,
set the thickness lever to the
0 position.

■

Make sure your paper isn’t
damp or loaded face down
(the printable side should be
loaded face up). If it’s damp,
reload a new stack of paper.

■

Use a support sheet with
special media or try loading
your media one sheet at a
time.

■

Make sure your paper
or media meets the
specifications listed in your
electronic EPSON Stylus

COLOR 640 Manual.

■

Run the Print Head Alignment
utility (see page 29).

37

If your printout is faint or
has gaps in the image . . .

■

Clean the print head
(see page 20).

■

Make sure your paper isn’t
damaged, old, dirty, or
loaded face down (the
printable surface should be
loaded face up). If it is,
reload a new stack of paper
with the printable (whiter)
side up.

If your printout contains
incorrect colors or some of
the colors are missing . . .

■

Make sure the Ink setting is

set to Color for color images.

■

Clean the print head
(see page 20).

■

Make sure the ink cartridges
aren’t low on ink. If an ink
out light is flashing, replace
the ink cartridge (see
page 24). If your ink
cartridge is more than six
months old, you may need to
replace it (see page 28).

■

Use the Automatic mode

setting or choose a different
custom project type.

■

Remember that because your
monitor and printer use
different technologies to
represent colors, your
printed colors cannot
exactly match the colors you
see on your monitor screen.

38

If your printout is grainy . . .

■

Try using a higher quality
paper.

■

Run the Print Head Alignment
utility (see page 29).

■

If you are printing a
photograph, you may need to
increase the photograph’s
resolution or print it in a
smaller size.

■

Change the Quality/Speed

slider setting to Quality in

your printer software.

If your printout contains
incorrect characters . . .

■

Make sure you’re using an
IEEE-1284 compliant printer
cable.

■

Your printer cable may not
be securely connected.
Check that the cable is
locked firmly in place at
both ends to ensure proper
communication between
your printer and computer.
After adjusting the cable, try
printing from an application
again.

■

Your printer may not be
selected as the Windows
default printer. For
instructions on selecting
the Windows default printer,
see your Windows
documentation or Windows
online help.

39

Uninstalling Printer Software

If you need to uninstall and then reinstall your printer software, follow the steps in
this section.

Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0 Instructions

Caution:

If you uninstall and then reinstall the printer software in Windows 95,
98, or NT, you must also uninstall and then reinstall Status Monitor 2 so
it can recognize your printer.

1. Double-click the My Computer icon, then double-click the Control Panel

icon.

2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.

3. To uninstall the printer software, select EPSON Pr inter Software in the
program list. Click the Add/Remove button. Select the EPSON Stylus
COLOR 640 printer icon and click OK. Follow the instructions on the

screen.

4. To uninstall Status Monitor 2, select EPSON Status Monitor 2 in the
program list. Click the Add/Remove button. Follow the instructions on the

screen. (Status Monitor 2 background monitoring must be turned off before
removing Status Monitor 2. See your electronic manual for instructions).

40

5. Restart your computer.

6. To reinstall your software, see the Start Here card or page 7.

Windows 3.1 Instructions

1. Double-click the Main program group icon, then double-click the Control
Panel icon.

2. Double-click Printers.

3. Select EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 in the Installed Printers list and click the
Remove button.

4. To reinstall your software, see page 46.

Where To Get Help

If you need help with your printer or its software, see the contact information
below. For help with any of the creative or Internet applications on the EPSON
CD-ROM, see page 42 for contact information.

EPSON Technical Support

EPSON provides technical assistance through electronic support services and
automated telephone services 24 hours a day, as listed below:

Electronic support services

Service Access

World Wide Web From the Internet, you can reach EPSON’s Home Page at

http:/ /www.epson.com.

EPSON Internet If you have Internet FTP capability, use your Web browser (or other
FTP Site

EPSON Download You can call the EPSON Download Service at [phone]. Set
Service

EPSON Forum on Members of CompuServe can type GO EPSON at the menu prompt to
CompuServe

®

software for FTP downloading) to log onto ftp.epson.com with the user
name anonymous and your e-mail address as the password.

your communications software to 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity.
Modem speed can be up to 28.8 Kbps.

reach the Epson America Forum. For a free introductory CompuServe
membership, call [phone] and ask for representative #529.

Automated telephone services

Service Access

EPSON SoundAdvice

EPSON FaxAdvice™ Access EPSON’s technical information library by calling

EPSON Referral Service For the location of your nearest Authorized EPSON Reseller or

SM

For pre-recorded answers to commonly asked questions about
EPSON products 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call

[phone].

[phone]. You must provide a return fax number to use this

service.

Customer Care Center, call [phone].

41

Note:

If you need help using other manufacturers’ software with an EPSON
product, see the documentation for that software for technical support
information.

To speak to a technical support representative, dial [phone] (U.S.) or
[phone] (Canada), 6 AM to 8 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday and
7 AM to 4 PM, Saturday. Toll or long distance charges may apply.

