Epson Stylus Color 900 Setup Guide

Download

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.

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.

❏ 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

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.

❏ 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

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

TAR guidelines for energy efficiency.

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.

NERGY STAR Office Equipment Program is

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes

Warnings

must be followed c arefully to avoid bodil y injury .

Cautions

must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.

Notes

of your printer.

contain importan t information and useful tips on the operation

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.

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.

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.

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

control panel

adjust lever

Buttons

Button Function

Power

Load/Eject

Cleaning

Lights

Light Printer Status

Power

Paper out

Black ink out

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.

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✽✽✽).

black or

color ink out light is off.

load/ejec t bu tton to

black or

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:

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.

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:

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.

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

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 .

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.

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.

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.

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

10. Close the printer cover.

cleaning button. Th e pri nter moves the print

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.

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.

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 .

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.)

2. Double-click softw are installation.

Install Printer Driver/Utility

to start the printer

3. When the installation is complete, click

EPSON Status Monitor 2 installation starts automatic ally. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Note:

❏ If the New Hardware Found screen or any other Wiz ard app ears

when you turn on your computer, click above.

❏ Installation time varies depending on your computer.

For information o n opening and using the s oftware, see “Printing Your First Page Usin g Windows” on page 33. See also “Us ing the Printer So ftware for Windows” in the online R e ferenc e Guide.

If you use your printer on a network with Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0, see “Network Printing” in the online Reference Guide.

Cancel

and follow the steps

Installing in Windows 3.1

Follow these steps to install the software in Windo w s 3.1.

1. Make sure Windows 3.1 is running and the Program Manager window is open.

2. Insert the printer software CD shi pped wi th your prin te r in the CD-ROM drive. (If you use the floppy disk version, insert it in a disk drive.)

3. Choose In the Command Line box, ty pe CD-ROM drive has a drive letter other than “D” or if you are using the floppy disk version, substitute the appropriate letter.

4. The installation program begins copying the printer software files.

5. When the installation is complete, click OK to exit the installation program.

The installation program automatically selects this printer as the default printer for Windows applications.

For information on opening and us ing the software, s ee “Print ing Your First Page Usin g Windows” on page 33. See also “Using t he Printer So ftware for Windows” in the online Reference Guide.

Run

from the File menu. The Ru n dialog box appears.

D:SETU P

and click OK. If the

Connecting the Printer to Your Macintosh

To use the printer's built-in serial interface, you need an Apple System Peripheral-8 cable.

Note:

❏ To connect to an iMac computer using the USB cable, follow the

instructions in the USB User’s Guide that came with your printer.

❏ If y ou want to use the optional LocalTalk Int erface Card (C82312✽)

or Type B Ethern et Interfac e Card (C82362✽/C823 63✽/C82364✽), see “Using optional interface cards” on page 70.

Follow these steps to connect the printer.

1. Make sur e b oth you r print er and Maci ntosh are s wi tch ed of f.

2. Connect one end of the interface cab le to the serial port on t he back of the printer.

3. Connect the other end of the interface cable to either the modem port or printe r port on the Macintosh. The ports are marked with the following icons.

modem port

printer port

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

Installing the Printer Software in Your Macintosh

After connecting the printer to your Macintosh, you are ready to install the printer sof tware incl uded in the “ Printer Software for EPSON Stylus COLOR 900” CD-RO M shipped with your print er.

What to install

Your printer software includ e s:

❏ EPSON Printer Driver Package

SC900

Printer driver software that runs your printer if you are using the serial or USB interface. With it, you can make settings such as media type, print quality, speed, and paper size.

SC900 (AT)

Printer driver software that lets you use the printe r on an AppleTa lk network. With it, you can make settings such as media type, print qual i ty, s peed, and paper size.

EPSON Monitor3

Monito rs and manages background printing jobs. You must turn on background printing in the Chooser to use this utility.

StatusMoni tor

Keeps track of the current status of your printer, and alerts you when printer errors occur.

Utilities

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

❏ Epson Namer

Assigns a unique name to the printer so that you can use it on an AppleTalk network.

❏ ColorSync 2.0 and Profiles

Matches the colors in your printout with the colors displayed on you r scree n auto matical ly. Use this when pr inting scanne d photographs or computer graphics.

If you are using the floppy dis k version, make a ba ckup copy of the EPSO N Macintosh printer software disk before you begi n installation.

Installing the software

Caution:

Turn off all virus protec tion p r ograms before you install your printer software.

Follow these steps to install your printer software.

1. Turn on your Macintosh and insert the software CD in the CD-ROM drive. (If you use the floppy disk version, in sert i t in a disk drive.)

2. The EPSO N printer sof tware disk opens automatically.

3. If a single separate folders containing installer icons for several languages appear, double-click the folder for your preferred language, then double-click the

Installer

icon appears, double-click the icon. If

Installer

icon .

4. After the initial screen appears, click following dialog box appears.

5. If you want to install all of the printer software included on your printer software CD-ROM, make sure the Install Location box show s the correct disk drive and click

Continue.

The

Install

6. If you are low on disk space, select pop-up menu and click the printer directly to your Macintosh’s serial or USB port), or

Network Driver Package

the printer to your Macintosh over an AppleTalk network). Confirm the destination for installation, then click

Note:

Click the icon to get information on each componen t.

