Epson Stylus Color 200

Product Controls: Epson Stylus COLOR 200

Self-Test - Cleaning + Power-On, after first page feeds through, press Load/Eject to print the second page of the test

Demo Page - Load/Eject + Power-On

Cleaning Cycle - Cleaning button

Hex Dump Mode - Cleaning + Power-On, immediately press Load/Eject while Ink Out and Paper Out lights flash

Default Setting Mode - Cleaning + Load/Eject + Power-On

Non-Smear printing feature - Load/Eject + Power-On, immediately press Cleaning while Ink Out and Paper Out lights flash

Installing the Ink Cartridges - For the initial installation, you must install the color cartridge first, then the black cartridge. Turn the printer ON and open the printer cover. Hold down the Load/Eject button until the print head moves to the left. The Power light should begin to flash. Raise the olive-colored ink cartridge clamp to open the color print head unit and remove the protective paper sheet. Take the ink cartridges out and remove the yellow tape seal from the top of each cartridge. Insert the color ink cartridge into the print head unit and close the olive-colored clamp until it clicks into place. Press the Load/Eject button again to charge the cartridge. After the printer has completed charging the ink delivery system (about two minutes) the Power light will stop flashing and remain solid. Next you will need to install the monochrome print head unit and black ink cartridge. Hold down the Load/Eject button until the print head moves to the left. The Power light should begin to flash. Remove the monochrome print head unit from the storage box and place it on a smooth surface. On the printer, raise the blue print head release lever, to release the entire color print head unit (DO NOT remove the color ink cartridge). Place the entire color print head unit into the storage box to protect it from becoming damaged. Insert the monochrome print head unit into the printer and close the blue print head release lever until it clicks into place. Raise the olive-colored ink cartridge clamp to open the monochrome print head unit and remove the protective paper sheet. Insert the black ink cartridge into the monochrome print head unit and close the olive-colored clamp until it clicks into place. Press the Load/Eject button again to charge the cartridge. After the printer has completed charging the ink delivery system (about two minutes) the Power light will remain solid. If you want to use the color cartridge, repeat the steps for changing from the color to the black cartridge.

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.

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 do not have the Stylus COLOR 200 as a driver selection. Which printer should I select for my MS-DOS application?

For color output choose an LQ-2550 or LQ-860 printer. For monochrome (Black/White) printing select one of the following LQ or Stylus models: LQ-2550, Stylus-300, 400, 800, 800+, 1000; LQ-570, 570+, 870, 870+, 1070, 1070+, 1170, 1170+, LQ-850, 950, 1050.

I did not receive a printer driver disk with this printer. How can I obtain an EPSON Stylus COLOR 200 printer driver?

Select an alternate driver choice such as the LQ-2550 or LQ-860 until you download or receive the printer driver. The driver is available for download from the EPSON Internet Website.

How do I install the printer driver in Windows?

Insert the disk labeled "EPSON Printer Driver for Stylus 200/COLOR 200 Setup disk #1" into your floppy drive. In Windows, go to the Program Manager, click on File and select Run. At the Command Line type A:\ or B:\setup and press Enter. Select the Epson Stylus COLOR 200 then click OK. After the system is finished installing files from Disk 1, the following message will appear: Please insert disk labeled "Stylus 200/COLOR 200 Setup disk #2" or containing EPSTHL2.HLP. Insert Disk 2 into the floppy drive and press Enter. The Epson Stylus COLOR 200 driver is automatically installed as your default printer on LPT1. If you will be printing on a port other than LPT1, you will need to change the port setting in the Control Panel. When installation is complete, an EPSON Group with program icons is created which includes the EPSON Printer Calibration, Spool Manager3, EPSON Stylus COLOR 200 Help, and the EPSON Stylus Readme file icons. After the icons have been created and arranged in a group window, an Epson Printer Utility Setup window will appear with a message "Setup completed." Click OK to complete the printer installation.

I installed the driver into Windows 95 or 98 and now my printer prints very slow and my colors look awful. What's the problem?

Make sure that the paper thickness lever is set for single sheets, not envelope, and that the thickness adjustment lever is set to 0. Print the Demo page to determine that the printer is operating properly. Verify that you are using the EPSON Stylus COLOR 200 driver and not a Stylus COLOR IIs or the Microsoft Windows 95 or 98 driver. To determine which driver is currently being used, go to Start, select Settings, and choose Printers. If the Epson Stylus COLOR 200 icon appears, point to it, right click once and look to see if there is a check mark in front of the "Set As Default" option. If it does not have the check mark on "Set As Default," select that option and close the Printers window. Close the application you were trying to print from. Open the program again and try printing.

