Epson Stylus Color 900 Basic User Guide

EPSON Ink Jet Papers

Use EPSON’s paper and inks to get the same photo quality results that have earned your printer all of its awards! EPSON’s papers are specially coated to work with EPSON’s quick drying inks. You’ll notice that when prints come out of your printer, you can immediately handle them. There is no drying time, no smearing or smudging, and your image is clean and smooth. Here are just a few of EPSON’s papers:

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

Bright white coated paper for quick printing at lower resolutions with brilliant results. Perfect for letters, charts, clip art, and color drafts.

Photo Quality Glossy Film

Durable, bright white film sheets with the highest-gloss finish. Perfect for printing professional quality, high-resolution photographs of all your digital images.

Photo Paper and Panoramic Photo Paper

Photo lab quality, heavier weight glossy paper available in a variety of sizes. Perfect for color photo keepsakes of snapshots, framed art, banners, and panoramics.

Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

Transfer your designs and photographs onto t-shirts or other cloth items. Perfect for ironing onto team t-shirts, canvas bags, crafts, and gifts.

See the inside back cover for a list of EPSON papers and ordering information.

WELCOME! 1

About Your Software 1 About Your Documentation 2

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips 3 Windows System Requirements 4 Macintosh System Requirements 5 ENERGY STAR Compliance 6 Year 2000 Ready 6 Printer Parts 6 Important Safety Instructions 7

Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions 8

VIEWING YOUR ELECTRONIC PRINTER MANUAL 9

Opening Your Electronic Manual 9

Navigating an Electronic Manual 11

PRINTING FROM START TO FINISH 12

Printing with Windows 13 Printing with a Macintosh 17 Using Custom Project Types 20 Using the Advanced Dialog Box 23 Using Special Papers 26

EPSON Photo Paper 26

Envelopes 28 Selecting the Correct Media Type 29

USING YOUR PRINTER WITH DOS 30

Selecting a Printer Driver 30 Control Panel Default Settings 31

Changing the Default Settings 34 Maintaining the Printer 36

Aligning the Print Head with the DOS Utility 36

Aligning the Print Head Using the Control Panel Buttons 37

CONFIGURING FOR A NETWORK 38

Windows 95 and Windows 98 Users 38

Setting Up the Host System 38

Setting Up Client Systems 39 Windows NT 4.0 Users 40

Setting Up Your Printer as a Shared Printer 40

Accessing the Printer Through a Network 41 Macintosh Users 43

Selecting the Printer in the Chooser 43

USING PRINTER SOFTWARE DISKETTES 44

Ordering Printer Software Diskettes 44 Installing Printer Software from Diskettes 45

Installing Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0 Software 45

Installing Windows 3.1 Software 46

Installing Macintosh Software 47

MAINTAINING YOUR PRINTER 48

Cleaning the Print Head 48

Using the Head Cleaning Utility 49

Using the Control Panel 50

Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern 51

Replacing an Ink Cartridge 51

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges 52

Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge 54 Aligning the Print Head 56 Cleaning the Printer 57 Transporting the Printer 58

PROBLEM SOLVING 59

Diagnosing Printer Problems 59

Checking the Control Panel Lights 59

Running a Printer Check 61 Problems and Solutions 62

Problems Setting Up the Printer or Installing Its Software 62

Problems Getting Good Print Quality 64

Uninstalling Printer Software 67 Where To Get Help 69

INDEX 71

iii

Welcome!

Your EPSON Stylus® COLOR 900 Professional Series printer is the ideal output device for business graphics, digital photographs, and more. You can print anything from reports and resumes to photos and greeting cards with fabulous results.

The printer comes with these features:

■ Resolutions up to 1440 by 720 dpi, even on plain paper

■ Smallest ink droplets available (3 picoliters) for finest detail and smoothest

gradations

■ EPSON’s unique variable micro droplet technology for superior image quality

■ Four-color printing for photo quality color and sharp black text on plain paper or

a variety of special media

■ Great results on any paper size, including letter, legal, envelope, card, and

panoramic paper

■ High durability

About Your Software

The printer software CD-ROM includes all the software you need for printing:

■ Your printer driver runs your printer and lets you control how your documents

look. You can’t use your printer without it.

■ The EPSON Guided Printing Exercise gives you a quick lesson in printing and

Polaroid® PhotoMAX™ Pro includes a variety of easy photo editing options.

■ Your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual gives you complete

information about your printer.

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

If you need to rerun the installation program, insert the CD-ROM and do the following:

■ Windows

type

■ Windows 3.1: In the Program Manager, select Run. Then type D:\EPSON (where

95, Windows 98, or Windows NT®: Click

D:\EPSON

(where D is your CD-ROM drive letter). Then click OK.

Start

, select

Run

, and

D is your CD-ROM drive letter) and click OK.

■ Macintosh

: Double-click the EPSON Printer Driver Installer icon.

About Your Documentation

To set up your printer and install its software, see the Start Here card. This book contains instructions on:

■ viewing your electronic manuals

■ printing with Windows or Macintosh

■ using your printer with DOS

■ configuring your printer for use on a network

■ installing printer software from diskettes, if necessary

■ maintaining the printer

■ troubleshooting basic problems

For more details about printing with, maintaining, or troubleshooting your printer, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual. For instructions on viewing it, see page 9.

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips

Please follow these guidelines:

Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.

Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.

Notes contain important information about your printer.

Tips contain additional hints for better printing.

Windows System Requirements

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

■ An IBM

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

■ DOS, Microsoft

■ At least 16MB of RAM (32MB for Windows 95 or 98 or 64MB for

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

Windows NT 4.0 recommended)

■ At least 50MB of free hard disk space (100MB recommended)

■ VGA, Super VGA, or better display adapter and monitor

■ Double-speed (2x) CD-ROM drive (quad [4x] or faster recommended) for

installing the printer software

■ For parallel connection, a high-speed, bidirectional, IEEE-1284 compliant

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

For USB connection to a computer running Windows 98 with a Windows 98 compliant USB port, a shielded USB “AB” interface cable, from Series A (computer) to Series B (printer), up to 6.5 ft. (2.0 meters) long.

Using an improperly shielded USB cable—especially a cable more than 6.5 ft. (2.0 meters) long—may cause the printer to malfunction.

Macintosh System Requirements

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

■ One of the following Macintosh models:

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

■ For serial connection: System 7.5.1 or later (7.6 or later recommended)

For USB connection: iMac with System 8.1 or later

■ At least 16MB of available RAM (32MB recommended)

■ At least 50MB of free hard disk space (100MB recommended)

■ RGB display or better

■ Double-speed (2x) CD-ROM drive (quad [4x] or faster recommended) for

installing the printer software

■ For serial connection, an ImageWriter

II serial cable or equivalent (8-pin mini

DIN male/male, Belkin brand recommended; EPSON part number: F2V024-06)

For USB connection to an iMac computer, a shielded USB “AB” interface cable, from Series A (computer) to Series B (printer), up to 6.5 ft. (2.0 meters) long.

Using an improperly shielded USB cable—especially a cable more than 6.5 ft. (2.0 meters) long—may cause the printer to malfunction.

NERGY STAR

Compliance

As an E

NERGY STAR

this product meets the E efficiency. The EPA E

Partner, EPSON has determined that

NERGY STAR

guidelines for energy

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

Year 2000 Ready

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

Printer Parts

paper support

sheet feeder

left edge guide

right edge guide

printer cover

output tray

thickness lever

output tray extensions

ink cartridge clamps

control panel

Important Safety Instructions

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

■ Turn off and unplug the printer before cleaning. Clean with a damp cloth only.

Do not spill liquid on the printer.

Always turn the printer off using the switch off the power strip, or unplug the printer until the power light is off.

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

P power button. Don’t

or direct sunlight.

■ Do not block or cover the openings in the printer’s case or insert objects through

the slots.

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

■ Connect all equipment to properly grounded power outlets. Avoid using outlets

on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off.

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

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

■ Do not let the power cord become damaged or frayed.

■ If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the total ampere rating of

the devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord’s ampere rating. Also, make sure the total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the wall outlet’s ampere rating.

■ Except as specifically explained in this manual, do not attempt to service the

printer yourself.

■ Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the

following conditions:

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

Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions

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

■ Under normal circumstances, ink will not come out of the cartridge. If it does get

on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

■ Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

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

damage to the print head.

■ Once you install an ink cartridge, do not open the clamp or remove the cartridge

except to replace it with a new one. The cartridge may become unusable otherwise.

■ Install the ink cartridge immediately after you remove it from its foil package.

Leaving the cartridge unpacked for a long time before use may result in reduced print quality.