Before you call, please have the following information ready:

■

Product name (EPSON Stylus COLOR 640)

■

Product serial number (located on the back of the printer)

■

Computer configuration

■

Description of the problem

You can purchase ink cartridges, paper, manuals, and accessories from EPSON
Accessories at [phone] (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call [phone]
for dealer referral.

Creative and Internet Software Technical Support

If you need help with any of the creative or Internet software on the CD-ROM, please
contact the manufacturer, as listed below:

42

Software Telephone Fax Online and E-mail

Adobe [phone] [phone] www.adobe.com
PhotoDeluxe 2.0 (fax-on-demand

system)

American Greetings [phone] — www.mgxsupport.com
CreataCard Special ($2.00 per minute)
Edition M – F, 7

Business Card, Ink. [phone] [phone] www .dogb yte.com
& More [e-mail]

EarthLink Network [phone] — www.earthlink.net
TotalAccess

Disney’s Daily Blast [phone] — www.disneyblast.com

7 days 8AM – 11PM EST [e-mail]

The Print Shop [phone] — www.broderbund.com/support
Premier Edition

AM – 5PM CST

Printer Software Diskettes

Printer Software Diskettes

Ordering Printer Software Diskettes

Note:

Only the printer driver software is available on diskette. The creative
software is available only on the EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 CD-ROM.

You can order printer driver software diskettes from EPSON by phone or fax for
$9.95 shipping and handling (plus tax where applicable), or you can download the
printer driver files. When you’re ready to install your printer software, see page 44.

Download:

■

EPSON Web Page: Point your browser to http://www.epson.com/connects
and select File Downloads (FTP)

■

EPSON Internet FTP Site: Log on to ftp.epson.com with the user name
anonymous and your e-mail address as the password

■

Epson America Forum on CompuServe: Click on Ser vices. . . Go, then type
EPSONFOR in the dialog box

■

EPSON Download Service: Set your modem’s communications software to
8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity, and a maximum speed of 28.8 Kbps. Then

dial the EPSON BBS at [phone].

If you need downloading instructions, call EPSON’s FaxAdvice service at
[phone] and request document #1220; be sure to supply a return fax
number.

43

Fax: Send the following information by fax to EPSON at [phone]:

■

Name and Company name
Street address (no P.O. boxes please)
City, State and ZIP code

■

Daytime telephone number

■

Payment method (VISA, MasterCard, or American Express)
Card number and expiration date
Be sure to sign your fax; it is required for the credit card purchase

■

Printer name (EPSON Stylus COLOR 640)

■

Operating system (Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 3.1, or
Windows NT 4.0)

Phone: Call [phone] from 6 am to 6 pm Pacific time, Monday through Friday.

Installing the Printer Software from Diskettes

Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0 Instructions

1. Make sure your printer is connected to the computer and that both are
turned off.

44

2. Turn on your computer, but leave your printer turned off. Do not turn your
printer back on until you have completed the software installation.

Make sure Windows is running (you should see the Windows Desktop icons).

3. Insert the EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 diskette 1.

4. Click Start, select Run, and type A:\Setup (where A is the drive letter of your
diskette drive). Then click OK.

5. Follow the instructions on screen to install the software. Your printer driver
software is installed first. Then you will be prompted to install Status
Monitor 2.

6. After the software installation is complete, turn on your printer.

IMPORTANT:

After you turn on your printer, you may see a screen telling you that
Windows has detected your printer and asking you to install a driver
diskette. If you see this screen, ALWAYS select Cancel. Your software is
already installed.

Your printer software icons appear in the EPSON folder and an icon for your
printer appears in the Printers folder. The EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 printer
is set as your default Windows printer.

7. Now you can start to print! See page 10 for instructions.

Windows 3.1 Instructions

1. Make sure your printer is connected to the computer and your computer
is turned on.

2. Make sure Windows Program Manager is running. Exit any open
applications.

3. Insert the EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 diskette 1.

4. From the Program Manager File menu, select Run.

5. Type A:\SETUP (where A is the drive letter of your diskette drive) and
click OK.

6. Follow the instructions on screen to install the software.

Your printer software icons appear in the EPSON program group and the
EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 printer is set as your default Windows printer.

7. Now you can start to print! See page 10 for instructions.

45

Additional Installation Instructions

Additional Installation Instructions

If the Start Here card referred you to Printer Basics for installation instructions, see
the section below that applies.

Installing from the CD-ROM for Windows 3.1

If you need to install the printer software from the CD-ROM and you are using
Windows 3.1, follow the steps below.

Note:

The creative and Internet software is not available for Windows 3.1.

1. Make sure your printer is connected to the computer and both are
turned on.

2. Make sure Windows Program Manager is running. Exit any open applications.

3. Insert the EPSON software CD-ROM.

46

4. From the Program Manager File menu, select Run.

5. Type D:\EPSON (where D is your CD-ROM drive letter) and click OK.

6. Read the Software License Agreement and then click Agree to continue with

the installation.

7. Follow the instructions on screen to install the software. Your printer
software icons appear in the EPSON program group and the EPSON Stylus
COLOR 640 is set as your default Windows printer.

