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 | Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by G Matz (11/13/04 3:52 PM) reply | + / - | My ever reliable epson 480 is dead.
Everytime I attempt to print I get the error message "An unknown error has occurred.
Unplug your printer and contact your dealer or authorized service center."
I have never had this before and I have done everything you possible can think of. It was working and all of a sudden the error appeared.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Jehad
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 | Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Anonymous (11/13/04 4:06 PM) reply | + / - | I had that once, I had to unplug the power, from the printer, remove the driver from the computer, then plug the printer back up and reinstall the driver and it worked. Then again maybe yours finally kicked the bucket!
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 | Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Wes  (11/13/04 4:13 PM) reply | + / - | Are there any lights flashing? Did the printer make any noises? Did you try the printer self test?
Wes.
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| Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Voxel (11/15/04 12:47 PM) reply | + / - | Your printer might be ok, you should check http://www.4p8.com/eric.brasseur/epson480.html
From that webpage, comes this text, and may be the answer to your problem :
"What means that silly message "Unknown error. Please shut down the printer and contact your local retailer or service center."?
Your printer did too much print head cleaning. Either you asked for those cleanings or the printer did them by itself. Print head cleaning means a little vacum pump sucks a noticeable quantity of ink from the print head. Like a cow milk machine. The ink pumped away is disposed on a tissue pad on the bottom of the printer. If you clean the heads too much, the ink pad will overflow and ink will start to spill out of the printer. So there is a software counter inside the printer that increases each time you ask for a print head cleaning (or whatever event that leads ink towards the pad). Once the counter reaches its maximum, which means the ink pad may be soaked up, the printer stops working, yields that "unknown error" and asks for servicing. "
check the link above for software to unlock the cleaning-counter
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| Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Denny Conway (11/16/04 1:18 PM) reply | + / - | G.Matz: A Service Error where you get an "Unknown Error Message", is normally a Maintenance Request Error. The maintenance request error is actually a Waste Ink Ink Pad Error and usually your remedy is to replace the Waste Ink Pad/Pads with a new one/ones and then reset the Internal Waste Ink Pad Counter. If you just reset the counter and don't replace the pads, then your printers old pads will eventually overflow and normally start leaking ink out the bottom of your printer. You can see "Exploded Diagrams" of most Epson Ink Jet Printers and can also check on possible parts ordering, by Compass Micro Inc, at http://www.compassmicro.com/parts_select.cfm . Some people actually wash the ink out of the old pads, by holding them under running cold water, then dry them out and simply reinstall them back into their printer. The choice on what to actually do, is yours to make. I would at least recommend getting that Waste Ink Counter reset procedure and performing it first, to make sure your printer will then work...THIS ADDITIONAL INFO MIGHT ALSO BE OF SOME HELP: Tim H 12/10/2003 2:46:24 Subject: Epson Reset Program Download Location. after a long search for a reset program for waste ink, without paying, i found it. goto: http://inkjetprinterhelp.us/sscserve.exe . please check that your printer is compatible goto: http://inkjetprinterhelp.us/epsonSSC.html . this program has other features as well...Unfortunatly, that "SSC Service Utility" does not work on all Epson Printers and not on all Operating Systems and sometimes will not even work on actually listed printer models, so you will have to check it out for yourself. Just in case that source does not work: You may actually need to go on-line to try and locate a "SERVICE MANUAL" or a "RESET PROCEDURE", to buy and download for reference in disassembly, troubleshooting and servicing. I have not checked, but you can normally find Service Manuals for most Epson Printers, from 2manuals.com, at http://www.2manuals.com/index.php?cPath=2_18 (most Service Manuals can usually be downloaded for around $10 /- ) ...Good Luck! Denny Conway
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 | Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by G Matz (1/21/05 3:50 AM) reply | + / - | Man you guys are the best.
Thank you very very very much
Wish u guys the same Karma.
Cheers
Jehad
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| Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Denny Conway (1/25/05 12:01 PM) reply | +1 + / - | G.Matz: You're welcome and I hope some of our information, actually helped you to get your printer fixed...Denny Conway
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| Re: Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Anonymous (2/11/05 2:02 AM) reply | + / - | It was your advise that did the trick and the printer is up and running again.