■ Do not use an ink cartridge beyond the date printed on the cartridge package. For

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

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

■ Always turn the printer off using the

button, the

Ppower light flashes briefly then goes out. Do not unplug the printer

or turn off the power to the printer until the

■ Before transporting the printer, make sure the print head is capped in the far right

Ppower button. When you press this

Ppower light is off.

position and the ink cartridges are in place.

Viewing Your Electronic Printer Manual

Here are some quick guidelines for viewing your electronic printer manual using Adobe Acrobat® Reader.

Opening Your Electronic Manual

How you open your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual depends on your operating system and whether the manual is on your hard disk or CD-ROM drive.

If you already copied the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual to your hard disk and installed Acrobat Reader when you installed your printer software, do the following to view the manual:

■ Windows 95, 98, and NT: Click Start, point to Programs, EPSON, and click

View EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual. The manual opens in Acrobat Reader

automatically.

■ Windows 3.1: Open File Manager and double-click the 900DOC.PDF file. If the

file doesn’t open, start Acrobat Reader, open the File menu, click Open and select the 900DOC.PDF file.

■ Macintosh: Locate the 900DOC.PDF icon and double-click it. The manual opens

in Acrobat Reader automatically.

If you haven’t copied the manual to your hard disk, insert the printer software CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive. Then follow the instructions below for your operating system:

■ Windows 95, 98, and NT: Click

is your CD-ROM drive letter). At the Main Menu, select

Documentation

, then view and copy the manual by selecting the options on the

Start

, select

, and type

Run

D:\EPSON

View Electronic

(where D

next screen. When you view the manual, Acrobat Reader is installed automatically, if you don’t have it.

■ Windows 3.1: To copy the electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual from

your CD-ROM to your hard disk, use the Windows File Manager. Open the

D:\MANUALS directory (where D is your CD-ROM drive letter) and locate the 900DOC.PDF file. Copy the file to a directory on your hard disk.

If you don’t have Acrobat Reader, you must install it from the CD-ROM to view your electronic printer manual. Open the Program Manager File menu and select

Run. Then type D:\ACROBAT\16BIT\ACRO16.EXE (where D is your CD-ROM

drive letter).

■ Macintosh: Insert the printer software CD-ROM in your CD-ROM drive. To

copy the electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual from your CD-ROM to your hard disk, simply drag-and-drop the 900DOC.PDF icon to the location of your choice.

If you don’t have Acrobat Reader, you must install it from the CD-ROM to view your electronic printer manual. Double-click the Acrobat Reader 3.01 Installer icon to install Acrobat Reader.

Navigating an Electronic Manual

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

Bookmarks and Page First Page

Last Page

There are several ways to navigate through electronic manuals:

■ click on hot topics, which are usually underlined or displayed in a different color.

To find out if a topic is hot, move your cursor over it. If the cursor turns into a pointing hand, the topic is hot—you can jump to it by clicking once.

■ if the manual has bookmarks, use the bookmark section on the left side of the

screen to move quickly to the topic of your choice. Click the show bookmarks icon on the toolbar to see the bookmark section.

■ use the arrow buttons in the toolbar or the vertical scroll bar on the right side of

the document to move through a manual. (The box to the left of the scroll bar displays the current page number.)

If you need more information, open Acrobat Reader’s Help menu and select the online guide.

Printing from Start to Finish

Here’s what you need to do to print a basic document—such as a memo, newsletter, or photograph—from loading the paper to selecting print settings to controlling print jobs. Follow the step-by-step instructions for your operating system in these sections:

■ “Printing with Windows” below

■ “Printing with a Macintosh” on page 17

For instructions on using special papers such as EPSON Photo Paper or envelopes, see page 26.

For instructions on customizing your settings to fine-tune your printouts, see “Using Custom Project Types” on page 20 and “Using the Advanced Dialog Box” on page 23.

Your printer software CD-ROM includes a Guided Printing Exercise with step-by-step printing instructions. To install the exercise, see the Start Here card. To run the exercise, click the EPSON Guided Printing Exercise icon on your desktop. Or click Start, select Programs, Polaroid PhotoMAX by ArcSoft, then click

EPSON Guided Printing Exercise.

Printing with Windows

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

2. Load a stack of plain paper with the printable side up and place it against the right

edge guide. Then slide the left edge guide against the paper’s left edge, making sure the stack is lower than the arrow on the guide. If you are using letterhead or preprinted paper, be sure the top of the paper feeds into the printer first.

load paper only up to this arrow

slide paper against the right edge guide

3. Open a Windows application program and select a document to print.

4. Open the File menu and click Print. You see the Print dialog box for your

application (the Print dialog box for your application may look slightly different):

Make sure your printer is selected here

If you see a Properties button, click it

If you see Setup, Printer, or Options, click that button instead; then click Properties in the next screen

5. Make sure EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 is selected.

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

Properties

and go to step 7.

If you see a Setup, Printer, or Options button, click it. Then click Properties on the next screen.

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

7. Now you see the printer settings dialog box. If necessary, click the Main tab to

display the settings shown below:

Media Type setting

Automatic mode setting

Ink setting

Quality/Speed slider

Automatic mode setting

Media T ype setting

Windows 95, 98, or NT

Quality/Speed slider

Ink setting

Windows 3.1

8. Check the following settings:

■ Make sure the Media Type is set to

Plain paper

. (If you load a different type of paper, select the corresponding Media Type for it, as described on page 29. For instructions on loading special paper, see page 26.)

■ Make sure Ink is set to

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

if you want to print in color.

Color

printing results for all kinds of documents, on all types of paper.

■ Move the Quality/Speed slider to the Quality setting. This selects high quality

printing for your media. (The slider is not available for some media types. You can use a higher resolution on some papers on the Advanced [More Settings in Windows 3.1] dialog box; see page 23 for instructions.)

9. Click the Paper tab at the top of the dialog box if you need to change the paper size, number of copies, or page orientation.

Paper Size setting

Copies, Orientation, and Printable Area settings. Rotate by 180° is not available with Windows 3.1

10. Click the

Layout

tab (not available with Windows 3.1) if you want to reduce or enlarge your printed image, print multiple pages on one sheet of paper, or add a watermark.

Reduce/Enlarge, Print Layout, and Watermark settings

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

12. Click OK to start printing. After a moment, the Progress Meter (Despooler in Windows 3.1) appears and shows the progress of your print job. You can cancel , pause , or restart your print job as necessary.

Windows 95, 98, NT Windows 3.1

For more information on printing, see the electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual. See page 9 for instructions on viewing the manual.

Printing with a Macintosh

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

2. Load a stack of plain paper with the printable side up and place it against the right edge guide. Then slide the left edge guide against the paper’s left edge, making sure the stack is lower than the arrow on the guide. If you are using letterhead or preprinted paper, be sure the top of the paper feeds into the printer first.

load paper only up to this arrow

slide paper against the right edge guide

3. Open a Macintosh application program and select a document to print.

4. Open the File menu and choose Page Setup (Document Setup in some applications). You see a Page Setup dialog box like this:

Paper Size setting

5. Choose your paper size, page orientation, and printable area settings. Then click OK.

6. Now open the File menu and choose dialog box:

. You see the main printer settings

Media Type setting

Automatic mode setting

Ink setting

Quality/Speed slider

7. Check the following settings:

■ Make sure the Media Type is set to Plain Paper. (If you load a different type

of paper, select a corresponding Media Type for it, as described on page 29. For instructions on loading special paper, see page 26.)

■ Make sure Ink is set to Color if you want to print in color.

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

printing results for all kinds of documents, on all types of paper.

■ Move the Quality/Speed slider to the Quality setting. This selects high quality

printing for your media. (The slider is not available for some media types. You can use a higher resolution on some papers on the Advanced dialog box; see page 23 for instructions.)

8. Click the Layout icon if you want to reduce or enlarge your printed image, print multiple pages on one sheet of paper, or add a watermark.

9. Click the Background Printing icon if you want to prioritize or schedule your print job for printing.

10. Click the Preview icon, then click the Preview button that appears, if you want to preview how your layout and other settings will look.

Click the Preview icon

The Print button changes to the Preview button

11. Click

to start printing.

If you turned on background printing, you see the EPSON Monitor3 dialog box to show you the print job’s progress. You can cancel , pause , or restart your print jobs as necessary.

Job currently printing

Jobs waiting to print

Click to set priorities or print times for waiting print jobs

For more information on printing, see the electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual. See page 9 for instructions on viewing the manual.

Using Custom Project Types

Your EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 printer software includes custom project types with preset options for printing specific types of documents or images—such as photographs, graphics, text, and drafts. These custom project types let you quickly select the best settings for your particular type of document and paper. Some project types may not be available, depending on your operating system and the Media Type and Ink settings you choose.