7. When a message appears informing you that installation is finished, click your com p uter.

Restart

Serial Driver Package

and

to complete the installation and restart

Custom Install

Epson Namer

from the

(if you connect

Install

If you are going to use the optional LocalTalk Interface Card (C82312✽) or Type B Ethernet Interface Card (C82362✽/ C82363✽/C82364✽), you need to ass i gn a name to yo ur printer using the EPSON Namer utility as described below. If you are using a serial or USB interface, skip to “Selecting Your Printer in the Chooser” on page 29.

Assigning a name to the printer

Follow these steps to assign a name to your printer with EPSON Namer.

Note:

Only the network admin istrato r sh ould assign a name to the printer.

1. Double-click the

If yo u ha ve installed the Macintosh, its icon is locat ed in your hard disk folder. If it h as not been installed, insert the printe r softwar e CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM drive and open the utility from there. (If you use the floppy disk version, insert it in a disk drive and open the utility from there.)

2. Click the

3. If there are multiple AppleTalk zones at your site, select the zone where the printer is located.

4. Under New Name, enter a name for your printer. You should assign a name that clearly distinguishe s your prin ter from others on the network.

5. Click Namer.

SC900(AT)

Rename

Epson Namer

icon in the Device Types window.

and then click

icon.

utility on your

Done

to quit the EPSON

Selecting Your Printer in the Chooser

After you install the printer software , y ou need to o p e n the Chooser to select your printer. You have to choose the printer the first time you use it or whenever you want to switch to another printer. Your Macintosh will always print using the last printer selected.

If you are using your computer’s serial or USB interface, choose your printer driver as described in the following section, “Using a serial or USB interface connection” on page 29. If your system is connected to an AppleTalk network, see “Using the AppleTalk connection” on page 31.

Note:

If you are using a Macintosh Quadra 950 or 900, you need to choose

Compatible

printer from the Chooser. To open t he Serial Switch dialog bo x, choo se

Control Panel

Using a serial or USB interface connection

1. Make sure the printer is conne cted to your Macintosh an d is turned on.

in the Serial Switch dialog box before selecting your

from the Apple menu, then choose

Serial Switch

2. Choose printer's ic on and the port your printer is co nnected to.

Note:

❏ If you are using an iMac computer, you must selec t th e U SB

❏ If you are using an AppleTalk network, an alert messa ge may

Chooser

port.

appear when you click the po rt. In this case, reselect the other port, or make the AppleTalk setting port again.

from the Apple menu. Then click your

Inactive

, then select the

3. Click the background printing on or off.

When background printing is on, you can use your Macintosh while it is preparing a document for printing. You must turn on background printing to use the EPSON Monitor3 utility to manage print jobs. For more information, see “Controlling Background Printing” in the online Reference Guide.

4. Close the Chooser.

For information o n opening and using the s oftware, see “Printing Your First Page Using a Macintosh” on page 35. See also “Using the Printer Software for Macintosh” in the online Reference Guide.

Background Pr int ing

radio buttons to turn

Using the AppleTalk connection

1. Turn on your printer.

2. Choose printer’s icon an d select the AppleTalk zone you wa nt to use. A list of all the printers connected to the selected zone appears on the righ t.

3. Click the name you assigned to y o ur EPSON Stylus COLOR 900.

4. Click the background printing on or off.

Chooser

Background Printing

from the Apple menu. Then click your

radio buttons to turn

When background printing is on, you can use your Macintosh while it is preparing a document for printing. You must turn on ba ckgro und p rint ing t o use the E PSON M onito r3 ut ili ty to manage print jobs. For more information, see “Controlling Background Printing” in the online Reference Guide.

5. Close the Chooser.

For information on opening and us ing the software, s ee “Printi ng Your First Page Using a Macintosh” on page 35. See also “Using the Printer Software for Macintosh” in the online Reference Guide.

Loading Paper

Follow these steps to load A4 or Letter size plain paper.

You can also print on ink jet paper, photo-quality glossy film, photo paper, transparencies, envelopes, index cards, and adhesive sheets. For details on using such media, see “Loading Special Paper” on page 38.

1. Lower the out put t ray an d slide out the exte nsio n. Next , sli de the left edge guide so that the distance between the edge guides is slightly wi der than the width o f your paper.

edge guide

output tray

2. Fan a stack of paper; then tap it on a flat surface to even the edges.

3. Lo ad the stack o f paper with the printab le side up and the right edge of the paper resting aga inst the rig ht side of the sheet feeder. Then slide the left edge guide against the edge of the paper.

printable side up

Note:

❏ Always load pap er into the sheet feeder short edge first. ❏ Make sure the paper stack fits under the arrow mark inside the

edge guide.

Printing Your First Page Using Windows

After loading the paper, you are ready to print your first page. In order to check the ope ration o f your printer, we reco mmend printing the R EADME file provided with you r pri nter softw are. The README file contains the latest information about your printer so ftware.

If you choose to print you r own document instead, select the appropriate Paper Size setting in your application software, then print the document as explained from step 3, below. (See your software manual for details on h ow to use your application.)

Follow these steps to print the R EA DME file.

1. Make sure A4 or Letter size paper is loaded in the printer.

2. Click

3. Click

Start

, point to Windows 95 and 98) or NT 4.0), and then clic k If you are using Windows 3.1, open the EPSON program group from Progr am Manager and double-click

COLOR 900 Readme

on the File menu. The Print dialog box appears.

Programs

EPSON Printers

EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Readme

, point to

Epson

(for Windows

(for

EPSON St ylus

4. Make sure your printer is s elec ted an d the n clic k

Options

or buttons. The driver settings window appears.

