Epson Stylus Color 600

Product Controls: Epson Stylus COLOR 600

Cleaning Cycle Black/Color - Cleaning button

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

First Ink Cartridge Installation (takes approximately 5-6 minutes) - Turn the printer on and the print heads will automatically move slightly to the left. Remove the yellow tape seals from the black and color ink cartridges. Do not remove the white label from the top of either 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 an 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 a cartridge from which the white label has been removed. Install the black and color ink 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.

Why is the printer printing rubbish?

If you get an Epson Stylus 600 printing pages of rubbish from the PC, but the printer's own self test works perfectly, go into the BIOS on the computer and change the Parallel Port mode to EPP. You may need to reinstall the printer drivers again as well.

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.

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 am having difficulty installing Sierra Print Artist from my EPSON software CD onto my PC. What should I do?

First, make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements for Print Artist. Second, skip the system test when installing Print Artist. If you have already run the system test during a previous installation attempt, then delete the SIERRA.INI file from your computer (located in the C:\WINDOWS directory) and then install the software without running the system test. If you have successfully installed Print Artist and require assistance with using the application, contact Sierra.

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 available for download from EPSON's Internet Web Site.

I do not have the Stylus COLOR 600 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 Stylus COLOR 600 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 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.

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 Stylus COLOR 600 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 Stylus COLOR 600 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 are some characters incorrect or garbled?

Make sure you are using the correct driver. Select the Stylus COLOR 600 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 cable is fully-shielded and meets the printer's specifications.

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 Stylus COLOR 600 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 Stylus COLOR 600 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 try to print in Windows 95 or 98, the message "The printer is out of paper" or "The printer is off-line" appears in the despooler. What do I do?

Examine the printer's control panel to make sure the printer does not show a paper out error. Try printing the directory from DOS. Type "dir>prn" from the DOS prompt. If this does not print, make sure the printer cable is securely connected. A defective cable can also cause this problem. Make sure you are using a fully-shielded parallel cable, preferably 6 feet or less. If the DOS test printed, open the EPSON Spool Manager, open the Queue, select Setup and change the setting (check or uncheck the box) for "Use Print Manager for this port". Close the Spool Manager, restart the computer and try printing again. In Windows 95 Spool enable the setting "Print directly to the printer" and disable any options in the Port settings.

Why doesn't the Status Monitor show the ink levels in Windows 95 or 98?

The Windows Print Manager may be interfering with the Status Monitor. Open the Spool Manager4 and make sure the EPSON printer 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. Also, the parallel cable should be IEEE-1284 compatible for the Status Monitor feature to function.

Are there drivers for Windows NT 3.51 or 4.0?

Yes, for Windows NT 4.0 use the file SC6112E.EXE, disk version 1.12E. The driver is available for download from the EPSON Internet web site. Currently, there is no driver available for Windows NT 3.51.

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).

How do I install the printer driver in Windows 3.1x?

Insert the EPSON printer software CD in your CD-ROM Drive. From Program Manager, click on File, then select Run. At the Command Line type D:\EPSETUP and press Enter. Click the Install button. An EPSON Stylus Color 600 icon will appear. Click OK to install the printer driver. The installer creates an EPSON group for your printer software icons and makes your printer the Windows default printer.

When I print from my iMac the printer prints garbage. What should I do to resolve this situation?

If the USB cable is connected to the iMac's keyboard, try using the USB port on the right side of the iMac instead. This port is located behind a panel on the iMac. If you need additional USB ports we recommend obtaining a USB Hub.

If I restart my iMac my printouts will print with large gaps between the text or an image. How can I resolve this?

To correct this issue, download and install the iMac Update 1.0 from Apple.

What is required to print from an iMac to my Stylus Printer?

You'll need the EPSON USB Adapter Kit for your printer model and the iMac. This kit is bundled with a cable and a USB driver for the iMac and your Stylus printer. The cable will support a connection from the parallel port of the printer to the USB port on the iMac. The driver supports the selection of a USB port in the Chooser. The driver bundled with the printer does not support a USB port option

I encounter problems when I try printing long documents on the Stylus Color 600 and an iMac. Is there anything I can do to resolve this?

Yes, to correct this issue, download and install the iMac Update 1.0 from Apple.

When I go to print with my Stylus Color 600, I get a -192 error. What can I do to resolve this?