You can also make detailed settings on the Advanced dialog box to fit your individual needs, as described on page 23.

Follow these steps to print with custom project types:

1. Create your image or document in your application software.

2. Access the printer settings dialog box as described in “Printing with Windows” on page 13 or “Printing with a Macintosh” on page 17.

3. Choose the

Media Type

you want to print on. (If you’re not sure which setting to

choose, see “Selecting the Correct Media Type” on page 29.)

4. Choose Color or Black ink.

5. Click Custom (in Windows 3.1, click Advanced), and then click Custom

Settings

. You see the list of project types.

Click

Custom

to see a list of project types

Windows 95, 98, NT

, then click here

Click

Advanced

see a list of project types

Windows 3.1

, then click here to

Macintosh

Click to see a list of project types

Custom

, then click here

Always choose your Media Type and Ink setting before you select a custom project type. Some project types may not be available with the Media Type or Ink settings you choose.

Printing with PhotoEnhance3 or PhotoEnhance longer on some systems and images.

™

may take

6. Choose the right setting for your project and Media Type following these guidelines:

■ PhotoEnhance3 (Windows 95, 98, NT, or Macintosh) or PhotoEnhance

(Windows 3.1): For printing images captured using a video camera, scanner, or digital camera. Produces sharper images and more vivid colors by automatically adjusting the contrast, saturation, and brightness.

■ Digital Camera (not available with Windows 3.1): For printing images

captured using a scanner or digital camera.

■ Text/Graph: For printing graphics-intensive documents like presentations

with charts and graphs.

■ Economy: For printing rough drafts of text on plain paper. Saves ink.

■ ICM (Image Color Matching; Windows 95 and Windows 98 only):

For printing documents created in an ICM compatible application.

■ sRGB (Standard Red Green Blue; not available with Windows 3.1;

recommended only with Windows 98): For printing documents created in an sRGB compatible application using sRGB colors, such as those designed for the World Wide Web. See your Windows 98 online help for details.

■ ColorSync (Macintosh only): Automatically adjusts printout colors to closely

match the colors on your screen.

7. In Windows, click the Paper and Layout tabs (not available on Windows 3.1) to check or change any necessary settings.

On a Macintosh, check or change any necessary settings on the Page Setup and the Layout dialog boxes.

8. When you’re finished, click OK (Windows), then click any other buttons your application uses for printing or click Print (Macintosh).

Using the Advanced Dialog Box

For maximum control over your project, you can customize your print settings and special effects. You can even save your custom settings as a group so you can use them whenever you print a similar project. For more information, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

1. Create your image or document in your application software. Then access the printer settings dialog box as described in “Printing with Windows” on page 13 or “Printing with a Macintosh” on page 17.

2. Click Custom, and then click the Advanced button. (In Windows 3.1, click

Advanced, then click the More Settings button.) You see the Advanced dialog

box (called More Settings in Windows 3.1):

Click here to change your Print Quality (resolution)

Windows 95, 98, NT

Some of these options are automatically set or disabled by other settings you choose

Click here to change your Print Quality (resolution)

Some of these options are automatically set or disabled by other settings you choose

Macintosh

Windows 3.1

3. Choose the Media Type and Ink settings you want to use. These settings are the same as the ones you selected on the main printer settings dialog box. You can change them here as you customize your settings, if needed.

The available Print Quality settings may be limited by the Media Type you choose.

4. Choose one of the following Print Quality options:

■ Economy: For low-resolution rough drafts on plain paper. Saves ink.

■ Normal - 360 dpi: For most documents on plain paper, transparencies, or

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper.

■ Fine - 360 dpi: For high-speed, high-quality output.

■ Photo - 720 dpi: For excellent high-resolution output.

■ Photo - 1440 dpi: For the highest-resolution output.

5. Choose one of the following Halftoning options:

■ No Halftoning: Select when printing black text only.

■ Error Diffusion: For printing photographic images. Blends each color dot with

the dots around it.

■ Fine Dithering: For printing graphs or other images that require precise, solid

areas of bright colors.

6. Choose any of the following print options:

■ MicroWeave: This option is automatically selected or disabled by the Print

Quality you choose and is not user selectable. MicroWeave prints in finer increments to eliminate unwanted banding (light horizontal lines).

■ High Speed: For fast, bidirectional printing.

■ Flip Horizontal: For printing a mirror image of your document. Use with

iron-on transfer paper so your ironed-on printout will read correctly.

■ Finest Detail: For printing text, graphics, and line art with very sharp edges.

Slows print speed and requires additional memory.

7. Select a color management system (the availability depends on your operating system):

■

Color Adjustment

mode lets you choose just the level of adjustment you need, from Automatic mode to No Color Adjustment (for using other color management software). You can then individually adjust the levels of Brightness, Contrast, and Saturation in your image, and increase or decrease the amount of Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow inks used to print your image.

■ PhotoEnhance3 (Windows 95, 98, NT, or Macintosh) or PhotoEnhance

(Windows 3.1): For printing images captured using a video camera, scanner, or digital camera. Use the example photograph on the screen to help you adjust the Tone of your photo or correct common digital image flaws using Digital Camera Correction mode and the Sharpness button.

■ ICM (Image Color Matching; Windows 95 and Windows 98 only)

For printing documents created in an ICM compatible application.

■ sRGB (Standard Red Green Blue; not available with Windows 3.1;

■ ColorSync (Macintosh only): Automatically adjusts printout colors to closely

match the colors on your screen.

After you customize your print settings for a special project, you can save them as a group. Then you can reuse them whenever you print a similar project. Click Save Settings in the Advanced dialog box. Type a name for your setting group and click OK. (In Windows 3.1, Save Settings is on the main printer settings dialog box.)

8. Select any other settings you need to change in the printer software.

9. Click OK (Windows), then click any other buttons that your application uses for printing or click Print (Macintosh).

For complete instructions on using all your printer software’s settings, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

Using Special Papers

How can you get the best-looking photos, most vivid colors, and sharpest text? Always use EPSON’s special ink jet papers. To show you how much difference EPSON paper can make, we’ve included some free samples.

Check out the EPSON Photo Paper Pack that came with your printer. Then follow the instructions below to print your favorite photos and documents on EPSON paper.

For a list of EPSON special ink jet papers and ordering information, see the inside back cover. For complete instructions on using all EPSON special ink jet papers, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

EPSON Photo Paper

Your EPSON Photo Paper Pack includes letter-size and 4 ×6-inch Photo Paper. You

can use EPSON Photo Paper to print photographs that look almost as good as the

ones you get from film processing. EPSON 4 × 6-inch Photo Paper is

micro-perforated around the edges so you can trim your printouts and “bleed” the photo—extend it to the edge of the paper—on all sides. Photo Paper is also available

in A4 (8.3 × 11.7 inches) and Panoramic (8.27 × 23.4 inches) sizes.

Keep the following in mind when using EPSON Photo Paper:

■ Always load the paper with the whiter (glossier) side facing up.

■ Load up to 20 sheets of 4 × 6-inch, letter-size, or A4-size Photo Paper or 1 sheet

of Panoramic paper. Use a support sheet if it is included in the paper package.

■ To keep your printouts looking their best, store them in a resealable plastic bag or

other airtight covering and protect them from heat, humidity, and direct sunlight. Return unused paper to the original package as soon as you finish printing.

If you’re using letter-size Photo Paper, follow the instructions in “Printing with Windows” on page 13 or “Printing with a Macintosh” on page 17 to load and print on the paper. Be sure to select Photo Paper as the Media Type setting.

If you’re using 4 ×6-inch Photo Paper, follow these steps:

1. Load the paper against the right edge guide with the glossy side facing up and the perforated margins positioned as shown:

You can load up to 20 sheets of 4 × 6-inch

Photo Paper at a time. Make sure you place the included support sheets A and B beneath the stack, but don’t print on them.

2. Slide the left edge guide against the left edge of the paper.

3. When you create the image in your application software, size it to 4.25 × 6.25

inches. You can also use your printer software’s Reduce/Enlarge settings, as described in your EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

0.67 in

trim size

0.24 in

0.12 in

printed image size

0.24 in0.12 in

4. Choose Photo Paper as the Media Type setting.

5. Choose Photo Paper 4

6 in as the Paper Size setting and Maximum

as the Printable Area setting.

6. After you print your picture, fold the paper back and forth along the perforations and carefully tear the margins off.

Envelopes

You can load up to 10 envelopes at a time. Load the envelope flap edge first and printable side up. Place it against the right edge guide and adjust the left edge guide as shown here.