. You may need to click a combination of these

Properties

5. Click the Media Type box and select

6. Select

7. Make sure the Mode option is set to

When other settings according to the Media Type and Ink settings you make.

8. Click the and select the paper size yo u loaded in the printer.

9. Click OK at the bottom of the window. You return to the Print dialog box (or a similar dialog box).

10. Click combination of these buttons.

Main

tab if necessary, then click anywhere in the

Color

as the Ink s etting.

Automatic

Paper

Close, OK

Plain paper

is selected, the print er sof tware opti mizes

tab, then click anywhere in the Paper Size box

, or

to print. You may need to click a

Automatic

While printing, the EPSON Progress Meter (in Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0) or the EPSON Despooler dia log box (in Windows 3.1) will appear, showing the printing progress and the status of your printer. For details, see “Monitoring and Managing Print Jobs for Windows” in the online Reference Guide.

After printing, check your results. If pri nted satisfactorily, your EPSON pri nter is now fully setup and ready to help you create wonderful printouts. If the printed image is unexpectedly faint or dots in the printed image are missing, you should check and clea n the print head. See “Cleaning the Print Head” on page 50.

For further information about your printer, see the online Reference Guide. For details about the printer software, see online help. To learn more about color printing, see the online Color Guide.

Printing Your First Page Using a Macintosh

After loading the paper, you are ready to print your first page. In order to check the ope ration o f your printer, we reco mmend printing the READ M E file located on your printer software CD. The README file contains the latest information about your printer so ftware.

If you choose to print you r own document instead, select the appropriate Paper Size setting in your application software, then print the document as explained from step 4, below. (See your software documentation for de ta ils on how to use your application.)

Follow these steps to print the README file.

1. Make sure A4 or L etter size paper is load ed in the prin ter.

2. Insert the pri nter software CD.

3. Open the EPSON folder and double-click the README file.

4. Choose dialog box appears.

5. Select the paper size you loaded in the printer from the Paper Size list.

6. Select

7. After making your settings, click OK to close the Page Setup dialog box.

Note:

You cannot print from the Pa ge Setup dialog box. You can only print from the Print dialog box.

Page Setup

Portrait

as the Orientation option.

from the File menu. The following

8. Choose appears.

from the File menu. The Print dialog box

9. Select

10. Select

11. Make sure the Mode option is set to

12. Click

After prin ting, check yo ur results. I f everyth in g printed satisfactorily, your EPSON printer is now fully setup a nd ready to help yo u create wonderful prin touts. If the pri nted image is unexpectedly faint or dots in the printed image are missing, the print head may need cl eaning. Se e “ Cleaning the Print Head” on page 50.

For further information about your printer, see the online Reference Guide. For details about the printer software, see online help. To learn more about color printing, see the online Color Guide.

Plain Paper Color

When other settings according to the Media Type and Ink settings you make.

Automatic

to start printing.

from the Media Type list.

as the Ink option.

Automatic

is selected, the printer software optimizes

Loading Special Paper

You can prin t on a wide var iety of special me dia, including ink jet paper, photo quality glossy film, photo paper, transparencies, envelopes, index cards, and adhesive sheets.

When loading special paper distributed by E PSON, read the instruction sheets packed with your s pecial media f ir st and keep the following points in mind. For more details on using such media, see “Paper Handling” in the online Reference Guide.

❏ Make sure the printable side of the paper is facing up when

loading media into th e sheet feeder. See the instruction sheets packed w ith the media to dete rmine which side is t he printable surface. Some media have cut corners to help identify the correct loading direction, as shown in the illustration.

cut corner

printable side up

❏ Make su re the pap e r stack f its u nde r the a r ro w ma r k l o c a ted

on the inside surface of the left edge guide.

❏ Loading capacit y for env e lop es an d EP S ON s pec ial media is

explained below.

Envelopes Up to 10 envelopes.

Note:

If the total thickness of the stack of envelopes exceeds 10 mm, press each envelope fla t before loading.

360 dpi Ink Jet P aper and Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

Photo Quality Ink Jet Card, Ink Jet Note Card, and Ink Jet Greeting Card

Photo Quality Glossy Film

Ink Jet Transparencies

Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheet

Photo Paper Up to 20 sheets. For 4 × 6 inch

Up to the arrow mark on the left edge guide.

Up to 3 0 i ndex cards. Alw ays place the included support sheet under the cards.

One sheet at a time for best resu lts. Always pu t a suppo rt sheet* or a sheet of plain paper under th e glossy film . If you wish to print with multiple sheets, load only up to 20 sheets and set the minimu m top ma rgin of the page to 30 mm.

Up to 30 transparencies. Always put a sheet of plain paper unde r the stack of transparencies.

One sheet at a time.

Photo Paper, always put a support sheet* under the stack of Photo Paper.

Photo Stickers 16 and Photo Sticker 4

One sheet at a time. Always put the included Support Sheets A and B under the stack of Photo Stickers.

Panoramic Photo

One sheet at a time. Paper and Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

* Take car e not to print on support sheets loaded under special media.

Replacing Ink Cartridges

The printer’s indicator lights will inform you when it is time to obtain a replacement ink cartridge and when it is time to replace an empty cartridge.

This tabl e de scribes the status of the lights o n your pri nte r and the actions yo u need to take.

Lights Action

f B

Obtain a replacement black ink cartridge (T003

✽✽✽

o B f A o A

o = on,

Note:

You cannot continue printing with one ink cartridge empty, even if the other cartridge still cont ains ink. Before printing, rep lace the empty cartridge.

f = flashing

Caution:

❏ EPSON recommends the use of genuine EPSO N ink

❏ Leave the old cartridge installed in the printer until you have

Replace the empty black ink cartridge.

