Epson Stylus Color 900 Setup Guide

Safety Instructions . . . . .3

Setting Up Your Printer . . . . .7

Printer Part s and Control Panel Func tions . . . . 10

Attaching the Paper Support . . . . 12

Connecting the Pr inter to Your P C . . . . 19

Instal ling the P rint er So ftwa r e in You r PC . . . . 20

Connecting t he Printe r to You r Macinto sh . . . . 24

Installing the Printe r Sof tware in Your M acintos h . . . . 25

Selectin g Your Printer in the Chooser . . . . 29

Printing You r Fi rst Page Usin g Wind ows . . . . 33

Printing Your Firs t Page Usin g a Mac intos h . . . . 35

System Req uirements . . . . . 7

Plugging in the Printer . . . . 12

Installi ng the I nk Cartrid ges . . . . 13

Loading Paper . . . . 32

Loading Special Paper . . . .38

Replac ing I nk Cartr idges . . . .41

Maintenance . . . .47

Checking the Print H ead Nozzles . . . . 47

Cleaning the Pr int Head . . . . 50

Aligning the Print Head . . . . 53

Troubleshooting . . . .54

Typical Pro bl e ms and So lu t ions . . . . 56

Error Indicators . . . . 54

Cancelling Printing . . . . 58

Where to Get Help . . . . 60

Options and Consumable P roducts . . . .66

4009813
xxx-00

Where t o F i n d Info rmation

This Setup & Daily Use guide

Read this manual first to set up and begin using your printer. This
manual includes the foll owing i n format ion.

❏ Setup Contains information on setting up your printer

and insta lling the printer sof tware.

❏ Daily Use Provides information on daily operation. Also

contains troubleshooting tips and customer
support contact informatio n if you need
assistance.

USB User's Guide

❏ Read this guide if using a USB cable to connect yo ur printer

to a computer.

DOS User's Guide

❏ Read this guide if you are using DOS.

Online Guides included on the CD-ROM

The guides on this CD-ROM will help you learn more about your
printer and color printing. To view these guides, you must have
a Web b rowser i nstall ed on y our comp uter. For more i nform ation
on using this CD-ROM, see the included CD-ROM Booklet.

❏ Reference Guide Provides further information a b out printer

software settings, printing on special paper,
maintenance, and problem solving.

❏ Color Guide Includes sample images, explanations and

troubleshooting information that will help
answer your q uestions about c olor print ing.

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 sha ll be liable to the purcha s e r of
this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by the purchaser
or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized
modifications, repairs, or a lterations to this pr oduct, or (ex cluding th e U.S.) f ailure to strictly
comply with SEIKO EPSON CO R PORATION's operating and maintenan ce 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.

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION shall not be held liable for any damage resu lting from
electromagnetic interference that occurs from the use of any interface cables othe r than
EPSON Approved Products by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.

EPSON is a registered trademark and EPSON ESC/P 2 and EPSON Stylus are trademarks of
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

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.

Copyright © 1999 by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Nagano, Japan.

Safety Instructions

Important Safety Instructions

Read all of these instructions before using your printer. Also be
sure to follow all warnings and i nstructions ma rked on the
printer.

❏ Do not block or cover the op e ni ngs in the printer’s cabinet.
❏ Do not insert objects th rough the sl ots. Take care not to s p ill

liquid on the printer.

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

label.

❏ Connect all equipment to properly grounded power outlets.

Avoid using outlet s on t he sam e circ uit as photocopier s or air
control systems that regularly switch on and off.

❏ Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or

automa tic timers.

❏ Keep the ent ire computer system away f rom potential sources

of electromagnetic interference, such as loudspeakers or the
base units of cordless telephones.

❏ Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord.
❏ If you use an extension cord with the printe r, 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 ampere rating of all device s pl ugged into the
wall outlet does not exceed the wall outlet’s ampere rating.

❏ Do not attemp t to service the printer yourself.

3

❏ Unplug the print er and refe r servicin g to qualified service

personnel under the following conditions:

The power cord or plug is damaged; liquid has entered the
printer; the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged;
the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct
change in performa nce.

❏ If you use the printer in Germany, observe the followi ng:

To provide adequate short-circuit protection and over­current pro tection f or this prin ter, the buil ding insta llation
must be protected by a 16 Amp circuit breaker.

Bei Anschluß des Druc ke rs an die Stromversorgu ng muß
sichergestellt werden, daß die Gebäudeinstallati on mit einem
16 A-Überstromschalter abgesichert ist.