You may get better results if you press each envelope flat before loading it, or try loading one envelope at a time.

Select Plain paper as the Media Type and choose the correct envelope size as the Paper Size setting in the printer software.

Set the thickness lever to the + position when you print on envelopes or other thick media, as shown here. (Make sure you return the lever to the 0 position before you print on regular media.)

Selecting the Correct Media Type

When you print on special media, you need to be careful about choosing the correct Media Type setting in your printer software. Check the table below if you’re not sure which setting to choose. For details on loading special media, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

For this media name . . . Select this Media Type setting . . .

Plain paper sheets or envelopes

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets

EPSON Photo Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film

EPSON Photo Stickers

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies

If you use special paper that comes with a cleaning sheet, don’t use the cleaning sheet with your printer; it may jam inside the printer.

Plain paper

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

Photo Paper

Photo Quality Glossy Film

Ink Jet Transparencies

Using Your Printer with DOS

To use your printer with DOS, you’ll need to follow the steps here for:

■ selecting a printer driver in each application

■ changing control panel settings, if necessary.

If you need to clean the print head, use the printer’s control panel as described on page 50.

Selecting a Printer Driver

If driver support for the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 is not available from your software manufacturer, you can use one of the other EPSON ESC/P 2™ printer drivers. These drivers don’t provide all the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 features such as 720 or 1440 dpi printing. Choose the first printer available from the following two lists:

When printing black only:

LQ-870/1170 LQ-570 (+)/1070(+) SQ-870/1070 LQ-850 LQ-500

When printing black and color:

EPSON Stylus PRO EPSON Stylus COLOR 500 EPSON Stylus COLOR II LQ-860 LQ-2550

Control Panel Default Settings

Your printer includes internal default settings that are active whenever you turn on the printer. These settings control functions such as print direction and loading position.

Because they are preset to the most likely settings you’ll want to use, you probably won’t need to change them. If you do need to change the settings, see “Changing the Default Settings” on page 34. The table below lists the settings you can select in default-setting mode.

Most software controls the print direction, auto line feed, and character table settings. If your software controls these features, you should not set them with the control panel.

Settings Options

Font

Selects the default font.

Pitch

Specifies the default character pitch (font size).

Print direction

Auto: printer switches automatically between bidirectional (for text data) and unidirectional (for graphics data).

Bi-D: prints in both directions (fastest).

Uni-D: prints in one direction only. Provides maximum alignment for both graphics and character printing.

Loading position

If you want to increase the number of lines you can print on a page, set this feature to 3 mm. If you set the top margin with your software, that margin value is added to the loading position value.

Courier, Roman, Sans Serif, Prestige, Script, Roman T, Sans Serif H, Draft

10 cpi, 12 cpi, 15 cpi, 17.1 cpi, 20 cpi, Proportional

Auto, Bi-D, Uni-D

8.5 mm, 3 mm, Others

Settings Options

I/F mode

You may need to change the I/F mode so that your printer and computer can communicate properly.

Auto: printer automatically selects the interface that is receiving data, and uses that interface until the end of the print job. Allows you to share the printer among multiple computers without changing the interface mode.

Check your computer documentation if you are not sure of the type of interface your computer requires.

Auto I/F wait time

When Auto is selected as the I/F mode option, you can set the interface timeout to 10 seconds or 30 seconds. The printer does not accept data from another interface unless it receives no data from the current interface for the period set in Auto I/F wait time.

Network I/F mode

If your printer is connected to a single computer, leave this feature off. If you want to share the printer with another computer, turn this feature on. When this feature is on, data may be present in the printer’s buffer even though the printer is not printing. Always make sure the printer isn’t receiving data before turning off the printer.

Auto, Parallel, Serial, USB, Optional

10 seconds, 30 seconds

Off, On

Parallel I/F transfer rate

Specifies the interface transfer rate. For most printing, leave this setting set to Fast. If you encounter problems, set it to Normal.

Fast, Normal

Settings Options

Software

Specifies the type of control codes you want to use to control the printer. If you select ESC/P 2, the printer emulates an EPSON ESC/P 2 printer. If you select IBM X24E, the printer operates as an IBM Proprinter™ X24E. If possible, select EPSON ESC/P 2 in your application programs. This will allow you to use the most advanced font and graphics handling available.

Auto CR (IBM mode only)

Available when you select IBM X24E emulation as the Software setting. If Auto CR is on, the printer performs a carriage-return line-feed (CR LF) operation whenever the print position exceeds the right margin. If this is off, the printer does not print characters beyond the right margin, and does not perform a linewrap until it receives a CR command.

AGM (IBM mode only)

Available when you select IBM X24E emulation as the Software setting. When AGM is on, the printer can use high-resolution 24-pin graphics commands. The default is Off.

ESC/P 2, IBM X24E

Off, On

Auto line feed

When the Auto line feed feature is on, each carriage return (CR) code is accompanied by a line feed (LF) code. If your printed text is unexpectedly double-spaced, set this feature to Off. If text lines print on top of each other, set it to On.

0 slash

The zero character with a slash allows you to easily distinguish between an uppercase letter “O” and a zero.

Off, On

0, 0 with slash

Settings Options

Character table

Character tables contain the characters and symbols used in different languages. The printer prints text based on the selected character table.

Standard model: Italic, PC437, PC850, PC860, PC861, PC863, PC865, BRASCII, Abicomp, Roman 8, ISO Latin 1, PC858, ISO 8859-15

All other models: Italic, PC437, PC437 Greek, PC850, PC852, PC853, PC855, PC857, PC866, PC869, MAZOWIA, Code MJK, ISO 8859-7, ISO Latin 1T, Bulgaria, PC774, Estonia, ISO 8859-2, PC866 LAT, PC866 UKR, PCAPTEC, PC708, PC720, PCAR864, PC860, PC861, PC863, PC865, BRASCII, Abicomp, Roman 8, ISO Latin 1, PC858, ISO 8859-15

Changing the Default Settings

To change the printer’s default settings, use the control panel buttons; the control panel lights show your selections.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off and letter-size paper is loaded in the sheet feeder.

2. Hold down the

R cleaning button and turn on the printer to enter

default-setting mode.

3. The printer loads a sheet of paper and prints a brief summary and instructions. It instructs you to select the language that you want messages printed in (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese).

4. Press the

R cleaning button until the control panel lights indicate the language

of your choice.

5. Press the

E load/eject button to print the current default settings and additional

instructions in the language you selected. The printed instructions include submenu tables that list all of the settings you can change and show you how the control panel lights appear for each selection. Use the instruction sheets to change the settings from the control panel.

6. After making your changes, exit default-setting mode by turning off the printer.

You may exit default-setting mode any time by turning off the printer. Any changes you have made remain in effect until you change them again.

If you want to check the current default settings, enter default-setting mode again and print the current settings. Current settings are indicated with arrows.

Selecting Fonts

Your printer has eight built-in character fonts:

■ EPSON Courier

■ EPSON Roman T (similar to the Times

■ EPSON Sans Serif H (similar to Helvetica

■ EPSON Roman

■

EPSON Sans Serif

■ EPSON Prestige

■ EPSON Script

■ Draft

™

font)

™

)

To select a font, enter default-setting mode. See “Changing the Default Settings” on page 34.

The font selections you make with your software override your printer’s control panel selections. For best results, use your software to select fonts.

Roman T and Sans Serif H fonts are available in proportionally

spaced fonts only.

Some of the character tables might not be able to print with EPSON Roman T and EPSON Sans Serif H fonts. In these cases, selected character tables are printed with EPSON Roman.

Scalable Fonts

The size of the Roman, Sans Serif, Roman T, and Sans Serif H fonts can be selected from 8 to 32 points in 2-point increments through your software or by sending an ESC/P 2 command. See the documentation that came with your application for information on selecting the size of scalable fonts.

Maintaining the Printer

If you’re printing from DOS applications, you can perform most printer maintenance operations —such as replacing the ink cartridges and cleaning the print heads— as described in “Maintaining Your Printer” on page 48. However, you’ll need to follow the steps in this section if you need to align the print head to correct misaligned vertical lines.

Aligning the Print Head with the DOS Utility

To use this utility, follow these steps:

1. Insert the printer software into your CD-ROM drive.

2. Type D:\SETUP at the DOS prompt. (If your CD-ROM driver has a different drive letter, or if you are using the floppy disk version, substitute the appropriate letter for D.) Then press Enter, and follow the directions on the screen to install the print head alignment utility.

3. After installing the utility, type

C:\EPCALIB2

disk drive letter). Then press

(where C is your hard

Enter

The following window appears:

4. Make sure

is selected. Click

900

EPSON Stylus COLOR

, then

follow the directions on the screen to align the print head.

