Epson 600Q for Compaq Presario

Product Controls: EPSON 600Q

Cleaning Cycle Black/Color - Cleaning button

Printer's Check - Load/Eject + Power-On

Install Cartridge (Initial install takes approximately 5-6 minutes). Remove the yellow tape seal from the ink cartridge. Do not remove the white label from the top of the ink cartridge. The ink in a cartridge missing the white label will be exposed to air and will thicken such that print head clogging and possible print head failure can occur. If the white label has been removed from the ink cartridge, the cartridge will not function correctly and it will need to be replaced. More importantly, to avoid potential damage to the printer, do not install the cartridge if the white label has been removed. Turn the printer on. If this is the first ink cartridge that has ever been installed into the printer, then the print heads will automatically move slightly to the left when the printer's power is turned on. Otherwise, if either of the printer's ink out lights are flashing or solid, hold down the cleaning button for three seconds. If neither of the ink out lights are solid or flashing, hold down the load/eject button for three seconds. The print heads will have moved slightly to the left and the power light will be flashing at this point.. Install the cartridges, and then press the cleaning button to begin charging the ink delivery system.

Why can't I print from a particular Windows application in color?

Make sure the correct driver is selected and the Color option is enabled in the printer driver. Try printing again. If the image comes out monochrome, print from a resident program within Windows, such as Paintbrush. If the results are successful from Paintbrush, contact the software manufacturer of the application for assistance. If the results are not successful, troubleshoot the pertinent areas within Windows, such as the video driver.

What are the Epson Spool Manager and Epson Despooler?

The Epson Spool Manager manages special spool files called "journal" files. These contain the print data in an unprocessed form. The Spool Manager sends this data to the Epson Despooler for processing. The Despooler processes the data in segments, called "bands". Once a band is finished, it is sent to the printer for printing. While the printer prints, the Despooler works on the next band.

Why don't the colors displayed on the monitor match the printed colors?

Because your monitor and printer use different technologies to represent colors, your printed colors can't exactly match the colors you see on your monitor screen. Try using the ICM (Windows 95 or 98) setting. Refer to your User's Guide for more information.

I have a picture of the printer (the Despooler) with the International NO symbol across it on my screen. How can I clear this?

Check the Spool Manager to make sure the correct settings are enabled. Check to see if the Spool Manager is Held. Delete any queued print jobs and remove the check mark from the word "Hold" under the Queue menu. Make sure there is paper loaded in the printer and try printing again.

My printer's control panel locks up after I print a document from Windows. The buttons on the panel do not respond unless I disconnect the parallel printer cable from the back of the printer. What's wrong?

Some computers send an initialize/reset signal during the boot-up process. If the printer cable picks up any noise during this process, the initialize line will not complete its reset phase and cause the control panel to lock. Try booting the computer to Windows, then turn the printer ON using the printer's power switch and try printing again. A defective cable can also cause this situation. Make sure you are using a fully-shielded parallel cable, preferably 6 feet or less.

I'm getting an error, "Encountered error while processing band data, spool file is corrupt." How do I clear this?

If you are using Print Shop Deluxe, choose File, Preferences from the Print Shop menu and remove the check mark from "Fast Bitmap Printing." Check the Spool Manager to make sure the correct settings are enabled. Check to see if the Spool Manager is Held. Delete any queued print jobs and remove the check mark from the word "Hold" under the Queue menu. Make sure there is paper loaded in the printer and try printing again. If you get the same error message, reinstall the printer driver and try printing again. If the condition persists, obtain a replacement printer driver.

Why do I see a New Hardware found window after installing the printer software into Windows 95 or 98?

An operating system error has occurred. Click Do not install a driver, then click OK. Windows will not prompt you with this error again.

What are the minimum requirements to use this printer with a PC?

You will need an IBM compatible PC with at least a 386/16 MHz or faster processor, Microsoft Windows 3.1/Windows for Workgroups 3.1/Windows 95/Windows 98, at least 8MB of RAM (more for Windows 95 or 98), at least 20MB of free hard disk space for storing images (40MB or more is recommended), VGA/Super VGA or better display adapter and monitor, a shielded twisted-pair parallel cable (6 to 10 feet long).

I do not have the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario as a driver selection in my DOS application. Which printer should I select?

For color output choose the Stylus PRO, Stylus COLOR 500, Stylus COLOR II, LQ-2550, or LQ-860. For monochrome (black/white) printing select one of the following LQ or SQ models: LQ-870/1170, LQ-500, LQ-570+/1070+, SQ-870/1070, or LQ-850.