What are the Spool Manager3 and EPSON Despooler?

The Spool Manager3 creates and manages special spool files called "journal" files. These contain the print data in an unprocessed form. The Spool Manager3 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 to be printed. While the printer prints, the Despooler works on the next band of unprocessed data.

How do I calibrate my Stylus COLOR 200 on my PC?

There are two ways to calibrate the Stylus COLOR 200. You can use the EPSON Printer Calibration icon in Windows or the ecalib.exe file from MS-DOS at directory C:\CALIBRAT. When running calibration from your computer, make sure that the printer name you select and the actual printer to be calibrated is the same, then confirm that the printer is connected to the correct LPT port. If you do not choose the correct printer and port settings, you may cause damage to the printer. Make sure that the cable is secure and try calibrating the printer again. If you still cannot calibrate the printer, try another cable or move the printer to another computer to eliminate the possibility of a defective printer cable, parallel port, or software problem. If you cannot calibrate the printer from your computer using either of the calibration utility programs, you may have a problem with the cable being used. We recommend using a fully-shielded parallel cable, preferably 6-feet or less. After changing the cable, try calibrating the printer again. If you are still not successful, take the printer to another computer to see if there is a problem with your computer's port. If it does not work on another computer, the printer may need to be sent in for service.

Even after calibrating, vertical lines aren't quite straight.

Print the Demo page to ensure the printer is operating properly. If the print is normal, try moving the printer to another computer to eliminate the possibility of a defective printer cable, parallel port, or software issue. If the problem persists, try recalibrating the printer with the EPSON Printer Calibration in Windows or the ecalib.exe utility program in MS-DOS, ensuring that the correct printer name has been selected. Make sure to turn the printer OFF using the printer's power switch after calibration. If you power the printer OFF using a power strip, surge protector, or power director the settings will not be saved. Try printing again to see if the print quality has improved. If this does not correct the problem, the printer may need to be sent in for service.

The output I am getting from my is unacceptable. What can I do to improve the quality?

Make sure the default setting for Special Printing Effects is not set to Economy. If Economy is selected, change it to the Canceledsetting. Economy mode is only intended for printing rough drafts and should not be enabled for normal print. Print a Demo page to ensure the printer is functioning properly. If the Demo page is acceptable and all the colors appear, check the settings in your application. Make sure you have selected 360 or 720 dpi as the resolution. If Economy is the selected resolution, the printer uses less ink and makes the output lighter. Verify that the correct driver is selected as the default printer. Make sure that the COLOR ink option is selected in the driver. If the Auto option was selected as the Document Type in the driver, try one of the other options, like Graph, Photo, or Video (whichever is appropriate for your print job). You may need to manipulate the settings within the application and the printer driver to achieve optimum print results. If printing on special EPSON paper, check to ensure that you are printing on the correct side of the paper. Try printing again. If printing has not improved, perform a cleaning cycle, then print again. If the problem persists, perform another cleaning cycle. You may need to run several cleaning cycles to improve the print quality. If the quality from the Demo page is not acceptable, check the type of paper being used. The special EPSON papers, which are specifically made for the Stylus inkjet series, deliver the best printed output. If the problem persists, replace the color ink cartridge. If the print quality does not improve after replacing the ink cartridge and running cleaning cycles, have the printer sent in for service.

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 Manager3 to make sure the correct settings are enabled. If the printer is Held, select Queue, then choose Setup. Make a note of the spool directory, choose "Spool to local printer," enable "Use Print Manager for this port," then click OK. Delete any queued print jobs, then click once on the Stylus COLOR 200, select Queue, then click on the word "Hold" to remove the check mark. Try printing again from Windows. If the problem persists, make sure that the printer is spooling in a directory other than C:\WINDOWS, C:\WINDOWS\TEMP, C:\DOS, or any software application directory, by checking the spool directory specified in the EPSON Spool Manager. If the spool directory is listed as any of the preceding directories, create a unique spool directory on your root directory such as C:\COLOR, C:\SPOOL, or a directory name that you prefer. You can create a new directory from File Manager in Windows or from the MS-DOS Prompt. Change the spool directory in the Spool Manager to the new directory in both the Queue/Setup and under Options/DefaultSpool Directory. This normally corrects the problem.

I am printing from a Windows application. The printer was printing fine a minute ago and now nothing will print. What's wrong?