Aligning the Print Head Using the Control Panel Buttons

If you cannot use the print head alignment utility program that came with your printer, follow these steps to align the print head.

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

2. While holding down the

R cleaning button

press the

P power button

on the printer. Then release both buttons.

3. The

S paper out light flashes for about three seconds. While it is flashing, press

the

E load/eject button.

The printer prints a sheet of instructions in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese explaining how to align the print heads. Follow these instructions.

to turn

If the Eload/eject button isn’t pressed while the light is flashing, the printer enters default-setting mode. If this happens, turn off the printer and repeat steps 2 and 3.

paper out

4. After aligning the print head, turn off the printer to exit print head alignment mode.

Configuring for a Network

Before you can use your printer on a network, you must configure your computer as described in the following sections.

Windows 95 and Windows 98 Users

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

■ set up the system connected to the printer (host system) so the printer can be

shared

■ define a path to the printer on each client computer

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

This section describes how to use your printer as a shared printer on a network. To connect your printer directly to a network without setting it up as a shared printer, consult your network administrator.

Setting Up the Host System

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

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

3. Click the I want to be able to allow

others to print to my printer(s)

and click OK.

4. In the Network window, click OK.

checkbox

If a dialog box requesting the Windows 95 or 98 CD-ROM appears, insert the CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive, then follow the messages on the screen.

If a dialog box appears requesting you to restart your computer, do so. Then open the Printer folder, and continue with step 6.

5. In the Control Panel, double-click Printers.

6. Right-click the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 icon, then click Sharing on the File menu.

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

Setting Up Client Systems

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

2. Right-click the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 icon and choose Properties.

3. Click the Details tab.

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

To print from DOS applications as well as Windows applications, click the Capture Printer Port button instead of Add Port. Select the printer port in the Device list, then specify its network path. Select Reconnect at logon, then click OK.

5. When you return to the Details tab, click OK.

Windows NT 4.0 Users

This section is written for users on a small network. If you are on a large network and would like to share your printer, consult your network administrator.

This section tells you how to set up your printer so that other computers on the network can use it.

First, you need to set up the printer as a shared printer on the computer to which the printer is connected. Then, you must specify the network path to the printer from each computer to use the printer, and install the printer software on those computers.

Setting Up Your Printer as a Shared Printer

Follow these steps to share a printer that is connected directly to your computer with others on a network.

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

2. Select your printer, then click Sharing on the File menu.

Do not choose any drivers from the Alternate Drivers list.

3. Click

Shared

4. Click OK.

and enter the Share Name.

Accessing the Printer Through a Network

To access your printer from another computer on the network, follow these steps.

Your printer must be set up as a shared resource on the computer to which it is directly connected before you can access it from another computer.

1. On each computer from which you want to access the printer, click Start, point to

Settings, and click Printers.

2. Double-click the Add Printer icon.

3. Click

Network printer server

, then click

4. Double-click the icon of the computer that is directly connected to the printer. Then click the printer’s icon.

Be sure to confirm all network settings with the network administrator.

5. Click OK and follow the on-screen instructions.

Macintosh Users

This section tells you how to set up the printer so that you can use it on an AppleTalk® network.

First, you need to install the printer software on the computers in the network, following the instructions on the Start Here card. Then, you must select the printer in the Chooser.

Selecting the Printer in the Chooser

1. Turn on your printer.

2. Open the Chooser from the Apple menu and click the SC 900(AT) icon.

3. If you are using AppleTalk zones, select the zone you want to use. A list of all the printers connected to the selected zone appears on the right. Click the name assigned to the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900.

4. Click the Background Printing buttons to turn background printing on or off.

5. Close the Chooser.

Using Printer Software Diskettes

If your computer doesn’t have a CD-ROM drive, you can download the driver or order printer software diskettes from EPSON, as described in the next section. Once you have your diskettes, follow the steps on page 45 to install the printer software.

Only the printer driver software is available on diskette. The Guided Printing Exercise and bonus software for Windows 95, 98, and NT are available only on the printer software CD-ROM.

Ordering Printer Software Diskettes

You can order printer driver software diskettes from EPSON by phone or fax for $9.95 shipping and handling (plus tax where applicable), or you can download the diskette image files. When you’re ready to install your printer software, see page 45.

Download:

■ EPSON Web Page: Point your browser to http://www.epson.com/connects

and select File Downloads (FTP)

■ EPSON Internet FTP Site: Log on to ftp.epson.com with the user name

anonymous and your e-mail address as the password

■ Epson America Forum on CompuServe

EPSONFOR in the dialog box

■ EPSON Download Service: Set your modem’s communications software to

: Click on Services. . . Go, then type

8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity, and a maximum speed of 28.8 Kbps. Then dial the EPSON BBS at (800) 442-2007.

If you need downloading instructions, call EPSON’s FaxAdvice™ service at (800) 922-8911 and request document #1220; be sure to supply a return fax number.

Fax:

Send the following information by fax to EPSON at (310) 782-5266:

■ Name and Company name

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

■ Daytime telephone number

■ Payment method (VISA, MasterCard, or American Express)

Card number and expiration date Be sure to sign your fax; it is required for the credit card purchase

■ Printer name (EPSON Stylus COLOR 900)

■ Operating system (Window 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0,

or Macintosh).

Phone:

Call (310) 533-8467 from 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific time, Monday through Friday.

Installing Printer Software from Diskettes

Follow the instructions for your operating system in the sections below.

Installing Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0 Software

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

2. Turn on your computer and wait until you see the Windows desktop icons.

3. Turn on your printer.

IMPORTANT: If you connected your printer using the parallel port and you see a screen telling you that Windows has detected your printer and asking you to install a driver diskette, ALWAYS select Cancel. You cannot install your software that way.

4. Insert the EPSON printer software diskette 1.

5. Click Then click OK.

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

7. After you install the printer software, repeat steps 4 through 6 to install Status Monitor 2 from its diskettes.

Your printer software icons appear in the EPSON folder and the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 printer is set as your default Windows printer.

8. Restart your system.

9. Now you’re ready to print! See “Printing with Windows” on page 13 for instructions.

Start

, select

, and type

Run

A:\Setup

(where A is your diskette drive letter).

Installing Windows 3.1 Software

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

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

3. Insert the EPSON printer software diskette 1.

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

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

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

Your printer software icons appear in the EPSON program group and the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 printer is set as your default Windows printer.

7. Now you’re ready to print! See “Printing with Windows” on page 13 for instructions.

Installing Macintosh Software

1. Make sure your printer and Macintosh are turned off.

2. Turn on your Macintosh and wait until you see the desktop icons, then turn on your printer.

3. Insert the EPSON printer software diskette 1.

4. If necessary, double-click the double-click the Installer icon.

5. Click Continue.

6. Click Install and follow the on-screen instructions to install your printer driver. Then click Restart.

7. After you finish installing printer software, open the Chooser. If you’re connected to the Macintosh printer port or to a PowerBook with one port, turn off AppleTalk.

8. Click the SC 900 icon, then click the icon for the port you’re using. Turn on background printing, if you want to use it. Then close the Chooser.

9. Now you’re ready to print! See “Printing with a Macintosh” on page 17 for instructions.

icon to open the diskette window. Then

Disk1

Maintaining Your Printer

This section describes the most common maintenance procedures you’ll need to perform to keep your printer working at its best and to prepare it for moving. Just follow the instructions in this chapter for:

■ cleaning the print head

■ replacing an ink cartridge

■ aligning the print head

■ transporting the printer

For more details, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual as described on page 9.

Cleaning the Print Head

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

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

■ Using the Head Cleaning utility in your printer software (when the printer is

connected to a local port, not over a network), as described on page 49

■ Using the printer’s control panel buttons, as described on page 50

Always wait until your document has finished printing before cleaning the print head.

If you use special paper that comes with a cleaning sheet, don’t use the cleaning sheet with your printer; it may jam inside the printer.

Using the Head Cleaning Utility

Follow these steps to run the Head Cleaning utility:

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

B black and

A color ink out lights are off.

2. Access the printer settings dialog box as described in “Printing with Windows” on page 13 or “Printing with a Macintosh” on page 17.

3. Click the Utility tab (Windows) or the Utility icon (Macintosh).

4. On the Utility menu, click the Head Cleaning icon.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to clean the print head. Cleaning takes a little over a minute, during which the printer makes some noise and the

P power

light flashes.

power light is flashing,

6. When the

Never turn off the printer while the unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

P power light stops flashing, run a nozzle check to test the results and

reset the cleaning cycle.