Obtain a replacement color ink cartridge (T005

Replace the empty color ink cartridge.

cartridges. Other products no t manufactured by EPSON may cause damage to your printer not covered by EPSON's warranties.

obtained a replacem ent. Otherwise, ink remaining in the print head nozzles may dry out.

✽✽✽

To replace an ink cartridge using the printe r’s control panel, follow these steps.

1. Make sure the printer is on. The but not flashing. (Determine which cartridge needs to be replaced as indicated by the

2. Lo wer the output tray at the front of t he pri nter, then o p e n the print er cover.

3. Hold down the print head moves left, to the black or color cartri dge replacement position dependi ng on which ink is empt y, and

power light b e gins flashing.

the

Caution:

Do not move the print hea d by hand as this may damage the printer. Always use the

cleaning button for three seconds. The

power light should be on,

black and

cleaning button to move it.

color ink out light.)

Note:

If you press the

blac k and Acolor ink out lights are off, the printer starts cleaning

the print head.

cleaning button for three sec onds when the

4. Lift up the clamp that holds the cartridge. The cartridge rises partly out of the car tridge holder.

Caution:

5. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it properly. Do not take the used cartridge apart or try to refill it.

Once you open the ink cartri dge cla mp, the ink cartridge becomes unusable a nd c annot be reinstalled, even if ink remains.

Warning:

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroug h ly wit h soap and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

6. Remove the ink cartridge from its protective ba g. N ext, remove only the yellow tape se al from the cartridge.

black ink cartridge (T003

Caution:

7. Pla ce the ink cartridge gently into t he cartridge holder wi th the label on the cartridge facing up. Do not press down on the cartridge.

❏ You must remove the yellow tape seal from the cartridge

before installing it. The c art rid g e will be permanently damaged if installed with the yellow tape attached.

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

top of the cartridge; otherwise, the prin t head may become clogged and cannot print.

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

cartridge; otherwise, ink wi ll leak.

) color in k cartridge (T005

✽✽✽

)

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

Caution:

9. If you need to replace the color ink cartri dge as well, press the

Once you install the ink cartridges, do not open their clamps again until you replac e the cart rid g es. Otherwise, the cartridges may beco m e unusable.

cleaning button. Then repe at steps 4 through 8.

10. Make sure the press the head and begins charging the ink delivery system. This process ta kes about o ne minute to compl ete. When the ink charging process is finished, the printer returns the print head to its home positi on and th e

black and

cleaning b utton. The printer moves the p ri nt

color ink out li ghts are off. The n

power light stops flashing.

Caution:

11. Close the printer cover.

The performs the ink charging operation. Never turn off the printer while this light is flashing. Doing so can result in incomplete charging of ink.

power light continues to flash while the printer

Maintenance

Checking the Print Head Nozzles

If you find that the printed image is unexpectedly faint or dots in the printed image are missing, you may be able to identify the problem by checking the print head nozzles.

You can check the print head nozzles f ro m your computer with the Nozzle Check utility in the printer software, or from the printer its e lf by using the printer’s control panel buttons.

Using the Nozzle Check utility

Note:

Do not start the Nozzle Ch eck utility while print ing is in progress; otherwise your printout may be marred.

For Windows users

1. Make sure A4 or Letter size paper is loaded in the she et feeder.

2. Click the

Nozzle Chec k

3. Follow the messages on your screen.

For Macintosh users

1. Make sure A4 or Letter size paper is loaded in the she et feeder.

2. Click the dialog box, then click the

3. Follow the messages on your screen.

Utility

tab in th e printer win do w, then click th e button.

Utility icon button in the Print or Page Setup

Nozzle Check

button .

Using the control panel buttons

1. Make sure that A4 or Letter size paper is loaded in the sheet feeder.

load/eject button (➀ in the illustration

2. Hold down the below) and press the below) to turn on the prin te r. Then release both buttons.

The printer prints an op e ration check page including yo ur printer’s ROM version i nformation, the in k counter code, and a nozzle check pattern. Here are sample printouts.

Good sample

power button (➁ in the illustra tion

Print head needs to be cleaned

segments are missing

The above sample is in black and white, but the actual test prints in color (CMYK).

If the nozzle check page does not print satisfactorily (for example, if any segment of the printed lines is missing) there is a problem with the printer. This could be a clogged ink nozzle or a misaligned print head. See the next section for detai ls on clea ning the print hea d. For in formati on on alig ning the print head, see “Aligning the Print Head” on page 53.

Cleaning the Print Head

If you find that the printed image is unexpectedly f aint or dots in the printed image are missing, you may be able to solve these problems by cleaning the pri nt head, w hi ch ensures that the nozzles are delivering ink properly.

You can clean the print head from your computer with the Head Cleaning utility in the printer software, or from the pri nter itself by using the printer ’s control pa nel buttons.

Note:

❏ Print head cleaning uses both color and black ink. To avoid wasting

ink, clean the print head only if print quality declin es.

❏ Use the Nozzle Check utility to confirm that the print head needs to

be cleaned. This saves ink.

❏ When the

cannot clean the print head. Replace the appropria te ink cartridge first.

❏ Do not star t th e Head Cleaning or Nozz le Ch eck utility while

printing is in progress; otherwise your printout may be m arred.

black or Acolor ink out light is flashing or on, you

Using the Head Cleaning utility

For Windows users

1. Make sure that both

Note:

If the the print head. Replace the appropriate ink cartridge first.