Thank you once again.
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| Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Denny Conway (2/14/05 10:20 AM) reply | +1 + / - | Jehad: You're welcome and congratulations on being able to correct your printers problem. Good Job!...Denny Conway
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| Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Jehad (2/18/05 10:02 PM) reply | + / - | Mate once again it was becuase of you.
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| Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Denny Conway (2/21/05 6:04 PM) reply | + / - | Jehad: Thanks for the kind words, but to be honest, the credit is usually shared. Sometimes the info that I post, is simply being passed on from other people who may have already posted it previously. The important thing, is that the info actually helped you to get your printer working again. Again, Good Job! Denny Conway
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 | Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Anonymous (2/23/05 3:59 AM) reply | + / - | You guys and Gals are legends. Now any hints fo cleaning my hands :)
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| Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Denny Conway (2/23/05 9:21 AM) reply | + / - | Anonymous: Ink stains so badly, that it almost has to wear off. Even using most hand cleaners will only get part of the ink stains off. Bleach helps, but is hard on the hands. I find that washing dishes, using hot water and Dawn dish soap, helps to soak out most of the ink stains, as well as simply taking a normal shower. For future reference, remember to wear some disposable latex gloves...Denny Conway
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 | Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by G Matz (3/19/05 6:15 PM) reply | + / - | Hey guys,
Since you are the legends on the net, I need some more assistance.
Everything was working fine until my printer ran out of ink, and when I attempt to change the ink. Epson mangement system wont work, it comes back with Communication Error and my printer is plugged in. I restarted the printer and managed to change the ink, but the system still things the printer ink is empty.
I am currently using the patch that i downloaded, but there is no option to replace ink.
Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you once again.
Jehad
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| Re: Reliable Epson 480 GOOOONE!!! by Denny Conway (3/21/05 10:40 AM) reply | + / - | G.Matz: Unfortunatly, there is no way to make your epson printer use that ink cartridge you installed, if it actually is a Non-Epson Ink Cartridge [Generic or Third-Party cartridge] and your printer cannot actually recognize it. Even if you actually installed a new-epson ink cartridge, if its not being recognized, all you can really do is try a different ink cartridge. Its even possible that some brands of non-epson ink cartridges may not always be recognized by the newer models of epson printers, because of the inexpensive and or incompatable Electrical Chips that are mounted on some brands of generic or third-party ink cartridges. Sometimes you will even get error messages up on your monitors screen, telling you that you are actually using a non-epson ink cartridge, or that your printer cannot recognize the cartridge that you installed. Sometimes the ink level indicator, on your status monitor, will not show an actual ink level, but may indicate a cartridge error or problem instead...As far as the printer not recognizing the installed ink cartridges: The only other thing I can suggest is to try cleaning the "Electrical Chip" [electrical contact area] on the ink cartridge itself and the electrical contact area inside the "Print Cartridge Holder Assembly". With your printer turned off and unplugged, simply try cleaning all the electrical contacts carefully and gently, with Distilled Water on Q-Tips or on a lint free rag. Its possible that the electrical contacts, or the electrical chip on the ink cartridge, or the electrical contacts inside the print cartridge holder assembly, may simply be dirty. Using damp Q-tips [not wet or dripping], gently and carefully wipe off the copper colored electrical plates on the cartridges and the electrical contacts inside the holder assy. Its best to use "Distilled Water", because it has less chemicals and minerals in it, than tap water and regular tap water can actually cause additional problems. Use new dry Q-Tips to dry off all the electrical contacts after cleaning, because electricity and water do not mix well...OTHER THAN THAT CLEANING: The only way to really eliminate a possible bad cartridge [even if it happens to be a new cartridge], is to actually replace it, or test it in another printer that uses the same cartridge and was working ok with its own cartridges installed. Unfortunatly, that is usually not practical, unless you know someone that has the same printer or uses the same cartridge in their printer...Good Luck! Denny Conway
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