Make sure paper is loaded in the printer and click Print nozzle check pattern (Windows) or Confirmation (Macintosh). Then click Next. The nozzle check pattern prints; see “Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern” on page 51 for details.

7. If the nozzle check pattern is filled in completely, click Finish.

If the pattern is missing dots, click Clean to clean the print head again. If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning two or three times, check the solutions in “Problems Getting Good Print Quality” on page 64.

Using the Control Panel

Follow these steps to clean the print head:

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

B black and

A color ink out lights are off.

2. Press the little over a minute, during which the printer makes some noise and the

R cleaning button and hold it down for three seconds. Cleaning takes a

P power

light flashes.

power light is flashing,

3. After the

Never turn off the printer while the unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

P power light stops flashing, print a page to test the print quality and

reset the cleaning cycle.

If you’re connected directly to the printer, run a nozzle check. Go to step 4.

If you’re using DOS or printing over a network, open an application and print a document containing black and color data. Then go to step 8.

4. Start an application, open a document, and access the printer settings dialog box as described in “Printing with Windows” on page 13 or “Printing with a Macintosh” on page 17.

5. Click the Utility tab (Windows) or the Utility icon (Macintosh). You see the Utility menu.

6. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer, click the Nozzle Check icon, and click

Next. The nozzle check pattern prints on the printer; see “Examining the Nozzle

Check Pattern” on page 51 for details.

7. If the nozzle check pattern is filled in completely, click Finish.

If the pattern is missing dots, click Clean to clean the print head again.

8. If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning two or three times, check the solutions in “Problems Getting Good Print Quality” on page 64.

Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern

Examine the nozzle check pattern you print. It should look something like this:

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

missing dots

page 48 for instructions.

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

missing dots

When the

B black or

A color ink out light flashes, the indicated cartridge is low on

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

You can also check your ink levels using Status Monitor 2 (not available for Windows 3.1). See your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual for details.

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

■ Black ink cartridge T003011

■ Color ink cartridge T005011

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

When you need new ink cartridges, contact your dealer or call EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 (U.S. sales only). Or visit our web site at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral.

If you need to replace an ink cartridge before the lights flash (because the ink is too old, for example) follow the instructions in “Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge” on page 54.

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges

You can replace a cartridge when the

B black or

A color ink out light is either

flashing or on. (If you perform these steps when both ink out lights are off, the printer cleans the print heads as described on page 48.)

Follow these steps to replace ink cartridges:

1. Remove the new ink cartridge from its packaging.

2. Remove only the yellow part of the tape

Remove the yellow tape

seal on top as shown to the right. Don’t pull off the blue portion or try to remove the clear seal underneath the cartridge.

black cartridge color cartridge

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

3. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing, then open the printer cover.

4. Press the head moves left and the

R cleaning button and hold it for about three seconds until the print

P power light begins flashing. The print head moves to

the black or color cartridge replacement position, depending on which ink cartridge is empty.

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. If you need to replace the other ink cartridge, repeat steps 4 through 8 before continuing with step 10.

10. Press the

R cleaning button and close the printer cover. The printer moves the

print head and begins charging the ink delivery system.

The

P power light flashes, and the printer makes various sounds. Charging takes

about one minute. When it’s finished, the

Ppower light stops flashing and stays

on.

Never turn off the printer while the unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

power light is flashing,

Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge

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

Follow these steps to replace an ink cartridge before the

B black or

A color ink out

light is flashing or on:

1. Remove the new ink cartridge from its packaging.

2. Remove only the yellow part of the tape seal on top as shown below. Don’t pull off the blue portion or try to remove the clear seal underneath the cartridge.

Remove the yellow tape

black cartridge color cartridge

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

3. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing, then open the printer cover.

4. Press the

E load/eject button and hold it down for three seconds until the print

head moves to the left to the black ink cartridge replacement position and the Ppower light begins flashing.

5. If you need to replace only the color ink cartridge, press the

E load/eject button

again until the print head moves to the color ink cartridge replacement position.

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

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

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

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

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

10. Press the

E load/eject button. The print head

moves to the color ink cartridge replacement position. If you need to replace the color ink cartridge, repeat steps 6 through 9. Then continue with step 11.

11. Press the

E load/eject button again and close the printer cover.

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

P power light flashes and the printer makes various sounds.

Charging takes about one minute. When it’s finished, the

P power light stops

flashing and stays on.

Never turn off the printer while the unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

power light is flashing,

Aligning the Print Head

If your printouts contain misaligned vertical lines, you may need to align the print head. Your printer must be connected to a local port, not on a network, to use the Print Head Alignment utility.

If you are using DOS, follow the instructions on page 36 instead.

Follow these steps:

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

Load paper that’s at least 8.27 inches (210 mm) wide. This prevents ink from spraying inside the printer and smudging your printouts.

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

2. Access the printer settings dialog box as described on page 13 (Windows) or page 17 (Macintosh).

3. Click the Utility tab (Windows) or the Utility icon (Macintosh). You see the Utility menu.

4. Click the Print Head Alignment icon.

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

Cleaning the Printer

To keep your printer working at its best, you should clean it several times a year. Follow these steps:

1. Turn off the printer, unplug the power cord, and disconnect the printer cable.

2. Remove all the paper from the sheet feeder.

3. Clean the exterior of the printer with a soft, damp cloth.

4. Clean ink out of the printer’s interior with a soft, damp cloth.

Don’t touch the gears inside the printer.

Never use alcohol or thinner for cleaning; they can damage the printer components and case.

Don’t use a hard or abrasive brush.

Don’t get water on the printer components and don’t spray lubricants or oils inside the printer.

Don’t use any cleaning sheets included with special media; they may jam inside the printer.

Transporting the Printer

If you move your printer some distance, you need to prepare it for transportation in its original box. Follow these steps:

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

Be sure to remove the tape used in step 4 after installing the printer in its new location.

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

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

3. Remove any paper from the printer and remove the paper support.

4. Open the printer cover. Secure the ink cartridge holder to the printer with tape as shown, then close the printer cover.

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

6. Repack the printer and attachments in the original box using the protective materials that came with it. See the unpacking sheet that was packed with your printer.

Be sure to keep the printer level as you transport it. If you notice a decline in print quality after transporting the printer, clean the print head (see page 48); if output is misaligned, align the print head (see page 56).

Problem Solving

This section gives you the basics for diagnosing and solving printer problems. First see “Diagnosing Printer Problems” below to help determine what the cause of the problem may be. Then see “Problems and Solutions” on page 62 for solutions to common setup and software problems.

There are additional problem solving tips in the “Troubleshooting” section of your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual. If none of the suggested solutions solve your problem, contact your EPSON dealer or see “Where To Get Help” on page 69.

Diagnosing Printer Problems

You can diagnose some problems by checking the printer’s control panel lights, as described below. It may also be helpful to try running a printer check; see page 61 for instructions.

Checking the Control Panel Lights

paper out light

black ink out light

color ink out light

cleaning button

load/eject button

power button

power light

Follow these guidelines when the control panel lights come on or flash:

P is on The

flashes When the

is on When the

or A flash When an ink out light flashes, your ink supply is low. Make sure you

or A are on When an ink out light comes on, you need to replace the ink

P and S flash, and

and A are on

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

flashes when the printer is receiving a print job or performing a maintenance operation, such as cleaning the print head.

S paper out light flashes, you have a paper jam. Turn off

the printer and gently pull out all paper. Make sure none of the sheets are curled, creased, old, stuck together, or too thin. Then reload the stack against the right edge guide and slide the left edge guide over to the paper’s left edge. Then turn the printer on.

S paper out light comes on, your paper is out or incorrectly

loaded. Make sure none of the sheets are curled, creased, old, stuck together, or too thin. Then reload the stack against the right edge guide and slide the left edge guide over to the paper’s left edge.

Press the

have a replacement cartridge.

cartridge. See page 51 for instructions.

When the A color ink out lights come on, jammed paper may be blocking movement of the print head. Turn off the printer, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. If no paper ejects, turn off the printer, remove the jammed paper, and turn it on again. If the lights still flash or stay on, contact your dealer or EPSON; see page 69 for contact information.

load/eject button to resume printing.

P power and

S paper out lights flash and the

B black and

P S B A flash When all the lights flash, your printer may have an internal error.

Make sure you removed all the packing material as described on the unpacking sheet in your printer box. Then turn off the printer, wait a few seconds, and turn it on again. If the lights still flash or stay on, contact your dealer or EPSON; see page 69 for contact information.

P S B A are off When all the lights are off, the printer is not receiving power. Try

these solutions:

■ Make sure the printer is turned on.

■ Turn off the printer, plug in the power cord securely, and turn on

the printer again.