2. Click the

Cleaning

3. Follow the messages on your screen.

blac k or Acolor ink out light is flashing, you can not clean

Utility

button.

black and Acolor ink out lights ar e off.

tab in the printer window, then click the

Head

For Macintosh users

1. Make sure that the printer is on, and the ink out lights are off.

2. Click the Utility icon button in the Print or Page Setup dialog box, then click the

3. Follow the on-screen messages.

Head Cleaning

black and Acolor

button .

Using the control panel buttons

1. Make sure that the

black and Acolor ink out lights are off.

Note:

If the clean the head, a nd this operation will st art the ink cartridge replacement procedure. If you do not want to replace an ink cartridge at this moment, press the head to its home position.

2. Hold down the

black or Acolor ink out light is fl a shing o r on, you canno t

power lig ht i s on and th at both the

cleaning butto n to return the print

cleaning button for three se conds.

The printe r starts cleaning th e print head a nd the light begins flashing. Print head cleaning takes about one minute t o complete.

Caution:

3. When the a document to confirm that the head is clean and to reset the cleaning cycle .

If print quality hasn’t improved after repeating this procedure four or five times, t urn the printer off and leave it alone overnight. Then do the head cleaning again.

If the print qualit y still has not improved, one or bot h of your ink cartridges may be ol d or damage d and m ay n eed t o be replac e d. To replace an ink cartridge before it is empty, see “Replacing an Old or Damaged Ink Cartridge” in the online Reference Guide.

If print quality remains a problem after replacing the ink cartridg e s, contact your deale r.

Never turn off the printer while the Doing so may damage the printer.

power light st ops flashing, print a few lin es from

power light is flashing.

power

Note:

To maintain print quality, we recommend turning on the printer for at least one minute every mon th.

Aligning the Print Head

If you notice a mis ali gnment of ve rtic al lines, you may be able t o solve this pro blem from yo ur comput er using the Print Head Alignment utility in your printer software.

If you are us i ng DOS, see “Aligning the print head” in your DOS User’s Guide.

Note:

Do not start the Print Head Alignment utility while p rinting is in progress; otherwise your printo ut may be marred.

For Windows users

1. Make sure A4 or Letter size plain paper is loaded in t he sheet feeder.

2. Click the

Head Alignment

3. Follow the messages on your screen to align the print head.

Utility

tab in the printer window, then click the

button.

For Macintosh users

1. Make sure A4 or Letter size plain paper is loaded in t he sheet feeder.

2. Click the Utility icon button in the Print or Page Setup dialog box, then click the

3. Follow the messages on your screen to align the print head.

Print Head Alignment

button.

Troubleshooting

Erro r Indicators

You can identify many common printer problems with the lights on your printer’s control panel. If your printer stops working and the lights are on o r flashing, u se the foll owing table of panel light patterns to diagnose the problem, then follow the recommended correctiv e measures.

Lights Problem and Solution

Paper Out

o S

f S n B n A

f B

o B

No paper is loaded in the printer.

Paper Jam

Paper has jamm ed in the printer.

Ink Low (black ink cartridge)

The black ink c artri dg e is nearly empty.

Ink Out (black ink cartridge)

The black ink c artri dg e is empty.

Load paper in the sheet feeder; then press t he button to turn this light off. The printer resumes printing.

Press the The printer ejects the jammed paper and then resumes printing. If the error is not cleared, open the printer cover and remove the jammed paper then reload paper in t he sheet feeder, and press the

load/eject button. The prin ter

resumes printing.

Obtain a replacement black ink cartridge ( T003✽✽✽).

Replace the b lack ink cart ridge with a new one (T003 ✽✽✽). See “Replacing Ink Cartridges” on page 41.

load/eject

load/eject button.

Ink Low (color ink cartridge)

f A

o A

f P f S o B o A

f P f S f B f A

The color ink cartridge is nearly empty.

Ink Out (color ink cartridge)

The color ink cartridge is empty.

Carriage Error

The print head carriage is caught by jammed paper or other foreign material and cannot return to the home position.

Improper Ventilation

There is not sufficient space around the vent on the back of the printer.

Unknown Printer Error

An unknown printer error has occurred.

Obtain a repl acement color ink cartridge (T005

Replace the color ink cartridge with a new one (T 005 “Replacing Ink Car tridges” on page 41.

Turn off the printer. Open the printer cover and remove any paper fr om the paper path by hand. Then turn the printer back on.

If the error is not cleared, contact your dealer.

Turn off the printer. Remove any objects blocking the vent. Then turn the printer back on.

If the error is not cleared, contact your dealer.

Turn off the printer, and contact your dealer.

✽✽✽

). See

= on, n = off, f = flashing

Typical Problems and Solutions

Most prin ter proble ms have simple solutions. Define th e problem from those below and apply the recommended solutions. For more information, see “Problem Solver” in the online Reference Guide.

Print quality problems

If you are havi ng print quality pr oblems, try the solut ions offered here.

Horizontal banding

❏ Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up in the sheet

feeder.

❏ Run the Head Cleaning utility to clear any clogged ink

nozzles.

Vertical misalignment

❏ Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up in the sheet

feeder.

❏ Run the Print Head Alignment utility. ❏ Turn off the

instructions, see the prin ter driver’s online help for Windows. For Macintosh, see “Using the Advanced settings” in the online Reference Guide.

High Speed

setting in your printer driver. For

Color gaps

❏ Make sure your paper i s not damaged , dirty, or too old. ❏ Run th e He ad Cleaning utility to clear any clogged ink

nozzles.