Print a Demo page to determine that the printer is operating properly. If the Demo page prints, check the Spool Manager3 to make sure the correct settings are enabled. If the printer is Held, select Queue, then choose Setup. Make a note of the spool directory. If the spool directory is set to C:\WINDOWS, C:\WINDOWS\TEMP, C:\DOS, or any software application directory, create a unique spool directory on your root directory such as C:\COLOR, C:\SPOOL, or a directory name that you prefer. If printing from Windows 3.1x, create a new directory from the File Manager in Windows or from the MS-DOS Prompt. Change the spool directory in the Spool Manager3 to the new directory in both the Options/Default Spool Directory and in Queue/Setup. Choose "Spool to local printer" and enable "Use Print Manager for this port" in the Spool Manager3, then click OK. Delete any queued print jobs, then click once on the Stylus COLOR 200, select Queue, then click on the word "Hold" to remove the check mark. The printer status should be Idle. Close the Spool Manager3 and try printing again from Windows. This normally corrects the problem. If printing from Windows 95 or 98, create a new directory from the Windows Explorer, My Computer, or from the MS-DOS Prompt. Change the spool directory in the Spool Manager3 to the new directory in both the Options/Default Spool Directory and in Queue/Setup. Choose "Spool to local printer" and ensure that "Use Print Manager for this port" is not selected in the Spool Manager3, then click OK. Delete any queued print jobs, then click once on the Stylus COLOR 200, select Queue, then click on the word "Hold" to remove the check mark. The printer status should be Idle. Close the Spool Manager3. Click on Start, select Settings, then choose Printers. Point to the Epson Stylus COLOR 200 icon and right click your mouse button once. Make sure that there is a check mark in front of "Set As Default," then click on Properties. Click on the Details tab, then click on the Spool Settings button. Select "Print directly to the printer" and click OK. Click on the Port Settings button and remove the check marks in front of "Spool MS-DOS print jobs" and "Check port state before printing," then click OK. Click OK again to close the Properties window, then close the Printers window. Click on Start, select Shut Down, choose "Restart the computer" and click on Yes. Once you are back in Windows, try printing again. This normally corrects the problem.

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 Manager3 to make sure the correct settings are enabled. If the printer is Held, select Queue, then choose Setup. Make a note of the spool directory. If the spool directory is set to C:\WINDOWS, C:\WINDOWS\TEMP, C:\DOS, or any software application directory, create a unique spool directory on your root directory such as C:\COLOR, C:\SPOOL, or a directory name that you prefer. If printing from Windows 3.1x, create a new directory from the File Manager in Windows or from the MS-DOS Prompt. Change the spool directory in the Spool Manager3 to the new directory in both the Options/Default Spool Directory and in Queue/Setup. Choose "Spool to local printer" and enable "Use Print Manager for this port" in the Spool Manager3, click OK. Delete any queued print jobs, then click once on the Stylus COLOR 200, select Queue, then click on the word "Hold" to remove the check mark. The printer status should be Idle. Close the Spool Manager3 and try printing again from Windows. This normally corrects the problem. If printing from Windows 95 or 98, create a new directory from the Windows Explorer, My Computer, or from the MS-DOS Prompt. Change the spool directory in the Spool Manager3 to the new directory in both the Options/Default Spool Directory and in Queue/Setup. Choose "Spool to local printer" and ensure that "Use Print Manager for this port" is not selected in the Spool Manager3, then click OK. Delete any queued print jobs, then click once on the Stylus COLOR 200, select Queue, then click on the word "Hold" to remove the check mark. The printer status should be Idle. Close the Spool Manager3. Click on Start, select Settings, then choose Printers. Point to the Epson Stylus COLOR 200 icon and right click your mouse button once. Make sure that there is a check mark in front of "Set As Default," then click on Properties. Click on the Details tab, then click on the Spool Settings button. Select "Print directly to the printer" and click OK. Click on the Port Settings button and remove the check marks in front of "Spool MS-DOS print jobs" and "Check port state before printing," then click OK. Click OK again to close the Properties window, then close the Printers window. Click on Start, select Shut Down, choose "Restart the computer" and click on Yes. Once you are back in Windows, try printing again. This normally corrects the problem. If you get the same error message, reinstall the printer driver and try printing again. If the condition persists, obtain a replacement Stylus COLOR 200 driver available for download from the EPSON Internet Website.

I am getting the error message "Printer is not responding" on my PC screen in Windows. How can I clear this?

