My C64 has two red flashing lights on the ink and on the paper status buttons. I have recently replaced some cartridges with generic units, there is no paper jammed in the machine.Any ideas how I get the printer working again? Are some generic units faulty? Many thanks for your help Brendan
brendan: Probably not. Simply open up your Status Monitor, thats loaded on your computer system, in the "Printer Properties Utility". Check and see if those ink cartridges are correctly recognized and if the actual ink levels are showing up. If they are, then its not those generic cartridges...THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM: A Service Error where all LED's/Lights are flashing at the same time [some models the lights will be alternatly blinking], 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 parts diagrams for 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 they simply dry them out and reinstall them back into their printer. There is an "EPSON C64/C84 Disassembly Instructions Page", that you can view at http://www.inkjetprinterhelp.us/c648.html , that may be of some possible help. However, you will still need to go on-line and buy and download the actual Reset Procedure, to clear the actual Service Error Condition, if that SSC Service Utility, listed below, does not actually work for you. I'm sorry there is no actual C64 service manual available for free, that I know of. However, there is an "Epson C84 Service Manual" available at http://www.colorbat.com/PDF_Files/C84%20Service%20Manual.pdf , that may also be of some use to you, at least as possible reference on your actual C64 model. There is also an "Epson Stylus C60 Printer Information Page", that also includes info that covers a lot of the smaller C-series, that you can view at http://epsonhelp.freehttp.com/C60.html . Although it does not actually include your C64 model, again it may be useful as a possible guide on your printer. That C60 info page does have a section on the left side you can click-on, titled WASTE INK PAD SERVICING and also a section titled HOUSING REMOVAL, that may also be of some help to you, if you want to try the needed servicing on your actual C64. At any rate, 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. You may be able to reset that waste ink counter, using the SSC SERVICE UTILITY available at http://inkjetprinterhelp.us/sscserve.exe . Unfortunatly, that utility only works using a windows operating system. You can check and see if your particular epson printer is compatible, by going to http://inkjetprinterhelp.us/epsonSSC.html ...Here's some previously posted info that may also help. "NEWUSER Re: Epson Error and power light flashing by newuser (4/5/05 11:10 AM). To reset the error download this utility: http://inkjetprinterhelp.us/epsonSSC.html . Once installed run the program and configure it, closing the main window and right clicking the icon in the tray area, from there choose Configure and select your printers model. After configuration, select Protection counter -> Reset protection counter, it should be able to clear the error message. If that does not actually work, then the only suggestion I can give is to perform a soft-reset before resetting counter. Remove also the Epson status agent, it detects errors and it may hinder communication with the printer, then reboot your pc. As profile choose the one sscservice didn't use after autoconfiguration, check for printer response. Remember that you should also clean the waste ink pads located at the printer bottom. For a more in-depth procedure by NEWUSER, go to his site at http://myprinter.altervista.org/simplefaq/mysimplefaq.html#counter "....Unfortunatly, that ssc service utility may not actually work on all epson printers and not on all operating systems, 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 the actual reset procedure, to buy and download to reset that waste ink counter...Good Luck! Denny Conway
I have just been reading your info on the epson c64. I too have one where the paper and ink lights are both flashing red alternatly. I did try out the status monitor thingy in the printer properties thingy but don't think that I have found it. Please could you explain in v. easy terms what I need to click on and what I am looking for? Thank you so very much.xxxxxxxxxx Helly.
Re: c64 flashing lights by Anonymous (2/9/06 1:05 AM) reply
Read above advice S-L-O-W-L-Y. You can do it girl! It tells you what to do. If you don't want to learn, pay someone who wants to earn. And they will fix your printer for you.
Re: c64 flashing lights by Anonymous (6/13/06 10:29 AM) reply
Had the blinking red lights happen to me a couple days ago, turned out all it was was that I hadn't snapped the cover over the cartridges entirely into place after replacing the black ink. I thought it was going to be something much more serious.
(Now the printer's printing blank pages, but that's another story.)
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