❏ Check the

flashing, replace the ink cartridge. See “Replacing Ink Cartridges” on page 41.

black and

color ink out lights. If a light is

Blurry or smeared printout

Try one or more of these solutions. ❏ Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up in the sheet

feeder.

❏ Make sure your paper i s not damaged , dirty, or too old. ❏ Set the adjust lever to the “+” position, and make sure the

Media Type setting is set correctly in your printer driver.

Paper feed or paper jam problems

If the printer doesn’t f eed paper, feeds multiple pages, or paper is jammed, remov e and reload the stac k of paper, then press t he

load/eje ct button. Also check the following:

❏ The paper isn’t old or creased. ❏ Paper isn’t loaded above the arrow on the left edge guide. ❏ The edge guides are set correctly. ❏ The paper isn’t too thin or rough. Use paper that meets the

paper requirements for this printer. S ee the on line Refer ence Guide for paper specificati o ns.

Cancelling Printing

If the printouts are not what you expected, such as incorrect or garbled charact er or images, you may need to cancel pri nting. To cancel printing, follow the steps below.

For Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0

When yo u send a pri nt job to the printer, the Progres s Meter appears on your computer screen.

Click the

stop button to cancel printing.

For Windows 3.1

When yo u send a prin t job to the pri nte r, the Despooler appears on your screen.

Click the

stop button to cancel printing.

For Macintosh

When back gro un d pr int ing is on

1. Press the

2. Select

3. Click the

EPSON Monitor3

print job.

power bu tton to turn off the printer.

from the application menu.

button, then click the stop button to cancel the

When back gro un d pr int ing is off

1. Press the

2. Hold down the (.) key to cancel the print job.

power bu tton to turn off the printer.

key on your keyboard and press the period

Where to Get Help

If your printer i s not operating properl y and you cannot solve the problem using the tr oubleshoot ing information in your pri n ter documentation, contac t customer support servi ces for assi stance.

Customer support will be able to help you much more quickly if you give them the following information.

Serial number of your printer

(The seria l number label is on the back of the printer.)

Printer model Brand and model of your computer Printer software version

(Click

Windows version you are using Software application(s) you normally use with your printer

and their version number(s)

About

in your printer driver.)

For United Kingdom and the Republic of Irela nd Users

If you purch ased your printer in the UK or the Republic of I reland, EPSON (UK) Limited pr ovide s a r ange of c ust omer ser vic es and technical support.

World Wide Web

If you can connect to the Internet and have a Web browser, you can access our Web site a t will find information on the latest EPSON products, software drivers, on-line user guides, and answers to frequently asked questions.

http://www.epson.co.uk

. Here you

Faxon EPSON

Contact Faxon EPSON Faxback Service fo r support information including troubleshooting tips, switch settings, and driver information.

To use Faxon EPSON, call 01442 227332 in the UK or 0044 1442 227332 from the Republic of Ireland using a touch-tone phone. You will be asked to follow a simple r o uti ne to register your document request. Once you have entered your telephone and fax number s, Faxon E PSON wil l fax a copy of the do cument cat alogue to your fax machine.

When you have found the docume nts that you need in the catalogue, call Faxon EPSON again and enter the document ID numbe rs. The documents will be faxe d to you automatically.

Bulletin Bo ar d S ervice for latest drive rs an d u ti liti es

You can call the EPSON Bulletin Board Service on 01442 227479 in the UK or 0044 1442 227479 from the Republic of Ireland. No membership is required. Make sure that your communications software is set to 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity bit, ANSI terminal mode emulation, and a modem speed of up to 28.8 Kbps. Downloading protocols supported include Xmodem, Ymodem and Zmodem. See the documentation that came with your communications software and modem for more information.

When you first connect t o the Bulletin Bo ard Ser vice, you will be asked for your name, company name, phone number and a password (which you c an invent yo urself).

Customer and Warranty Support

Our Customer and Warranty Support teams can be contacted by calling 0870 163 7766 in the UK or 0044 0870 163 7766 from the Republic of Ireland. They can provide the following services:

❏ Technical information on installing, configuring, and

operating yo ur EPSON products

❏ Arranging for fa ulty EPSON products to be repaired wi thin

the warranty period

A full list of EP SON Customer and Warr anty Su pport se rv ices is avail able o n the te chnica l suppo rt sec tion of our Worl d Wide Web pages at EPSON Faxback service in document number 5085.

http://www.epson.co.uk/suppo rt/

and on Faxon

Pre Sales Enquiry Desk

The Enquiry Desk team can be contacted by calling 0800 220546 in the UK or 1 800 409132 from the R epublic o f I rel and, b y f axin g 01442 227271 in t h e UK o r 0044 1442 227271 fro m the R epublic of Ireland, and via Email at the following information:

info@epson.co.uk

. They can provide

❏ Pre Sales information and liter ature on new EPSON products

(also available via our world wide web site at

www.epson.co.uk

❏ Where to purchase genuine EPSON consumables,

accessories, and options

)

http://

For Australian Users

EPSON Australia wishes to provide you with a high level of Customer Service. As well as the user’s guide, we provide the following sources for obtaining information:

EPSON FAXBACK

EPSON FAXBACK will fax you the latest specifications and pricing for most EPSON products offered in Australia. There is also technical information including details of the latest software and drivers available. Phone (02) 9903 9075 and the system will guide you through a number of choices before faxing the informat ion to your fax machine.