■ Make sure the outlet is not controlled by a switch or timer and is

operable.

Running a Printer Check

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

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

2. Disconnect the interface cable from the printer.

3. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer.

Load paper that’s at least 8.27 inches (210 mm) wide. This prevents ink from spraying inside the printer and smudging your printouts.

4. Hold down the Continue holding down the

E load/eject button, then press and release the

E load/eject button until the

Ppower light starts to

Ppower button.

flash, then release it.

The printer prints one page showing its ROM version number, ink counter, and a nozzle check pattern. Only the nozzle check pattern is shown below.

5. To end the check, turn off the printer after it prints the check page. Then reconnect the interface cable and turn on your printer and computer.

■ If the results are satisfactory, the problem lies in your software settings, the

interface cable, or your computer.

■ If the check page does not print correctly, you may have a problem with

your printer. First try cleaning the print head (see page 48). Then try the suggestions in “Problems and Solutions” on page 62 for more information.

Problems and Solutions

Here are some basic troubleshooting tips if you have any problems setting up your printer, installing software, or getting good print quality.

Problems Setting Up the Printer or Installing Its Software

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

■ The first time you install ink

cartridges, the printer must charge its ink delivery system for a couple minutes. Please wait until charging is finished (the

Ppower light stops

flashing) before you turn off the printer. If you turn off the printer while it is charging, it will begin charging again the next time you turn on the printer and use more ink than necessary.

■ Make sure the ink cartridge

clamps are locked down completely and that no packing material remains in the printer.

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

Your printer is performing routine maintenance.

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

■ Carefully follow the instructions

for installing the printer software on the Start Here card.

■ Make sure your printer is turned

on and the printer cable is securely connected to the printer and computer.

■ Make sure you’ve closed all other

applications, including any screen savers. Then try installing the software again.

If you’re using the parallel port on Windows 95, 98, or NT . . .

For maximum print speeds, ECP/DMA mode on your computer’s parallel port should be enabled. See your computer documentation or contact your computer’s manufacturer for instructions.

If your printer icon doesn’t appear in the Chooser (Macintosh) . . .

■ Your Macintosh has extension

conflicts. Disable Quick Draw GX in the Extensions Manager. Make sure EPSON Monitor3 and SC 900 are enabled, and then restart your Macintosh.

■ You may have too many items in

the Chooser. Delete any unused items and check the Chooser again.

If you want to verify your USB software installation on Windows 98 . . .

Check the Device Manger: Click

, point to

Start Control Panel System and click the Device Manager

Settings

. Then double-click

tab. You should see the

, and click

device EPSON USB Printer Devices listed. Click the + next to the device; you should see EPSON USB Printer (EPUSB:1) listed.

If you can’t install the USB Printer Device driver for Windows 98 . . .

■ Make sure your computer is a

Windows 98 USB pre-installed model.

■ Make sure that the Universal

Serial Bus Controller is working properly in the Device Manager. For details, see your computer documentation. If it is not working properly, contact your computer dealer.

■ Make sure you’re using a

recommended USB cable as described on page 4.

■ If you use a USB hub, connect the

printer to the first tier of the hub, or connect the printer to the computer’s USB port directly.

If you can’t see the ink level gauge when you print in Windows . . .

Make sure you installed Status Monitor 2. If you didn’t, uninstall your printer software, then reinstall it, making sure you choose to install Status Monitor 2. See page 67 for instructions on uninstalling your printer software. Once you’ve installed Status Monitor 2, make sure background monitoring is turned on. See your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual for details on Status Monitor 2. (Status Monitor 2 is not available for Windows 3.1.)

Problems Getting Good Print Quality

If you see horizontal banding . . .

■ Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print head, see page 48.

■ Make sure the Media Type setting

matches the paper you loaded. See page 29 for guidelines.

■ Make sure the printable side of the

paper is face up. It is usually the whiter or shinier side of ink jet paper.

■ Make sure the ink cartridges aren’t

low on ink. If either ink out light is flashing, replace the ink cartridge; see page 51. If your ink cartridge is more than six months old, you may need to replace it; see page 54.

■ Try using Automatic mode. See

page 15 (Windows) or page 18 (Macintosh) for instructions.

■ Make sure the paper thickness lever is

in the 0 position, as shown to the right. Set the thickness lever to the

+ position when you print on thicker

paper or envelopes.

If you see vertical banding . . .

■ Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print head, see page 48.

■ Run the Print Head Alignment

utility. See page 56 for instructions.

■ Check the paper thickness lever

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

0 position.

If your printout is blurry or smeared . . .

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

■ Make sure your paper isn’t damp or

loaded face down (the printable side should be loaded face up). If it’s damp, reload a new stack of paper.

■ Use a support sheet with special

media or try loading your media one sheet at a time.

■ Make sure your paper or media

meets the specifications listed in your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

■ Run the Print Head Alignment

utility. See page 56 for instructions.

■ Check the paper thickness lever

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

■ Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print head, see page 48.

■ Make sure your paper isn’t damaged,

old, dirty, or loaded face down. If it is, reload a new stack of paper with the printable side up. The printable surface is usually whiter or shinier.

If your printout contains incorrect characters . . .

■ Your printer’s interface cable may

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

If your printout contains incorrect or missing colors . . .

■ Make sure the Ink setting is set to

Color for color images.

■ Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print head, see page 48.

■ Make sure the ink cartridges aren’t

low on ink or too old. If either ink out light is flashing, replace the ink cartridge; see page 51. If your ink cartridge is more than six months old, you may need to replace it; see page 54.

■ Try using Automatic mode. See

page 15 (Windows) or page 18 (Macintosh) for instructions.

■ Your printed colors can never

exactly match your on-screen colors. However, you can use a color management system to get as close as possible. For information on your printer software’s color matching options, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

■ Your printer may not be selected

as the current printer in your application, or as the Windows default printer, or as the current printer in the Macintosh Chooser. Be sure to select EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 in your application. For instructions on selecting the Windows default printer, see your Windows documentation or online help. To select your printer in the Macintosh Chooser, see the Start Here card.

If your printout is grainy . . .

■ Try using a higher quality paper.

■ Make sure you set the Quality/Speed

slider to the Quality setting in your printer software; see page 15 (Windows) or page 18 (Macintosh) for instructions.

■ Run the Print Head Alignment

utility. See page 56 for instructions.

■ You may need to increase the image

resolution or print it in a smaller size. See your software documentation for instructions.

Uninstalling Printer Software

If you need to uninstall and reinstall your printer software, follow the steps for your operating system.

Uninstalling Windows 95, 98, or NT Software

If you uninstall and then reinstall the printer software in Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0, you must also uninstall and then reinstall Status Monitor 2 so it can recognize your printer.

If you’re using Windows 98 with a USB connection, you must also uninstall and then reinstall the EPSON USB Printer Device software.

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

2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.

3. Click EPSON Printer Software in the program list.

4. Click the Add/Remove button and follow the instructions on screen.

5. If Status Monitor 2 is installed, you need to uninstall it also. First, right-click the

icon in the bottom-right corner of the taskbar and select Stop monitoring

to turn off background monitoring. Then follow steps 1 through 4 again,

now

selecting EPSON Status Monitor 2 in the program list to uninstall it.

6. If you’re using Windows 98 with a USB connection, you need to uninstall the EPSON USB Printer Device software also. Follow steps 1 through 4 again, selecting EPSON USB Printer Device in the list.

7. Restart your computer. To reinstall your software, see the Start Here card.

Uninstalling Windows 3.1 Software

1. Double-click the

program group icon, then double-click the

Main

Control Panel

icon.

2. Double-click

3. Select

EPSON Stylus COLOR 900

Remove

button.

Printers

in the Installed Printers list and click the

4. To reinstall your software, see the Start Here card.

Uninstalling Macintosh Software

1. Insert the printer software CD-ROM in your drive.

2. Double-click the EPSON Printer Driver Installer icon.

3. At the printer driver installation screen, click Continue.

4. On the Installer screen, click the arrow in the list showing Easy Install, and select Remove.

5. Click the Remove button at the bottom of the screen.

6. After the software is uninstalled, click Quit on the Installer window, then restart your Macintosh.

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

changes to Remove

Where To Get Help

EPSON provides technical assistance through automated telephone services and electronic support services 24 hours a day, as listed in the following tables:

Automated telephone services

Service Access

EPSON SoundAdvice

EPSON FaxAdvice

EPSON Referral Service

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

(800) 922-8911.

Access EPSON’s technical information library by calling

(800) 922-8911

this service.