If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer, you can view the electronic
EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual on your CD-ROM. Start Acrobat Reader and

open the 640DOC.PDF file in the D:\Manual directory on your CD-ROM. If you do

not have Acrobat Reader, see page 8 for installation instructions.

After you finish installing your software, you can start to print! See page 10 for more
information.

Configuring for a Windows Network

If your computer is on a Windows 95 or Window 98 network and you want other
users to share the printer connected to it, you need to:

1. Set up the system connected to the printer (host system) so the printer can
be shared.

2. Define a path to the printer on each client computer.

Before following the steps here, make sure you’ve installed the printer software on
all the computers that will use the printer. See the Start Here card for instructions.

Note:

If you’re using your printer on a Windows NT 4.0 network, see your
network administrator or your Windows NT documentation for
instructions on configuring your printer for the network.

Setting Up the Host System for Printer Sharing

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and select Control Panel.

2. Double-click Network, then click the File and Print Sharing button.

3. Click the I want to be able to allow others to print to my printer(s)
checkbox and click OK.

4. In the Network window, click OK.

5. In the Control Panel, double-click Printers. Right-click the EPSON Stylus
COLOR 640 icon, then click Sharing.

6. Click the Share As button. Then enter a Share Name, Comment, and
Password as necessary and click OK.

7. Restart your system so the settings take effect.

47

Setting Up Client Systems to Share the Printer

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and select Printers.

2. Right-click the EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 icon and choose Properties.

3. Click the Details tab. You see the following dialog box:

Click Add Port,
then specify
the network
path in the
dialog box that
appears

4. Click the Add Port button, then click Browse to specify the network path to

the printer.

48

5. Click OK to return to the Details dialog box, then click OK to save your

settings and exit.

Index

Index

A

Accessories, 24, 42
Adobe Acrobat Reader, 8 to 9
Advanced settings, 16
Aligning print head, 29
Automatic mode, 12

B

Banding, 36
Blurry printouts, 37

C

Cable, printer, 3, 33, 39
Cards, EPSON Ink Jet, 19
Cleaning print head, 20 to 23
Cleaning sheets, 19, 20
Color, missing or incorrect, 38
CompuServe, 41
Control panel

cleaning print head, 22

lights and buttons, 31 to 32
Creative software, 6 to 7, 42
Custom settings, 15 to 16

D

Diagnosing problems, 31 to 33
Documentation, how to use, 2

E

Electronic manual, 8 to 9
ENERGY STA R, 4
Envelopes, 19
EPSON

Accessories, 24, 42
Customer Care Centers, 41
help, 41 to 42
media, 19

EPSON Stylus COLOR 640 Manual, 8

F

Flip Horizontal setting, 19

G

Grainy printouts, 39
Guided Printing Exercise, 10

H

Head Cleaning utility, 20 to 22
Help

creative software, 42
EPSON, 41 to 42

High Quality Ink Jet Paper, 19

49

I

Incorrect color in printout, 38
Ink cartridge

outdated, 28

replacing, 24 to 28
Ink jet paper, 19
Installation instructions, diskettes, 44 to 45
Iron-On Transfer Papers, 19

J

Jammed paper, 32

L

Labels, 19
Lights, control panel, 31 to 32
Loading

paper, 11

Photo Paper, 14

M

Media Type setting, 19
Memo, printing, 11 to 13
Missing colors in printout, 38
Moving printer, 30

N

Network, configuring for, 47
Nozzle Check

pattern, 23, 33

utility, 21 to 23

P

Paper

jams, 32

loading, 11, 14
Photo Quality paper, EPSON, 19
Photograph, printing, 14 to 18
Plain paper, 12, 19
Preprinted paper, loading, 11
Print head

aligning, 29

cleaning, 20 to 23
Print quality problems, 36 to 39
Printer

cable, 3, 33, 39

check, 33

control panel, see Control panel

noise, 34

problems, 31 to 39

transporting, 30
Printer software

installing for Windows 3.1, 46 to 47

installing from diskettes, 44 to 45

ordering diskettes, 43 to 44

reinstalling, 7

uninstalling, 40
Printing

memo, 11 to 13

photographs, 14 to 18
Problems, diagnosing, 31 to 33

Q

Quality/Speed slider, 12, 39

50

R

Reader, see Adobe Acrobat Reader
Replacing ink cartridges, 24 to 28

S

Safety instructions, 4 to 5
Self adhesive sheets, EPSON, 19
Service, 41 to 42
Smeared printouts, 37
Software installation

from CD-ROM, 7, 46
from diskettes, 44 to 45
problems, 34 to 35

Windows 3.1, 44 to 45
Software, uninstalling, 40
Status Monitor 2, 35, 40
Support, 41 to 42
System requirements, 3

T

Testing printer, 33
Thickness lever, 36, 37
Transparencies, 19
Transporting printer, 30
Troubleshooting, 31 to 42

W

Windows

network, configuring for, 47
system requirements, 3
uninstalling printer software, 40

Windows 3.1 installation instructions

CD-ROM, 46
diskette, 44 to 45

Y

Year 2000, 3

U

Utilities

Head Cleaning, 20 to 22

Nozzle Check, 22 to 23

Print Head Alignment, 29

51