How do I install the driver in Windows 95 or 98?

Insert the EPSON printer software CD in your CD-ROM Drive. If Windows 95 or 98 launches the install program automatically, click on the Install button. If the installer does not launch automatically, click the Start button and select Run. Type D:\EPSETUP and press Enter. Select the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario then click OK. The installer creates an EPSON folder for your printer software icons, adds an icon for your printer to the Printers folder, and makes your printer the Windows default printer.

Why doesn't the Status Monitor box in Windows 95 or 98 appear with the Despooler?

The Windows Print Manager may be interfering with the Status Monitor. Open the Spool Manager and make sure the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario is selected. Click on Queue, Setup and make sure the box for "Use Print Manager for this port" is not checked, then click OK. Close the Spool Manager. Next, click Start, select Settings, Printers. With your right-mouse button, click on the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario icon and select Properties. Click on the Details tab, click on the Spool Settings button and make sure the Enable bi-directional support for this printer option is turned on, then click OK. The Status Monitor should now appear when you send your next print job.

Why am I getting error messages when printing?

If you see conflict error messages or printing is very slow, the problem may be caused by temporary files in the EPSON Spool Manager temporary file directory. To change the Spool Manager settings, you will first need to make a unique directory on your hard drive, such as C:\SPOOL. Open the Spool Manager and make sure the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario is selected. Click on Options, select Default Spool Directory. Change the directory to the new directory you created and click OK. Open the Queue, Setup and make sure the spool directory changed to the new unique directory. Make sure the box for "Use Print Manager for this port" is not checked, then click OK. Close the Spool Manager, restart the computer and try printing again.

When I print from Windows 3.1x, I'm getting the message "Disk is full" on my PC screen. How can I clear this?

In the Program Manager, go to Control Panel, select Printers. If you are printing to LPT1.DOS, change the port setting to LPT1:Local port. Check to see if there are any stalled print jobs in the Spool Manager. Delete any stalled print jobs. Create a new unique directory on your hard drive, such as C:\SPOOL. Open the Spool Manager and make sure the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario is selected. Click on Options, select Default Spool Directory. Change the directory to the new directory you created and click OK. Open the Queue, Setup and make sure the spool directory changed to the new unique directory. Make sure the box for "Use Print Manager for this port" is not checked, then click OK. Close the Spool Manager, restart the computer and try printing again.

How can I increase my print speed?

If you're using single sheet paper to print, check that the printers blue paper thickness lever is set to single sheets, not envelopes. One thing to keep in mind is that color print jobs can produce 20-100 times as much data as a monochrome (black/white) text print, which makes color printing a heavy draw on your CPU, memory, and hard disk. The entire printing process includes the time it takes the to spool the job into the spool directory or folder. Increasing or maximizing physical RAM, lowering the print resolution, and enabling "High Speed" in the driver will also help speed up the process. Ensure that you have at least 150MB of free hard drive space available. On a PC creating a unique spool directory improves printing performance by eliminating spooling conflicts within Windows. Regularly defragmenting (DEFRAG) your hard drive In the Control Panel will also help. Also in Control Panel, Printers, click on Connect and disable "Fast printing direct to port". To increase the speed when printing black text only, set your printer driver to the Black ink option, try setting the Print Quality to Economy, turn MicroWeave off and High Speed on, and choose No Halftoning.

What does the EPSON StatusMonitor do?

The EPSON StatusMonitor allows you to check the level of ink in the printer and to control the way your software warns you about printer issues. Choose Print from the File menu or click the Print button in your application to see the printer settings dialog box. Click the Utility button to get the Utility menu. Click the Status Monitor icon. The software checks the amount of ink remaining in the printer and displays the Status Monitor window. If you want to change printer messages and warnings, click the Configuration button. Choose the options you want and click OK to save the settings.

I removed the white label from the top of one of my ink cartridges. What should I do?

Do not install the cartridge. If you have already installed it and the printer is printing correctly, change the cartridge immediately. If you have already installed the cartridge, or if a previously installed ink cartridge was missing its white label at the time it was installed, and now the nozzle check will not print completely even after running cleaning cycles, your printer may need a service.

The quality of my printed output is unacceptable. What can I do to improve this?