For the location of your nearest Authorized EPSON Reseller or Customer Care Center, call

Electronic support services

Service Access

World Wide Web

EPSON Internet FTP Site

EPSON Download Service

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

http://www.epson.com

If you have Internet FTP capability, use your Web browser (or other software for FTP downloading) to log onto with the user name password.

You can call the EPSON Download Service at Set your communications software to 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. Modem speed can be up to 28.8 Kbps.

. You must provide a return fax number to use

(800) 922-8911

anonymous

and your e-mail address as the

ftp.epson.com

(800) 442-2007

EPSON Forum on CompuServe

Members of CompuServe can type prompt to reach the Epson America Forum. For a free introductory CompuServe membership, call (800) 848-8199 and ask for representative #529.

GO EPSON

at the menu

To speak to a technical support representative, dial:

■ U.S.: (310) 787-6346, 6

to 8PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday and

7AM to 4PM, Saturday

■ Canada: (905) 709-2567, 6

to 8PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday

and 7AM to 4PM, Saturday

Toll or long distance charges may apply.

Before you call, please have the following information ready:

■ Product name (EPSON Stylus COLOR 900)

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

■ Computer configuration

■ Description of the problem

You can purchase ink cartridges, paper, manuals, and accessories from EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 (U.S. sales only). Or visit our website at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral

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

Index

Numerics

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper, 29

Accessories, 70 Adobe Acrobat Reader, 9 to 11 Advanced mode, 23 to 25 Advanced settings

print quality, 23 to 25 project types, 20 to 22 special effects, 23 to 25

Aligning print head

DOS, 36 to 37 Windows and Macintosh, 56

Automatic mode

Macintosh, 18 Windows, 15

Background printing, Macintosh, 19 Banding, 64 Built-in fonts, 35

Color management settings, 25 ColorSync setting, 22, 25 Custom project types, 20 to 22

Despooler, Windows 3.1, 16 Diffusion, error, 24 Digital Camera Correction setting, 25 Digital Camera setting, 22 Diskettes, ordering, 44 Dithering, 24 DOS, 30 to 37

Economy setting, 22, 24 ENERGY STAR, 6 Envelopes, printing on, 28 EPSON

Accessories, 70 help, 69 to 70

media and paper, 29 EPSON Monitor3, 20 Error Diffusion setting, 24

Cable, printer, 4, 5 Cleaning

print head, 48 to 50 printer, 57 sheets, 29, 48, 57

Color Adjustment mode, 25

Faint images, 65 Finest Detail setting, 24 Flip Horizontal setting, 24

Graph setting, 22 Guided Printing Exercise, 12

Halftoning setting, 24 Head Cleaning utility, 49 Help, 69 to 70 High Speed setting, 24

ICM (Image Color Matching) setting, 22, 25 Incorrect colors in printout, 66 Ink cartridge

replacing, 51 to 53 replacing outdated, 51, 54 to 55

safety instructions, 8 Ink Jet Transparencies, 29 Ink level gauge, 63 Ink setting, 21, 24 Installation, troubleshooting, 62 Installing software from diskettes, 45 to 47 Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper, 29

Layout tab, Windows, 16 Lever, thickness, 28, 64, 65

Macintosh

background printing, 19 Chooser, 63 preview, 19 system requirements, 5 uninstalling software, 68

USB, 5 Media Type setting, 21, 24, 27, 29 MicroWeave setting, 24 Mirror images, 24 Moving printer, 58

Network printing

Macintosh, 43

Windows 95 and 98, 38 to 39

Windows NT, 40 to 42 Nozzle check pattern, 51

Page Setup, Macintosh, 17 Paper

loading, 13, 17, 26 to 28

thickness lever, 28, 64, 65 Paper tab, Windows, 15 Photo Paper, 26 to 27, 29 Photo Paper Pack, 26 Photo Quality Glossy Film, 29 Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper, 29 PhotoEnhance3 and PhotoEnhance settings,

22, 25

Preview, Macintosh, 19

Print head

aligning, DOS, 36 to 37 aligning, Windows and Macintosh, 56

cleaning, 48 to 50 Print quality, 24, 64 Printable area setting, Photo Paper, 27 Printer

cable, 4, 5

noise, 62

parts, 6 Printer software, uninstalling, 67 to 68 Printing

Macintosh, 17 to 20

network, 38 to 43

Windows, 13 to 16 Progress Meter, 16 Project types, custom, 20 to 22

Special effects, 23 to 25 Special papers, 26 to 29 sRGB (Standard Red Green Blue) setting,

22, 25 Support, 69 to 70 System requirements

Macintosh, 5 Windows, 4

Text/Graph setting, 22 Thickness lever, 28, 64, 65 Tone setting, 25 Transfer Paper, Iron-On Cool Peel, 29 Transparencies, 29 Transporting printer, 58 Troubleshooting, 69 to 70

Quality/Speed slider

Macintosh, 18 Windows, 15

Reader, see Adobe Acrobat Reader Resolution, see Print quality

Safety instructions, 7 to 8 Service, 69 to 70 Sharpness setting, 25 Smears, 28, 64, 65 Software installation

from diskettes, 45 to 47 troubleshooting, 62

Uninstalling software, 67 to 68 USB

Macintosh, 5 Windows 98, 4, 63

Utilities

aligning print head, 56 aligning print head, DOS, 36 head cleaning, 49

Watermark

Macintosh, 19 Windows, 16

Windows

network printing, 38 to 42 Progress Meter, 16 system requirements, 4 uninstalling software, 67 USB, 4, 63

World Wide Web, 69

Year 2000, 6

Copyright Notice

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

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

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

Trademarks

EPSON and EPSON Stylus are registered trademarks and ESC/P 2 is a trademark of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. SoundAdvice is a service mark and EPSON FaxAdvice is a trademark of Epson America, Inc.

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

NERGY STAR

The E

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

Printed on recycled paper with at least 10% post-consumer content.

FCC Compliance Statement

For United States Users

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

◗ Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. ◗ Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. ◗ Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. ◗ Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARNING

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

For Canadian Users

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

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

How to Order EPSON Ink and Paper

To order EPSON ink cartridges, paper, and other printing media, contact your dealer or call EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 (U.S. sales only). Or visit our web site at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral.

Ink Cartridges

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

Black ink cartridge T003011 Color ink cartridge T005011

EPSON Papers

Paper name Size Part number

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards

EPSON Photo Paper

EPSON Photo Stickers Kit (CD-ROM/paper) EPSON Photo Stickers (refill)

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets

EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

Letter S041060

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041059

Letter S041111

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041117

Letter S041062

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041061

Legal S041067

A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041054

8 x 10 inches S041122

4 x 6 inches S041134

Letter S041141

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041140

Panoramic (8.3 x 23 inches) S041145

A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches)

Letter S041072

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041071

A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041107

Letter S041064

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041063

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041106

Letter S041153/S041155

S041144-KIT S041144

Epson Stylus Color 900 Basic User Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Contents

Welcome!

About Your Software

About Your Documentation

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips

Windows System Requirements

Macintosh System Requirements

Year 2000 Ready

Printer Parts

Important Safety Instructions

Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions

Viewing Your Electronic Printer Manual

Opening Your Electronic Manual

Navigating an Electronic Manual

Printing with Windows

Printing with a Macintosh

Using Custom Project Types

Using the Advanced Dialog Box

Using Special Papers

EPSON Photo Paper

Envelopes

Selecting the Correct Media Type

Using Your Printer with DOS

Selecting a Printer Driver

Control Panel Default Settings

Changing the Default Settings

Maintaining the Printer

Aligning the Print Head with the DOS Utility

Aligning the Print Head Using the Control Panel Buttons

Configuring for a Network

Windows 95 and Windows 98 Users

Setting Up the Host System

Setting Up Client Systems

Windows NT 4.0 Users

Setting Up Your Printer as a Shared Printer

Accessing the Printer Through a Network

Macintosh Users

Selecting the Printer in the Chooser

Using Printer Software Diskettes

Ordering Printer Software Diskettes

Installing Printer Software from Diskettes

Installing Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0 Software

Installing Windows 3.1 Software

Installing Macintosh Software

Maintaining Your Printer

Cleaning the Print Head

Using the Head Cleaning Utility

Using the Control Panel

Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges

Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge

Aligning the Print Head

Cleaning the Printer

Transporting the Printer

Problem Solving

Diagnosing Printer Problems

Checking the Control Panel Lights

Running a Printer Check

Problems and Solutions

Problems Setting Up the Printer or Installing Its Software

Problems Getting Good Print Quality

Uninstalling Printer Software

Where To Get Help

Index

Copyright Notice

Trademarks

FCC Compliance Statement

For United States Users

WARNING

For Canadian Users

How to Order EPSON Ink and Paper