A Few Precautions

When using the printer

❏ Do not put your hand inside the printer o r touch the i nk

cartridg e s during printing.

❏ Do not move th e print head by hand ; otherwise you may

damage th e printer.

❏ Always turn the printer off using the

this button is pressed, the
goes off. Do not unpl ug the printer or turn off t he power to
the outlet until the

❏ Before transporting the printer, make sure the print head is in

the home ( far right) position and the ink ca rtridges are in
place.

P power l ig ht stops flash ing.

P power l ig ht flashes briefly then

P power button. When

4

When handling the ink cartridges

❏ Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children. Do not allow

children to drink or o therwise handle th e cartridges.

❏ If ink ge ts on you r skin, w ash it off with soap and water . If it

gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

❏ Do not shake an ink cartridge; this can cause leakage.
❏ Install the ink cartridge immediately after you remove it from

its package. Leavin g the cartridge unpacked for a long time
before use may result in reduce d print quality.

❏ 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 .

❏ Do not use an ink cartridge beyond the date p rinted on the

cartridge carton. For best results , use up the ink cartridges
within six months of installing them.

❏ Do not dismantle the ink cartridges or try to refill them. This

could damage the print head.

When choosing a place for the printer

❏ Place the prin ter on a flat, stable surf ace that is larger than the

printer. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted or
at an angle.

❏ Avoid places subje ct to rapid changes in te mperature and

humidity. Also keep the printer away from direct sunlight,
strong light, or heat sources.

❏ Avoid places subject to shocks and vibrations.
❏ Leav e enough room around the printer to allow for sufficient

ventilation.

5

❏ Place the printer near a wall outlet where the plug can be

easily unplugged.

Note for French- speaki ng users:

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

NERGY STAR Compliance

E

As an ENERGY STAR Partner, EPSON has
determined that this product me e ts the

S

TAR guidelines for energy efficiency.

E

NERGY

The International
a voluntary partnership with the computer and office equipment
industry to promo te the introduct ion of energy-effi cient person al
computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, and copiers in an
effort to re duce air pollution caused by power generation.

E

NERGY STAR Office Equipment Program is

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes

Warnings

must be followed c arefully to avoid bodil y injury .

w

Cautions

must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.

c

Notes

of your printer.

contain importan t information and useful tips on the operation

6

Setting Up Your Printer

System Requirements

For PCs

To use your printer, you need Microsoft® Windows® 3.1,

®

Windows

95, Windows® 98, Windows® NT 4.0, or DOS; and a
shielded, twisted-pair parallel cable. If you want to connect your
printer to a USB port, you need a Windows 98 pre-installed PC
equipped with a USB port; and a shielded USB cable.

Your computer should also meet the following system
requirements.

Minimum System Requirements Recommended System

i386/25 MHz proces sor for Windows3.1
i486/2 5 MH z f or W i nd ows95 an d N T 4 . 0
i486/66 MHz for Windows 98

16 MB RAM 32 MB RAM or more for

10 MB hard disk space for Windows 3.1,
95, and 98
20 MB for Windows NT 4.0

VGA monitor VGA or bett er monitor

Pentium or higher processor

Windows 3.1, 95 and 98
64 MB or more for Windows
NT 4.0

50 MB or mo re free disk space
for Windows 3.1, 95, and 98
100 MB or mo re for Windows
NT 4.0

Your computer dealer can help you update your system if it does
not meet these requirements.

7

For Macintosh computers

You can us e this printer wi th the following Apple® Maci ntos h®
computers. You also need a standard Apple System Peripheral-8
cable (8-pin mini-circular connector) or equivalent.

Applicable computer models (as of September 1, 1998 )

Macintosh LC475, LC575, LC630
Macintosh Quadra Series
Macintosh Centris Series
Macintosh PowerBook™ Series (PowerBook 190, 520, 540, 550
or later)
Macintosh PowerBook Duo 280, 2300c/100
Macintosh Performa 475, 575, 588, 630, 5210 or later
Power Macintosh Series
iMac Series (for USB)

If you want to connect your printer to a US B port, you n eed
an iMac computer with a USB port, an d a shielded USB cable.

Your Macintosh must also meet the following system
requirements.