Verify that you are using the correct printer driver for your printer model. Make sure that the printer's paper adjust lever is set to 0 for regular paper and + for envelopes or thicker media. If MicroWeave is off, turn this feature on. If High Speed is on, turn it off. Make sure the Media Type setting matches the paper or media loaded. Also, the Halftoning and Color Adjustment Mode options may be set incorrectly for your document type. Let the printer driver automatically select the settings for the best quality. The paper you are using may be damaged, old, dirty or loaded incorrectly. Remove the paper and reload a new stack ensuring that the printable side is face up. If your output is faint, check the printer driver to make sure you have selected a print resolution other than Economy. For vertical banding, rough or grainy images run the Print Head Alignment utility to align the print heads for precise vertical lines. If the image does not contain the colors you expected, the color settings on your application software may need adjustment. Refer to your software documentation for help on adjusting colors. If the previous steps do not resolve the issue, the print head nozzles may be clogged. From the Utility section found in the EPSON printer driver, clean the print heads by performing a head cleaning followed by printing a nozzle check pattern. A head cleaning and nozzle check must be performed as a cycle. After printing a nozzle check, examine the printed dot pattern. Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot pattern. If there are gaps in the dot pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 cycles if necessary. If the nozzle check prints completely, and you're still experiencing a problem, make sure you are using the most current version of the printer driver. You can obtain the latest printer driver from the EPSON web site. The resolution of your image may also be set too low. Increase the image resolution using your image-editing software, or decrease the size of the image. Another troubleshooting test to try is moving the printer to another computer. This will eliminate the possibility of a defective printer cable, parallel port, or software issue. If your still experiencing a problem try replacing the ink cartridge and make sure you are using a genuine EPSON ink cartridge which has a white label on top of it. If the white label has been removed from the ink cartridge, do not install the cartridge. Using an ink cartridge which does not have the white label on it may damage the printer. If you have already installed a cartridge which is missing the white label, or if a previously installed ink cartridge was missing its white label at the time it was installed, and now head cleanings do not help the nozzle check pattern to print completely, your printer may be damaged.

My printouts are missing color and/or black print. How can I resolve this issue?

If the printer is printing blank pages, make sure you are using the correct printer driver and make sure the paper size is correctly selected in the driver. If the printer is printing black only, the Ink option in the printer driver may be set to Black instead of Color or a setting in the software may be set to print black only. Also, the print head nozzles may be clogged. From the Utility section found in the EPSON printer driver, clean the print heads by performing a head cleaning followed by printing a nozzle check pattern. A head cleaning and nozzle check must be performed as a cycle. After printing a nozzle check, examine the printed dot pattern. Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot pattern. If there are gaps in the dot pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 cycles if necessary. If the nozzle check is not printing completely, and if the head cleanings do not help the nozzle check pattern to print completely, try replacing the ink cartridge. Also, make sure you are using a genuine EPSON ink cartridge which has a white label on top of it. If the white label has been removed from the ink cartridge, do not install the cartridge. Using an ink cartridge which does not have the white label on it may damage the printer. If you have already installed a cartridge which is missing the white label, or if a previously installed ink cartridge was missing its white label at the time it was installed, and now head cleanings do not help the nozzle check pattern to print completely, your printer may be damaged.

Why are my margins incorrect?

The paper may be loaded incorrectly. Make sure that the left and right edge guides are flush against both sides of the paper. Make sure the margins are set correctly in your software application, and make sure you are not trying to print outside of the printable area of the page for your paper size (printable area of the page specifications are available in the User's Manual). Make sure the correct paper size is selected in the printer driver settings. Also, check the settings on the paper menu in the printer driver to make sure they are correct for your paper size. Margins are not adjustable via the printer.

What is the correct way to load transparency paper?

Insert the EPSON transparency sheet making sure that the notch is at the top right side of the sheet when facing the front of the printer. Please refer to your User's Guide for detailed information.

If I want to clear the printer's memory, what should I do?

Make sure that you cancel the print job from the computer before you try to clear the printer's memory. After cancelling the print job, turn the printer off. Wait a few seconds, then turn on the printer.

The black or color Ink Out light is flashing or on solid.

If the light is flashing, the ink supply is getting low and you will need to replace the cartridge soon. If the light is on solid, the ink cartridge is completely empty and will need to be replaced in order to continue printing. Make sure you only remove the yellow tape seal from the top of any ink cartridge you install into the printer. If the white label has been removed from the ink cartridge, the cartridge will not function correctly and it needs to be replaced. More importantly, to avoid potential damage to the printer, do not install the cartridge if the white label has been removed.

Why won't the printer feed paper?