Turn the printer and the PC OFF and back ON, then try printing again. Determine whether you can print from MS-DOS, Windows, or both. If you are not getting anything from only one platform, further troubleshoot the pertinent areas within that platform. If you are not getting anything from both MS-DOS and Windows, the problem is either the cable, the port assignment, or a defective hardware port. Reconnect the printer cable and try printing again. If the condition persists, move the cable and printer to another PC to determine which piece of hardware is causing the conflict.

I am getting the message "Disk is full" on my PC screen whenever I send something to print. How can I clear this?

In the Program Manager, go to the Control Panel, select Printers, and check to see if you are printing to LPT1.DOS. If you are printing to LPT1.DOS, click on Connect and change the setting to LPT1:Local port. Check the Spool Manager3 to make sure the correct settings are enabled. Delete any queued print jobs. If the printer is Held, select Queue, then choose Setup. Make a note of the spool directory, choose "Spool to local printer," enable "Use Print Manager for this port," then click OK. To clear the queue, click once on the Stylus COLOR 200, select Queue, then click on the word "Hold" to remove the check mark. Try printing again from Windows. If the problem persists, make sure that the printer is spooling in a directory other than C:\WINDOWS, C:\WINDOWS\TEMP, C:\DOS, or any software application directory, by checking the spool directory specified in Spool Manager3. If the spool directory is listed as any of the preceding directories, create a unique spool directory on your root directory such as C:\COLOR, C:\SPOOL, or a directory name that you prefer. You can create a new directory from the File Manager in Windows or from the MS-DOS Prompt. Change the spool directory in the Spool Manager3 to the new directory in both the Options/Default Spool Directory and in the Queue/Setup. This normally corrects the problem.

I can print from MS-DOS fine, but I am getting garbage from my Windows applications. What's wrong?

Disconnect the printer cable from the PC and the printer. Go to Windows and make sure the correct printer driver is selected. In the Control Panel, select Printers and disable the Print Manager. Still in the Control Panel, Printers, click Connect, then disable "Fast printing direct to port." Reconnect the printer cable and try printing again. If you are still getting garbage, try installing the EPSON LQ-2550 as the Windows Default Printer driver. Go to Printer Setup, maximize the print resolution and change the paper source to "Sheet Feeder Bin 1." Try printing again. If this prints fine, try reinstalling the printer driver. Sometimes the video driver causes a conflict with the printer driver. To determine if this is the cause of the problem, change the video driver to the Windows standard VGA mode, reinstall the driver and try printing again. Make sure you write down the name of the original video driver prior to changing the video driver to VGA. If you are unsure of how to change your video driver, contact your computer manufacturer or Microsoft Technical Support. If the video driver is not the cause of the problem and the condition persists, move the cable and printer to another PC to determine if the problem is hardware or software related. A printer cable more than 10 feet or not fully-shielded could also cause this problem. We recommend getting a fully-shielded parallel cable, 6 feet or less in length.

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

Make sure you have the correct driver selected, the color selection enabled and ensure the color head is installed. Try printing again. If the image comes out monochrome, try printing from another program within Windows. If the results are successful, contact the software manufacturer of the particular application. If the results are not successful, further troubleshoot the pertinent areas within Windows using chapter three of the Users Manual as a guide.

Can I connect this printer to a MAC?

No, this printer is not compatible with a Macintosh computer.

How can I increase my print speed?

Is your 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". If you using a Macintosh disable background printing in the Chooser. If you must use Background printing, allocate more memory to the Epson Monitor. 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.

Can I use sheet labels with this printer?

The printer is capable of printing sheet labels designed specifically for ink jet printers. To avoid paper jams, manually load sheet labels into the printer, one sheet at a time.

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.

Will the Stylus COLOR 200 print 360 dpi and 720 dpi on plain paper?

The Stylus COLOR 200 is designed to print 360 dpi color and monochrome on plain paper. The printer is designed to print monochrome only on plain paper in its 720 dpi mode.

The print head unit is not moving over so that I can install the ink cartridge. What should I do?

Ensure that the cartridge installation procedure has been followed. Disconnect the printer cable and try installing the ink cartridge again. If the problem still persists, the printer may need to be sent in for a service.

I just replaced the ink cartridge and the Ink Out light stays on. How can I clear my printer?

