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.

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.)

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