Power the printer on and press the Load/Eject button to see if paper will load. If no paper loads, make sure the paper isn't curled or creased, it isn't too old, isn't loaded above the arrow on the left edge guide, and that the paper isn't jammed in the printer. Reload the paper making sure the paper edge guide is adjusted to fit the paper's width. If the Paper Out light is on solid or flashing, power the printer OFF and remove the printer cable. Make sure all the packing materials are removed. If the problem persists, the printer may be damaged.

The power light is on, but nothing prints.

Make sure the printer cable is connected. Turn off the printer and computer, then make sure the printer cable is securely connected to the printer and computer ports. Try printing again. If the cable was not the problem, turn off the printer and computer, disconnect the interface cable and run a printer check (as described in Chapter 3 of your User's Guide). If the printer check works, check the application software for correct installation. Check to make sure that your computer has enough memory to handle the data in your print file. You may want to try reducing the resolution of your image, select fewer colors, or add more memory to the computer. If you are still having difficulty printing, try checking the Spool Manager to see if there are stalled print jobs. Delete any stalled jobs and resume printing. If the printer sounds like it is printing, but there is no ink on the page, the print head nozzles may be clogged. From the Utility section found in the EPSON printer driver, clean the print heads by performing a head cleaning followed by printing a nozzle check pattern. A head cleaning and nozzle check must be performed as a cycle. After printing a nozzle check, examine the printed dot pattern. Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot pattern. If there are gaps in the dot pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 cycles if necessary. If the nozzle check is not printing completely, and if the head cleanings do not help the nozzle check pattern to print completely, try replacing the ink cartridge.

Will the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario print 360, 720, and 1440 x 720 dpi on plain paper?

The EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario can print 360 x 360 dpi and 720 x 720 dpi in color and monochrome on plain paper. The 1440 x 720 dpi option should not be used when printing on plain paper. When printing 1440 x 720 dpi, use the EPSON coated or glossy paper.

What is the correct way to load envelopes?

Open the printer cover and position the adjust lever to the plus position. Then close the cover. Load the envelope with the flap edge first and printable side up. In the printer driver, set the Paper size to the correct envelope size. Make sure to return the adjust lever to the zero position before printing on thin media.

Why do I get paper jams when I go from envelopes back to single sheet paper.

Make sure to remove all envelopes before setting the adjust lever to the singles sheet setting.

Why is the Power light still flashing even though the printer has finished charging the ink cartridge?

The ink cartridge clamp isn't locked down. Press down on the clamp to lock it. Make sure that all packing material has been removed from the inside of the printer (follow instructions on the notice sheet). If the printer does not move or make any noise for more than 5 minutes, turn off the printer. If the light is still flashing when you turn it back on, the printer may be faulty.

The printer sounds like it is printing, but no ink is on the paper. What's wrong?

The print head nozzles may be clogged. From the Utility section found in the EPSON printer driver, clean the print heads by performing a head cleaning followed by printing a nozzle check pattern. A head cleaning and nozzle check must be performed as a cycle. After printing a nozzle check, examine the printed dot pattern. Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot pattern. If there are gaps in the dot pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 cycles if necessary. If the nozzle check is not printing completely, and if the head cleanings do not help the nozzle check pattern to print completely, try replacing the ink cartridge.

The printer check prints fine. Why won't anything print from my application?

Your printer may not be selected in your software. Make sure the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario driver has been selected and is on the correct port. Make sure you are using an interface cable that meets both the printer and computer specifications (see Chapter 1 page 4 for System Requirements). You may not have enough memory to handle the volume of the data in your document. Try reducing the image resolution or install more memory in your computer.

Why are color documents printing out in black and white?

Your printer may not be selected in your software. Make sure the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario driver has been selected and is on the correct port. Check the printer driver to make sure that the color option is selected, then try printing again. If the document still prints in black and white, try printing from another application program. If another program prints color, contact the software manufacturer for the application you are having problems with.

Why does my image look blurry or smeared?

Make sure that the adjust lever is set to 0 for regular paper and + for envelopes or thicker media. If the paper seems damp or the printable side is face down, remove the paper and reload a new stack. If you have loaded special media without a support sheet, you may experience blurry printing. If the support sheet does not help, try loading one sheet at a time. If you tried to print on cardboard or other non-recommended media, your printouts may be blurry. Make sure the Media Type setting matches the paper or media loaded. Let the printer driver automatically select other settings for the best quality. Make sure multiple sheets are not entering the output tray causing the image to smear. Check to make sure that ink hasn't leaked into the printer. If there is excess ink, carefully clean the inside of the printer with a soft, dry cloth. If you are using High Speed and MicroWeave settings and the print heads are not aligned properly, try turning High Speed off and running the Print Head Alignment utility.