EPSON Bulletin Board System

This is where you can download the latest software and drivers. Visit the BBS to check out the latest versions. If you have a modem, phone (02) 9417 5090.

Internet URL http://www.e ps on.c om.a u

Access the EPSON Aust ralia World Wide W e b pages. Worth taking your modem here for the occasional surf! You can get the same inf ormation as offered on the EPS ON FAXBACK and the EPSON Bulletin Board plus more.

Your dealer

Don’t forget that your dealer can often help identify and resolve problems. The dealer should alw ays be the first call for a dvice on problems. They can often solve problems quickly and easily as well as give you advice on the next step to take.

EPSON H e lp desk

EPSON Helpdesk is provided as a final backup to make sure our clien t s have access to advic e . Ope r ators on the H e lp desk ca n ai d you in diagnosing hard wa re and software pro blems. They can also advise you on the latest EPSON products and where the nearest dealer or service age nt is loca ted. Many types of queries are answered here.

The Helpdesk numbers are:

Phone: (02) 9903 9040 Fax: (02) 9903 9189

We encourage you to have all the relevant info rmation on hand when you ring. The more information you prepare, the fast er w e can help solve the problem. This inform ation incl udes the User’s Guide for your EPSON product, type of computer, operating system, application programs, and any ot her information you feel is required.

For Singapore Users

Contact the telephone and fax numbers below:

Phone: (065) 337-7911 Fax: (065) 334-1185

For Hong Kong Users

To obtain technical support as well a s other af ter-sales services, users are we lcome to co ntact EPSON Hong K ong Limited.

Internet home page

EPSON H ong Kon g has estab lished a local home page in both Chinese and English on the Internet to provide users with the following information:

❏ Product inform ation ❏ Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ❏ Latest versio ns of EPSON printer drivers

Users c an access our World Wide We b home p age at:

http://www.epson.com. hk

Electronic bulletin board system

An electronic bulletin board system (BBS) is also available to obtain printer information and the latest versions of printer drivers. You can log on to the following number for the BBS service:

BBS: (852) 2827-4244

Technical Support Hotline

You can also co ntact our technic al staff at the follow ing telephone and fax numbers:

Phone: (852) 2585-4399 Fax: (852) 2827-4383

For Philippines Users

To obtain technical support as well as other after sales services, users are welcome to contact the EPSON Philippines Representative Office at the telephone and fax numbers below:

Phone: (632) 813-6552 Fax: (632) 813-6545 BBS: (632) 814-0595

Options and Consumable Products

Options

The following interface cables and interface cards are available for your pri nter.

Interface cables

EPSON supplies several types of interface cables. You can use any interface cable that meets the following specifications. See your computer manual for any additional requirements.

❏ Parallel Interface Cable (shielded) C83602✽ from D-SUB 25-

pin (compute r) to 36-pin Amphenol 57 Series (printer)

❏ Serial Interface Cable C83603✽/C83604✽ from D-SUB 25- pin

(compute r) to D-S UB 25-pin ( p ri nter)

❏ Serial Interface Cable C83605✽/C83606✽ from D-SUB 9-pin

(compute r) to D-S UB 25-pin ( p ri nter)

❏ USB Interface Cable (shielded) C83623✽ from Series A 4-pin

(compute r) to Series B 4-pin (p rinter) (This cable is not supplied in all locations.)

Note:

The asterisk (✽) is a substitute for the last digit of the product number, which varies by locatio n.

Caution:

Use only the interface cables listed above. Using other cables not covered by EPSON wa rrant ies m ay cause the printer to malfuncti on.

Int e r face ca r ds

A number of optional interfaces are available to supplement the printer’s built-in paral lel and serial interfaces. See “Using optional interface cards” on page 70 for more information.

If you are not sure whether you need an optional interface or if you want to know more about interfaces, contact your dealer.

32KB Serial Interface Card C82307✽

C82308✽ 32KB Parallel Interface Card C80310✽ Twinax Interface Card C82315✽ Coax Interface Card C82314✽ LocalTalk Interface Card C82312✽ Type B Ethernet Interface Card C82362✽

C82363✽

C82364✽ Type B Bi-directional Parallel

Interface Card

Note:

The asterisk (✽) is a substitute for the last digit of the product number, which varies by location.

C82345✽

Consumable products

The followi ng ink cartri dges and EPSON special media are available for yo ur printer.

Ink cartridges

You can us e the followin g cartridges with your printer.

Black ink cartridge T003011/T003012

T003051/T003052 T003091/T003092

Color ink c artridge T005011

T005051 T005091

Note:

The product numbers of ink cartridges vary by location.

EPSON special media

EPSON offers specifically designed media for in k jet printers to meet most hi gh-quality printing needs.

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper (A4) S041059

S041025

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper (Letter) S041060

S041028

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper (A4) S041061

S041026

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper (Letter) S041062

S041029

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper (Legal) S041067

S041048

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Card (A6) S041054 EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Card (5 × EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Card (8 × 10”) S041122

8”)

S041121

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adh esive Sheet (A4) S041106 EPSON Ink Jet Note Cards A6

(with envelopes) EPSON Ink Jet Greeting Cards 5 × 8”

(with envelopes) EPSON Ink Jet Greeting Cards 8 × 10”

(with envelopes) EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film (A4) S041071 EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film (Letter) S041072 EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film (A6) S041107 EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies (A4) S041063 EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies (Letter) S041064 EPSON Photo Paper (A4) S041140 EPSON Photo Paper (Letter) S041141 EPSON Photo Paper (4 × 6”) S041134 EPSON Photo Paper Cards (A4) S041177 EPSON Photo Stickers 16 (A6) S041144 EPSON Photo Stickers 4 (A6) S041176 EPSON Panoramic Photo Paper (210 × 594 mm) S041145 EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper ( A4) S041154 EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

(Letter)

S041147

S041148

S041149

S041153 S041155

Note:

The availability of speci al m ed ia varies by location.