Minimum System Requirements Recommended System

System 7.5.1 System 7.6 or later
5 MB of available memory

12 MB of av ailable memory w hen
background printing is t urned on.

14 MB or more of available
memory
23 MB of available memory when
background printing is turned on.

8

Note:

❏ The amount of available memory varies according to the number and

kind of applications that are o pen . To see how much memory is
available, choose

refer to the memory size (listed in kilobytes) under “Largest Unused
Block” (1,024K=1 MB).

About This Maci nto sh

from the Apple menu and

❏ The memory requirements above are for printing on Letter size

paper. These requirements may vary depending on the size of the
paper, the type of applic at ion you are using, and the c omplexity of
the document you want to print.

In addition to these system and memory requirements, you also
need 10 MB of free hard disk space to install your printer software.
To print, you need extra hard disk space amounting to about
double the si z e of the file you want to print.

9

Printer Parts and Control Panel Functions

paper support

edge guides

sheet feeder

prin ter co v er

output tray

output tray exten s ion

ink cartridge clamps

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control panel

adjust lever

Buttons

Button Function

P

Power

E

Load/Eject

R

Cleaning

Lights

Light Printer Status

P

Power

S

Paper out

B

Black ink out

A

Color ink out

Turns the printer on and off.
Clears the printer's memory if pressed twice while the

power is on.
Loads or ejects paper if pr essed and relea sed within

2 seconds.
Resumes printing if pressed and released after a paper

out error.
Moves the print head to the ink cartridge replacement

position if pressed for 3seconds while the

color ink out light is flashing or on.

A

Returns the print head to its home position after ink
cartridge replacement.

Performs print head clean ing if pressed for 3 seconds
when the

On when the pr inter is on.
Flashes when rec eiving data, pri nting, replac ing an ink

cartridge, charging ink, or cleaning the print head.
On when th e pr int er i s ou t of p ape r. Loa d p aper in th e

sheet feeder; then press the
resume printing.

Flashes when paper is j amme d. T ake all the pa per o ut
of the feeder, and reload the paper. If t he light
continues to flash , tu rn off t he prin ter and gently pull al l
the paper out of the printer.

Flashes whe n black ink is low. T he black ink cartridg e is
nearly empty.

On when black ink is out. The bla ck ink cartridge is
empty. Replace the black ink cartridge (T003✽✽✽).

Flashes when color ink is low. The color ink cartridge is
nearly empty.

On when color i nk is out. The color ink cartridge is
empty. Replace the color in k cartridge (T005✽✽✽).

B

black or

color ink out light is off.

A

E

load/ejec t bu tton to

B

black or

11

Attaching the Paper Support

Insert the paper support into the slots at the re ar of the prin te r.

Plugging in the Printer

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. It is off when the
P power light is off.

2. Check the label o n the back o f the printer to make sure the
voltage required by the printer matches that of the electrical
outlet you wil l b e plugging it into. Al so, make sure that you
have the correct pow er cable for your power s ource.

Caution:

c

3. If the power cord is not atta ched to the printer, con ne ct it to
the AC inlet on the ba ck of the printe r.

4. Plug the power cord into a properly grounded electrical
outlet.

12

It is not possible to change the printer's voltage. If the rated
voltage and your outlet voltage do not match, contact your
dealer for assistance. Do not plug in the power cord.

Installing the Ink Cartridges

Before installing the ink car tri dges, note the following.

Warning:

w

Note:

❏ Do not open the ink cartridge packages until just before you install

❏ Use the ink cartridges packed with your printer the first time y ou

Install the ink cartridge s as follows:

1. Lower the output tray; th en open the printer cover.

The ink cartridges are self-contained units. Under ordinary use,
ink will not leak from a cartridge. If ink does get on your hands,
wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets into your
eyes, flush them immed iately with water.

them, or the ink may dry up.

install ink cartridges; otherwise the printer may not cha r g e ink
properly.

13

2. Turn on the printer by press ing the

The print head moves slightly to the left, which is the black
ink cartridge installation position. The
and the

B black and

A color ink out lights come o n.

P power button.

P power light flashes

14

c

Caution:

Do not move the print head by hand. Otherwise you may
damage the printer.

3. Lift up the black i nk cartridge c lamp.

4. Open the ink cartridge packages that came with your printer.
Next, remove only the yellow tape seals from ea ch cartridge .

c

Caution:

❏ Remove the yellow tape seals from the cartridges before

❏ Do not remove the blue portion of the tape seals from the

❏ Do not remove the tape seals from the bottom of the

installing them; otherwise the cartridges may bec om e
unusable.

cartridges; otherwise the print head may become clogged
and cannot print.

cartridges; otherwise, in k will leak.