To correct this issue, from the iMac's desktop select File, Find and type the name EPSON and click on Find. Highlight all the items labeled EPSON and move them to the Trash. Restart the iMac and reinstall the printer driver from the USB/Parallel adapter kit CD-ROM or the driver from EPSON's Website. Do not install the driver that came with your EPSON printer.

How can I verify that the iMac Update 1.0 is installed or not?

From the iMac's desktop, select File, Fine and type Mac OS ROM and click on Find. Highlight the Mac OS ROM and select File and click on Get Info. The Created date should be August 28, 1998 or later.

Whenever I try to print from my Macintosh, I get a type 11 error, my system locks up or a portion of my image doesn't print. What's wrong?

These issues are typically memory related errors. Check the available memory and its allocation. You may need to increase the memory allocation for your application, the EPSON Monitor, or both. Insure that the needed system resources are available. If you have background printing enabled, you may want to try disabling it. Some printing issues can also be caused by conflicts with Extensions and Control Panels. Turn off all third party Extensions and Control Panels that have been added to the system and restart.

When printing from my Macintosh an error message comes up that says "The printer is not responding, ensure the printer is connected and on-line. Would you like to try again?". What should I do?

If your system version is 7.5.2, 7.5.1 or 7.5 and your computer is a PowerMac6100/60, PowerMac6100/66, PowerMac7100/66AV, PowerMac7100/80AV, PowerMac7200/90, PowerMac7200/120, PowerMac7500/100, PowerMac7600/120, PowerMac8100/80, PowerMac8100/80AV, PowerMac8100/100, PowerMac8115/110, PowerMac8500/120, PowerMac8500/132, PowerMac8500/150, PowerMac9500/120, PowerMac9500/132, PowerMac9500/150, Centris660AV, Quadra840AV the file SerialDMA Ver.2.0.2 should be installed in the extensions folder. To check whether SerialDMA Ver.2.0.2 is installed in your system, open the system folder and the Extensions folder, then check whether it is installed. To check the version number of the file, click the file and select Get Info from the File menu. If SerialDMA Ver.2.0.2 is not installed, drag it onto the Extension folder of your hard disk. The system will remind you that extensions need to be placed in the Extensions folder; click OK and SerialDMA Ver.2.0.2 will be copied. After the extension is in your system, you need to restart your Macintosh. Also, the Serial Port Arbitrator that ships as part of AppleTalk Remote Access conflicts with SerialDMA Ver.2.0.2 when running on Macintosh 7200, 7500, 8500 and 9500. Remove the Serial Port Arbitrator from the Extensions folder if installed. Also, verify your system meets the minimum system requirements.

I installed the printer driver on my Macintosh, but it isn't showing up in the Chooser. What went wrong?

The EPSON driver does not support QuickDraw GX. Therefore, this feature will need to be disabled. If your using system version 7.5 or later disable this feature, go to the Apple menu, select Control Panels, then open Extensions Manager and de-select "QuickDraw GX." After restarting, the printer will appear in the Chooser. If Quickdraw GX is off and there is still no printer icon in the Chooser, verify your system meets the minimum system requirements. Refer to your User's Guide for more information.

Whenever I power up my Macintosh the printer switches from the printer port to the modem port. How can I correct this?

Update your driver to the latest version. A alternate solution is to make sure AppleTalk is inactive in the Chooser. Go to the Extensions Manager and disable Apple Share, File Share, and Printer Share. Open Preferences and drag the AppleTalk, File Share, and Printer Share preferences to the trash. Restart the Macintosh and go to the Chooser. In the Chooser set any other unused printers on the printer port, then set Stylus Color on the printer port and confirm it. Restart the Macintosh again and check to see if the printer driver stays on the printer port.

Sometimes I get garbage when printing from my Macintosh. Other times the printer will not print anything at all. What's wrong?

Your Spool Folder, which is opened every time you send a job, may be holding too many files. If there are files being held in this folder, you may have trouble printing. To check the Spool Folder, open your hard drive, go to the Systems Folder, then go to Extensions. In Extensions, open the EPSON Folder, then open the Spool Folder. If there are held jobs, trash the entire folder. Empty the trash and try printing again. This normally resolves the issue. Also, check the Chooser and confirm that AppleTalk is inactive if the printer is connected to the printer port.