Using optional interface cards

Note the fol l owing when using opt ional interf ac e cards: ❏ An optional LocalTalk or Ethernet interface card lets you use

your printe r o n an AppleT alk network.

❏ To use the LocalTalk Interface Card ( C82312✽), you will need

two Loc alTalk Locki ng Connector Kits ( DIN-8 version). Attach a connector box to the AppleTalk interface card on the printer and the other box to the printer port on the Macintosh. Then atta ch the Loca lTalk cable between the two connector boxes. See the documentation that comes with the connector kits for mo re details.

❏ To use the Type B Ethernet Interface Card (C82362✽/

C82363✽/C82364✽), see the documentation that comes with the card fo r setup information.

Follow these steps to inst all an optional inte rfa ce card.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off and all the printer’s lights are off.

2. Unplug the power cord from the e lectrical outlet (and from the back of the printer, if your printer’s p ower cord is removable).

Caution:

3. Turn the printer around so that its back faces you, and disconnect any existing interface cables.

Do not install the int erface card when the printer is connected to an electrical outlet. Doing so may damage the printer or your computer.

4. Use a cross- head scre wdriver to re move the two screws securing the shield plate to the optional interface slot; then remove the plate. Be sure to keep both screws; you may need to use them again when you reinstall the shield plate.

5. Be sure to set any switches and jumpers on the card. See the inte rface c a rd ’s manua l for detail s. I f your interf a ce card ha s a jumper labeled JG, make sure that you turn it on, or the card will not work properly.

6. Slide the interface card along the slots on both sides of the interface compartment. Push it in firmly to fully insert the connector at the rear of the interface ca rd into the printer’s internal socket.

7. Se cure the interface card in the slot with the two screws included with the interface ca rd.

8. Connect the proper interface cable to the interface card an d to your computer. If the cable has a grounding wire, connect it to one of the screws se curing the parallel in terface.

Also, if you are usi ng more than on e computer, reconnect th e other inte rface cab le.

9. Make sure the pr inter is turned off. The n pl ug in the po wer cord.

EPSON OVERSEAS MARKETING LOCATION S

EPSON AMERICA, INC.

20770 Madrona Ave. P.O. Box 2842 Torrance, CA 90509-2842 Phone: (800) 922-8911 Fax: (310) 782-5220

EPSON DEUTSCHLAND GmbH

Zülpicher Straße 6, 40549 Düsseldorf Germany Phone: (0211) 56030 Fax: (0211) 5047787

EPSON AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

70 GIBBES STREET, CHATSWOOD 2067 NSW. Phone: 2-9903-9000 Fax: 2-9903-9177

EPSON HONG KONG LTD.

Rooms 4706-10, 47/F, China Resources Bldg., 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong Phone: 2585-4300 Fax: 2827-7083

EPSON ITALIA S.p.A.

V.le F.lli Casiraghi 427 20099 Sesto S.Giovanni MI, Italy Phone: 2-262331 Fax: 2-2440750

EPSON UK LTD.

Campus 100, Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 7TJ, U.K. Phone: (+44) 01442 261144 Fax: (+44) 01442 227227

EPSON FRANCE S.A.

68 bis, rue Marjolin 92300, Levallois-Perret, France Phone: 33.1.40.87.37.37 Telex: 610657

EPSON SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.

No. 1 Temasek Avenue #36-00 Millenia Tower, Singapore 039192 Phone: (065) 33 77 911 Fax: (065) 33 41 185

EPSON TAIWAN TECHNOLOGY & TRADING LTD.

10F, No. 287 Nanking E. Road, Sec. 3, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. Phone: (02) 717-7360 Fax: (02) 712-9164

EPSON IBERICA S.A.

Av. de Roma, 18-26 08290 Cerdanyola del Valles Barcelona, Spain Phone: 582. 15.00 Fax: 582. 15.55

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION (Hirooka Office)

80 Harashinden, Hirooka Shiojiri-shi, Nagano-ken 399-0785 Japan

EPSON PORTUGAL, S.A.

R. do Progresso, 471, 1º Perafita 4460 Matosinhos, Portugal Phone: (02) 996 14 02 Fax: (02) 996 14 11

1998 February

Printed in JAPAN 1998 XX.XX

Epson Stylus Color 900 Setup Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Where t o F i n d Info rmation

Safety Instructions

Setting Up Your Printer

System Requirements

Printer Parts and Control Panel Functions

Attaching the Paper Support

Plugging in the Printer

Installing the Ink Cartridges

Connecting the Printer to Your PC

Installing the Printer Software in Your PC

Connecting the Printer to Your Macintosh

Installing the Printer Software in Your Macintosh

Selecting Your Printer in the Chooser

Loading Paper

Printing Your First Page Using Windows

Printing Your First Page Using a Macintosh

Loading Special Paper

Replacing Ink Cartridges

Maintenance

Checking the Print Head Nozzles

Cleaning the Print Head

Aligning the Print Head

Erro r Indicators

Typical Problems and Solutions

Print quality problems

Paper feed or paper jam problems

Cancelling Printing

Where to Get Help

Options and Consumable Products

Options

Consumable products