Make sure the yellow tape is completely removed from the top of the ink cartridge and that the cartridge is correctly installed (follow the procedure for replacing the ink cartridges in the User's Guide). Turn the printer OFF and back ON. If the condition persists, follow the procedures for replacing the ink cartridge, but DO NOT remove it from the print head unit. Lift the olive-colored ink cartridge clamp, then close the clamp until it snaps into place, ensuring you have broken the ink cartridge seal. If the printer begins charging the ink delivery system, the printer should print fine. If reclamping the cartridge does not resolve the problem, replace the ink cartridge with a new, genuine EPSON ink cartridge. If you continue to have difficulties, the printer may need to be sent in for service.

Why won't the printer do a self-test?

This problem is commonly caused by not holding down the required button long enough. Power-on the printer while holding down the Cleaning button until the printer starts to load the paper. If the print head moves back and forth but there is no ink on the page, wait until the print head stops moving, then perform two cleaning cycles (Cleaning button). Try running the self-test again. If the self-test still shows no ink on the page, ensure that the ink cartridge has been installed properly. Lift the olive-colored ink cartridge clamp, but DO NOT remove the ink cartridge, then lower the lamp until it clicks into place. This will ensure that you have broken the ink cartridge seal. Try printing the self-test again. If you still do not see any ink on the page, perform two more cleaning cycles. You may need to run several cleaning cycles before the print quality improves. If this does not correct the problem, the printer may need to be sent in for a service.

The self-test stops after printing one page with the words "This is the first line" and "This is line 61." Is that all it is supposed to print?

Unlike previous printers, the Stylus COLOR 200 is designed to pause after the first page of the self-test. If you press the Load/Eject button, the printer will print a sample page of the internal fonts. If the color cartridge is installed, the fonts will print in different colors. If more than one page of the self-test is desired, simply press the Load/Eject button again. To exit the self-test mode, turn the printer off and then back on.

The printer is not producing any black ink. How can I resolve this problem?

Ensure that the monochrome print head unit and the black ink cartridge is installed. Perform a cleaning cycle (Cleaning button). Try printing the self-test. If the problem persists, try the cleaning cycle again. You may need to run several cleaning cycles before your print quality improves. If the problem persists, replace the black ink cartridge with a new, genuine EPSON ink cartridge and try printing again. If you continue to have problems, have the printer sent in for service or if the printer is within the dealer's exchange period, have the printer exchanged.

I am not getting any ink with the black or the color cartridges when printing the Demo page. What's wrong?

If this is a new installation or if the ink cartridge has just been replaced, try reclamping the ink cartridge. With the printer ON, hold down the Load/Eject button until the print head unit moves to the left. Lift the olive-colored ink cartridge clamp, but do not remove the ink cartridge. Lower the clamp until it clicks into place to ensure that you have broken the cartridge seal. You should hear a good solid click. Press the Load/Eject button to recharge the ink delivery system, then try printing the Demo page again. If you still do not see any ink on the page, perform two cleaning cycles (Cleaning button). You may need to run several cleaning cycles before the print quality improves. If this does not correct the problem, the printer may need to be sent in for service. If the printer is within the dealer's exchange period, have the printer exchanged.

My text looks dark gray. How can I get the printer to print my text a truer black?

Make sure the monochrome print head unit with the black cartridge is installed. Next, make sure the default setting for Special Printing Effects is not set to Economy. If Economy is selected, change it to the Canceled setting. Economy mode is only intended for printing rough drafts and should not be enabled for normal print. If printing on EPSON special coated paper, check to ensure that you are printing on the coated side of the paper. Try printing the self-test. If the printer still is not printing dark enough, perform two cleaning cycles (Cleaning button). You may need to run several cleaning cycles before the print quality improves. Print the self-test again to see if printing has improved (Cleaning + Power-On). If this does not correct the problem, try replacing the black ink cartridge with a new, genuine EPSON ink cartridge. If the black text on the self-test is acceptable, the problem may be a setting in the printer driver. The monochrome setting in the driver will produce a truer black than the color setting. Enabling "MicroWeave" within the Stylus COLOR 200 printer driver will also give a darker, truer black output. If this does not correct the problem, the printer may need to be sent in for service. If the printer is within the dealer's exchange period, have the printer exchanged.

One of my colors is missing. What should I do?

Perform a self-test (Cleaning + Power-On) and check to see that seven colors are produced. If seven colors are not produced, perform two cleaning cycles (Cleaning button). You may need to run several cleaning cycles before the print quality improves. Run the self-test again to see if the missing color appears. If all colors are still not printing, try replacing the cartridge with a new, genuine EPSON ink cartridge. If this does not correct the problem, the printer may need to be sent in for service or if the printer is within the dealer's exchange period, have the printer exchanged.