I already selected my printer in the Chooser. Why am I getting a message saying, "Sorry Stylus Color can't be used"?

This message indicates that there is something wrong with the driver or the way it was installed. This usually occurs when you have a system crash while printing due to low system resources (not enough memory). When this happens, the driver is corrupted and therefore thinks that the printer is not available. You will need to remove and reinstall the driver. To remove the driver, save any open files, then exit all applications. Open the Hard Disk, the System Folder, then the Extensions folder. In the Extensions folder, find the Epson Folder, the Epson Monitor 2, and the Stylus Color files. Drag these three files to the trash and empty the trash. The driver files have now been removed. Restart the Macintosh while holding down the Shift key (starting with Extensions off). After the Macintosh restarts, reinstall the printer driver.

How do I install the printer driver on a Macintosh?

Start or restart your Macintosh with all Extensions OFF, except the "Apple CD-ROM" extension. Before installing the driver, go to the Chooser, ensure AppleTalk is inactive, then close the Chooser. Insert the CD into your CD-ROM drive. A window should open up with the two folders labeled Disk 1 and Disk2. Double-click on Disk 1. Double-click on the Installer icon, then click Continue. Click on Install. After the system has finished installing files you will be prompted to restart your Macintosh. Make sure your printer is ON, and click Restart. After restart, go to the Chooser and select the Stylus COLOR (EX) printer icon. Select the port setting. Disable Background printing. Close the Chooser. If you must use Background printing, your system must have a minimum of 6MB of unused RAM that can be dedicated to the EPSON Monitor2 and your operating system. If you are using Background printing, go to the EPSON Monitor2, go to File and select Get Info. Change the Minimum amount setting to 2000 and the Preferred amount setting to 3000, then close the EPSON Monitor2.

I have the printer connected to my PC and my Macintosh. It prints fine from the PC. Why won't it print from the Macintosh?

Print the Default Settings (Color Cleaning + Power-On) on the printer to verify that the I/F mode is set to Auto, not Parallel. The Auto setting allows the printer to automatically switch between the parallel, serial, and optional interfaces. If printing from both the PC and Macintosh, you may also want to consider changing the Auto I/F wait time to 30 seconds (default is 10 seconds). This sets the time period for the printer to wait for data from the current interface and not accept data from the other interface.

When printing from my Macintosh I always get a type -39 error. What should I do?

Make sure that the printer is functioning normally by running a printer test page. If the test page prints fine, but you still continue to get the error from the Macintosh, you may need to upgrade your System software. If you are running System 7.5.2, we would suggest that you upgrade to System 7.6.1 or higher. This is also suggested by Apple.

I installed the printer on my Macintosh , but when I close the Chooser I get the error "Cannot identify your printer correctly. Make sure your printer is on and properly connected. Then use the Chooser to select the printer and port". What should I do?

Check to make sure the printer in on-line and ready to receive data. The printers power light should be on solid. Confirm that the Chooser port and the port on the printer are the same and the cable is connected at both ends. Make sure the cable is a serial cable (Belkin F2V024-06 serial cable is recommended), not an AppleTalk cable. Remove switch boxes or any other devices that are part of the connectivity, so the only connection between the printer and the Macintosh is the serial cable. Try to select the printer again. If the problem persists, there may be an extensions conflict. Set the computer for minimal system extensions and enable the printer driver, restart the system and try to select the printer again. Also, the driver may have become corrupt. You will need to remove and reinstall the driver. To remove the driver, save any open files, then exit all applications. Open the Hard Disk, the System Folder, then the Extensions folder. In the Extensions folder, find the Epson Folder, the Epson Monitor2, the EPSON Stylus (EX), and the EPSON Stylus (AT) files. Drag the folder and the three files to the trash, then empty the trash. The driver files have now been removed. Restart the Macintosh while holding down the Shift key (starting with Extensions off). If your reinstalling the driver from a CD-ROM, leave the "Apple CD-ROM" extension enabled. After the Macintosh restarts, reinstall the printer driver. If there is still a problem, verify your system meets the minimum system requirements.

Can I connect the printer to both a PC and to a Macintosh?

Yes, both the serial and parallel interfaces can be connected to host computers. We recommend that you do not send print jobs from both computers at the same time. Some programs may send a partial print job to the printer and then pause for further processing. When it pauses for further processing, the printer's port may time-out and the printer may start to receive data from the other computer before the previous print job is complete.