Why are some characters wrong or garbled

Make sure you are using the correct driver. Select the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario as your default printer driver. Check to see if there are any stalled print jobs in the Spool Manager. Delete all stalled jobs and resume printing. The interface cable may not be securely connected. Turn off the printer and computer. Disconnect and reconnect the cable on both the printer and computer. Make sure the printer is fully-shielded and meets the printer's specifications.

Why does the printed image have incorrect or missing colors?

The Ink option in the printer driver may be set to Black instead of Color. If so, change the Ink setting to Color. Make sure the Media Type setting matches the paper or media you are using. Let the printer driver automatically select other settings for the best quality. Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up. The Halftoning and Color Adjustment Mode options may be set incorrectly for your document type. The color settings in your application software may need adjustment. Refer to your software documentation for help on adjusting colors. Incorrect or missing colors can also be attributed to clogged nozzles in the print head. From the Utility section found in the EPSON printer driver, clean the print heads by performing a head cleaning followed by printing a nozzle check pattern. A head cleaning and nozzle check must be performed as a cycle. After printing a nozzle check, examine the printed dot pattern. Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot pattern. If there are gaps in the dot pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 cycles if necessary. If the nozzle check is not printing completely, and if the head cleanings do not help the nozzle check pattern to print completely, try replacing the ink cartridge.

Why is the printer printing blank pages?

Make sure you are using the correct driver. Select the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario as your default printer driver. Paper menu settings in the printer driver may be set incorrectly for your paper size. Check the settings on the paper menu to make sure they are correct for your paper size. The print head nozzles may be clogged. From the Utility section found in the EPSON printer driver, clean the print heads by performing a head cleaning followed by printing a nozzle check pattern. A head cleaning and nozzle check must be performed as a cycle. After printing a nozzle check, examine the printed dot pattern. Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot pattern. If there are gaps in the dot pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 cycles if necessary. If the nozzle check is not printing completely, and if the head cleanings do not help the nozzle check pattern to print completely, try replacing the ink cartridge.

All lights are off. Why won't the printer initialize?

The printer may not be receiving any power. Turn the printer off. Remove the interface cable from the back of the printer, unplug the power cord, plug it back into the outlet, and try turning the power on again. If you still do not get power to the printer, try another outlet. Make sure the outlets you are connecting to are not controlled by a switch or timer and are able to operate other equipment.

Calibration doesn't seem to have any effect. What should I do?

Make sure that whenever you turn off the printer, you are always using the printer's power button. Never use an external switch, such as a power strip, surge protector, or power protector, to turn off the printer. If you turn the printer off using an external switch, calibration settings will not be saved.

Is the printer Year 2000 ready?

Yes, the printer is Year 2000 ready.

How do I calibrate my printer?

To align the print heads, make sure that paper is loaded and the printer has power. Access the Utility tab (Windows) located in your printer driver settings. Click the Print Head Alignment icon and follow the instructions on the screen to print a test page and select the correct alignment.

What are the differences between the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario and the Stylus COLOR 600?

The EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario uses the same printer engine as the award-winning Stylus COLOR 600 providing the exact same photographic and laser quality black text output. The difference is that the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario features a stylized design that matches that of the new COMPAQ Presario computers making it the perfect printing companion. The printer driver for the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario is also pre-installed on the NEW COMPAQ Presario computers to allow Windows Plug and Play to easily get the user setup within 3 minutes after connecting their printer to their NEW computer. COMPAQ and Epson have also tested and guaranteed compatibility of the EPSON 600Q for COMPAQ Presario with nearly all of the previous Presario models.

Is there a postscript driver available for this printer?

Epson does not have any postscript drivers available for this printer.

Parallel Port Scanners

Sometimes Epson printers have problems working with Parallel port scanners, as the scanner software will conflict with the Epson printer management software. To disable the Epson software,

• Click on Start / Programs / Epson / Spool Manager.
• Highlight your printer in the Spool Manager Program.
• Click on Queue, then Setup.
• Under the General tab, make sure there is a check in the box "Use Print Manager for this Port".
• Click on Ok, then Queue, then click on Exit.
• Click on Start / Settings / Printers.
• Highlight your printer, then click on File and then Properties.
• Click on the Details tab, and then click on Port Settings.
• If there is an X next to "Spool MS-DOS Print Jobs" then click on the X to deselect it.
• If there is an X next to "Check Port State Before Printing" then click on the X to deselect it.
• Click on Ok, then click on Ok again.
• Close any open Windows down, then Reboot the computer.