Why am I getting white horizontal lines through my text?

This phenomenon is called "banding" and may be caused by a clogged nozzle. Print the Demo page by pressing the Load/Eject button while applying power to the printer. Check to see if white lines appear on the Demo page. If the white lines are present, perform two cleaning cycles (Cleaning button). You may need to run several cleaning cycles before print quality improves. Run the Demo again to see if the cleaning cycles cleared up the banding issue. If the cleaning cycles do not correct the problem, check to see if the thickness adjustment lever is set to 0. If it is not, move the the lever to 0 and try printing the Demo again. If the problem still persists, try installing a new, genuine EPSON ink cartridge. If this does not resolve the problem, have the printer sent in for service. If the printer is within the dealer's exchange period, have the printer exchanged.

My document looks smeared with ink. How can I correct this?

Clean the inside of the printer with a soft dry cloth to remove excess ink that may be causing the output to appear smeared. Refer to the User's Guide, Chapter 5 page 10 for further information on maintenance of the printer. Make sure you are printing on the correct paper type for the resolution being used. If you are printing on special EPSON paper, ensure you are printing on the correct side of the paper. You may also want to try enabling the Non-Smear printing feature (Load/Eject + Power-On, immediately press Cleaning while Ink Out and Paper Out lights flash), then try printing again. If the problem persists, have the printer sent in for service or if it is within the dealer's exchange period, have the printer exchanged.

If I have a stack of paper in the paper tray when I turn on my printer, all the sheets are pulled into the printer at the same time causing a paper jam. How can I correct this?

Turn the printer OFF and carefully remove any jammed paper from the printer. Reinstall paper into the printer by first fanning the stack of paper and inserting it into the paper tray. Do not force the paper into the tray, let the paper drop in and rest on the paper stop. If you force the paper in too far it will come in contact with the platen roller, causing the printer to grab the entire stack when the printer is turned on. Make sure that the paper thickness lever is set to single sheets, not envelopes, and the thickness adjustment lever is set to 0. Power the printer ON. If the problem still persists, try a fresh stack of paper. If the printer is located in a humid environment, the paper may be collecting moisture from the air causing the pages to stick together.

The printer is severely malfunctioning (no power, loud noises). What should I do?

Turn the printer OFF and remove the printer cable from the printer to verify the power source. Make sure that all packing material has been removed (transportation screw, tape, styrofoam, etc). Reconnect the printer cable and power the printer back ON. If the problem persists, have the printer sent in for service or if it is within the dealer's exchange period, have the printer exchanged.

What does it mean when the printer's control panel lights flash or remain on solid?

If the Ink Out light flashes, the printer is getting low on ink; if it is on solid, the printer is completely out of ink and you need to replace the cartridge; if it is flashing rapidly, the printer detected a print head unit or ink cartridge installation error. If the Paper Out light is on solid, you need to install paper in the printer; if it is flashing, the printer detected a paper jam. When both the Ink Out and Paper Out lights are on solid, the printer thinks that there is a carriage error; if both lights are flashing, there is a fatal error and the printer will need to be sent in for service.

The Paper Out light is flashing rapidly, but there is paper loaded in the printer. What's wrong with the printer?

When the Paper Out light flashes rapidly, the printer thinks there is a paper jam or carriage error. Power the printer OFF and remove the printer cable. Make sure the transportation screw that holds the print head in place is removed along with all other packing materials. Power the printer back ON. If the problem persists, have the printer sent in for a service.

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.

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.

When I print, there is a "magenta cast" over my image. What can I do to correct this?

The "magenta cast" is not a hardware printer issue. From the day desktop color printers were introduced, the ability to see color on the screen and match it to the printed output has been an issue. All EPSON ink jet printers are calibrated to match around 5500 degrees K at 1.8 GAMMA or 6500 degrees K at 1.8 GAMMA. These settings are standard monitor temperatures that are used most often by monitor manufacturers. However, no monitor will ever match the printed piece of ANY printer due to the fact that the human eye perceives color completely different when looking at color reflecting off paper or projection from a color monitor. Many customers believe their color printer should match the output of their color monitors. As a result, there have been many software and hardware solutions developed over the past few years to try to solve this issue. All claim they will "get you in the ball park", but none have really worked. The fact is, a color monitor within the home or office changes its perceived color by the user as the day progresses. As the sun or light source constantly changes, so does the perceived color the monitor sends back to the user. Because of these factors, the colors you see on your monitor are not necessarily the colors that will be produced when printing.