The power light is on, but nothing prints.

Make sure the printer cable is connected. Turn off the printer and computer. Make sure the printer cable is securely connected to the printer and computer ports. Turn on the printer and try printing again. If the cable was not the issue, turn off the printer and computer, disconnect the interface cable and run a self-test. If the self-test works, check the application software for correct installation. Make sure 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 and you are using Windows, try checking the Spool Manager to see if it is on hold or if there are stalled print jobs. If you are using a Macintosh, make sure your Spool Folder is empty. If the printer sounds like it is printing, but there is no ink on the paper, 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. Any ink cartridge installed into the printer must have 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 require a service.

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". 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.

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.

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) or Utility button (Macintosh) 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.

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 you're 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 require a service.

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.

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 (margins are not adjustable via the printer driver), 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.

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. Also, make sure the printer is no longer printing. After canceling the print job from the computer, turn the printer off, wait a few seconds, and then turn on the printer again.

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.

When I installed new ink cartridges the printer does continuous cleaning cycles. Is there something wrong with my printer?

The first time a ink cartridge is installed in the printer, it will take 7-9 minutes to charge the ink system and initialize the printer. While the ink is charging the power light will flash. NEVER turn off the printer while the power light is flashing. When installing replacement ink cartridges, the printer will take approximately 4 minutes to charge the ink. These initialization times are due to the superior technology of EPSON's piezo print head, the number of ink nozzles in the print head and on a new printer the protective lubricant placed in the print head during the manufacturing process. This initialization is a normal and necessary process. If you turned off the printer during the initial ink charging cycle because I thought it was taking too long, power the printer back on and allow the printer to perform the complete charge of the ink delivery system.

The printer won't feed paper. What should I do?

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, 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. If the Paper Out light is on solid, reload the paper, making sure the paper edge guide is adjusted to fit the paper's width, and then press the Load/Eject button again to see if the paper will now load. If the Paper Out light is flashing, turn the printer off, reload the paper, turn the printer back on, and try pressing Load/Eject again to see if the printer will now successfully load the paper. If the printer still will not load paper, power the printer off, remove the printer cable, and make sure all of the packing materials are removed. If the problem persists, the printer may need to be sent in for.

Will the Stylus COLOR 600 print 360, 720, and 1440 x 720 dpi on plain paper?

The Stylus COLOR 600 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.

How do I install a replacement ink cartridge?

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, then hold down the cleaning button for three seconds. If neither of the ink out lights are solid or flashing, then 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. Remove the yellow tape seal from the top of each ink cartridge. Do not remove the white label from the top of either 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 an 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 a cartridge from which the white label has been removed. Insert the Black and Color ink cartridges into the printer. Lower the ink cartridge clamps, until they lock into place. Next, press the Cleaning button to begin charging the ink delivery system (approximately 5-6 minutes for initial install; approximately 3-4 minutes for replacement). When the printer is done charging, the Power light will stop flashing. Detailed instructions and illustrations can be found in Chapter 5 of the User's Guide.

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

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. Any ink cartridge installed into the printer must have 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 require a service.

Why is the printer printing blank pages?

Make sure you are using the correct driver. Select the Stylus COLOR 600 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. Any ink cartridge installed into the printer must have 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 require a service.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Is there a postscript driver available for this printer?

Epson does not produce a postscript driver for this printer.

How do I find the serial number for Photo Deluxe ?

The serial number is printed in the ColorPak jumpstart guide but only in the Macintosh section.

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 from Appleworks 5.0.3 / 5.0.4 or Word 98 from my Macintosh (PowerMac / G3 / G4 / iMac / DV iMac) to my EPSON Stylus Color/Photo inkjet printer, some of the text is cut off on the right edge. What can I do to correct this?

Follow the steps below to correct the issue of characters clipping from Appleworks and Word 98.

Appleworks:

1) Open document.
2) Click on Edit, then Preferences.
3) Topic should be set to Text.
4) Under the Options, enable "Fractional Character Widths".
5) Click OK and print the document.
6) When the file is saved, it will save the setting along with it.

Word 98:

1) Open document.
2) Click on Tools, then Preferences.
3) Click on the Print tab.
4) Under the options for current document only, select "Fractional Widths".
5) Click OK and print the document.
6) When the file is saved, it will save the setting along with it.