15

5. Place the black ink cartridge gent ly into its h older with the
labels facing up. Do not press down on the cartridge.

Note:

Install both ink cartridges. If either of the cartridges is not installed,
the printer will not work .

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

16

c

Caution:

Once you install the ink cartridges, do not open their clamps
again until you replace the ink cartridges. Otherwise, the
cartridges may become unusable.

7. Press the
The printe r moves the print he ad to the c olor ink cartridge
installation position.

8. Lift up the ink cartridge clamp. Install the color ink cartridge
as described in steps 5 and 6, substituting “color ink
cartridge” for “black ink cartridge” where appropriate. Th en
go to step 9 to comple te the ink cartridge installation.

cleaning button to install the color ink cartridge.

R

17

9. Press the
head and begins charging the ink delivery system.

The ink cha rging process ma y take abou t two minutes to
complete , during which time the
the printer produces a variety of mechanical sounds. These
sounds are normal. When the ink delivery system has been
charged, the print head returns to its home (far right) position
and the

c

10. Close the printer cover.

cleaning button. Th e pri nter moves the print

R

P power light flashes and

P power light comes on.

Caution:

Never turn off the printer while the

P power light is flashing.

Now you are ready to connect the pri nter to your computer. To
connect the printer to your PC, see the next section. To connect
the printer to a Macintosh, see “Connecting the Printer to Your
Macintosh” on page 2 4. If you plan to use a USB c ab le to conne ct
to your computer, follow the instructions in the USB User’s Guide
that cam e with your printer.

18

Connecting the Printer to Your PC

To connect the printer to your computer using its built-in parallel
interface, you need a shielded, twisted-pair parallel cable.

Note:

If you plan to connec t w ith a USB cable, follow t he i nstru ctions in the
USB User’s Guide th at cam e wit h y our printer.

Follow these steps to connect your printer.

1. Make sure bo th the printer and computer are turned off.

2. Plug the cabl e connector securely into the printer's in terface
connector. Then squeeze the wire cli ps together until they lock
in pl ace o n both sides . If your c able ha s a gr ound w ire, c onnec t
it to the gro und connector below the inte rface con ne ctor.

3. Plug the other e nd of the cable into the computer's pa rallel
interface. If there is a ground wire at the computer end of the
cable, connect it to the ground connector at the back of the
computer.

Now see the next section for inst ructions on insta lling the printer
software in your computer. You must install this software before
using your printer.

19

Installing the Printer Software in Your PC

After connecting the printer to your computer, you need to install
the software included on the “Printer Software for EPSON Stylus
COLOR 900” CD-ROM shipped with your printer.

What to install

Your printer software includ e s:

❏ Printer driver

The printer driver is the software that runs, or “drives,” your
printer. With it, you can make settings such a s media type,
print quality, speed, and pa per size.

❏ Utilities

The Nozzle Check, Head Cleaning, and Print Head
Alignme nt utilities help you ke ep your printer in top
operating condition.

❏ EPSON Status Monitor 2 (not for Windows 3.1)

EPSON S ta tus Monitor 2 notifies you of printer errors and
displays pri nter status information, such as the am ount of ink
remaining. The Status Monitor al so guides yo u when
replacing i nk cartridges.

❏ HIGH QUALITY IMAGES (not for Win dows 3.1)

HIGH QUALITY IMAGES allows you to quickly and easily
see the kind of high-quality printout available from the
EPSON Stylus COLOR 900.

If you are using the floppy disk version of the software, make a
backup copy of the EPSON printer software disk before you begin
installation .

20

If you wish to make a floppy disk version of the printer software
on your CD-ROM, insert the printer software CD-ROM, then click

Driver disk creation utility

the
instructions. For W indows 3.1, insert the CD-R OM, then cho ose

Run

from the File menu. In the Command Line box, type

D:EPSETUP

and click OK.

button and follow the on-screen

Installing in Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0

Follow the steps below to install the printer software in
Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0.

If you conn e cte d your printe r using the USB interfa ce, you need
to install the EPSON USB Printer Device Driver and the printer
software included in the printer software CD-ROM. Follow the
instructi ons in the USB U ser’s Guide that came with your printer.

1. Insert the printer software CD shipped wi th your pri nter in
the CD-ROM drive. The Installer dialog box appears. (For
floppy disk users, insert the disk in a disk drive. Then double­click the FD drive icon, then double-click the

Setup.exe

icon.)

21