Epson B 500DN User Manual

							Troubleshooting171
❏Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of 
paper loaded in the printer.
&See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29.
Incorrect or Missing Colors
❏For Windows, clear the Grayscale setting in the Advanced window in your printer 
driver.
For Mac OS X, change the Color setting to Color in Print Settings dialog in the Print 
dialog of your printer driver.
See the printer driver online help for details.
❏Adjust the color settings in your application or in your printer driver settings.
For Windows, confirm the settings in the Advanced window.
For Mac OS X, confirm the settings in the Print Settings dialog from the Print dialog.
See the printer driver online help for details.
❏Run the Head Cleaning utility.
&See “Cleaning the Print Head” on page 139.
❏Check the ink cartridge status.
&See “Checking the Ink Cartridge Status” on page 122.
If the graphic displays the ink is low or expended, replace the appropriate ink cartridge.
&See “Replacing an Ink Cartridge” on page 128.
❏If your paper runs out, replace it as soon as possible. If the printer is left without paper 
for a long period of time, the colors of your next print job may be incorrect.
Blurry or Smeared Printout
❏Use only paper recommended by Epson.
&See “Paper, Consumables, and Options” on page 187.
❏Make sure the printer is on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the base in all 
directions. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted.
❏Make sure your paper is not damaged, dirty, or too old.
 
						

							Troubleshooting172
❏Make sure your paper is dry and the printable side is facing up in the rear sheet feeder 
and facing down in the front paper cassette.
❏If the paper is curled toward the printable side, flatten it or curl it slightly in the opposite 
direction.
❏Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of 
paper loaded in the printer.
&See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29.
❏Remove each sheet from the output tray as it is printed.
❏If you are printing on glossy media, place a support sheet (or a sheet of plain paper) 
beneath the stack, or load only one sheet at a time.
❏Do not touch or allow anything to come into contact with the printed side of paper with 
a shiny finish. To dry your printouts, follow the instructions on the sheet packed with the 
paper.
❏Run the Head Cleaning utility.
&See “Cleaning the Print Head” on page 139.
Ink Bleeds Through the Page
❏Use the Print Saturation Adjustment feature to reduce the amount of ink on the page 
and increase the drying time if necessary.
&See “Special Settings for Automatic Double-sided Printing (Using the Duplex Unit)” 
on page 59.
❏Adjust the ink levels in the photo image.
Miscellaneous Printout Problems
Incorrect or Garbled Characters
❏Turn off the printer and computer. Make sure the printer’s interface cable is securely 
plugged in.
❏Clear the print job from the print queue.
❏Uninstall the printer driver, then reinstall it.
&See “Uninstalling the Printer Software” on page 17.
 
						

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Incorrect Margins
❏Confirm the margin settings in your application. Make sure that the margins are within 
the printable area of the page.
&See “Printable Area” on page 190.
❏Make sure the printer driver settings are appropriate for the paper size you are using.
For Windows, confirm the settings in the Main Window.
For Mac OS X, confirm the settings in the Page Setup dialog or Print dialog.See the 
printer driver online help for details.
❏Uninstall the printer driver, then reinstall it.
&See “Uninstalling the Printer Software” on page 17.
Printout Has a Slight Slant
Make sure that the paper is loaded into the front paper cassette or the rear sheet feeder 
correctly.
&See “Loading Paper” on page 22.
Inverted Image
❏Clear the Mirror Image check box in the settings from your printer driver, or turn off the 
Mirror Image setting in your application.
For Windows, confirm the settings in the Page Layout window.
For Mac OS X, confirm the settings in the Print Settings dialog in the Print dialog.
For instructions, see the online help for your printer driver or for your application.
❏Uninstall the printer driver, then reinstall it.
&See “Uninstalling the Printer Software” on page 17.
Blank Pages Print
❏Make sure the printer driver settings are appropriate for the paper size you are using.
For Windows, confirm the settings in the Main window.
For Mac OS X, confirm the settings in the Page Setup dialog or Print dialog.
 
						

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See the printer driver online help for details.
❏Confirm the Skip Blank Page setting from your printer driver.
For Windows, click the Speed & Progress button on the Maintenance window.
For Mac OS X, confirm the Extension Settings in the Print dialog.
If it is selected, blank pages in your data are not printed.
❏Uninstall the printer driver, then reinstall it.
&See “Uninstalling the Printer Software” on page 17.
After trying one or more of these solutions, run a printer operation check to check your 
results.
&See “Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-500DN Users)” on page 158.
&See “Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-300 Users)” on page 159.
Printed Side is Smeared or Scuffed
❏If the paper is curled toward the printable side, flatten it or curl it slightly in the opposite 
direction.
❏Clear the High Speed check box in the settings from your printer driver.
For Windows, confirm the settings in the Advanced window.
For Mac OS X, confirm the settings in the Print Settings dialog in the Print dialog.
See the printer driver online help for details.
❏Uninstall the printer driver, then reinstall it.
&See “Uninstalling the Printer Software” on page 17.
❏Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of 
paper loaded in the printer.
&See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29.
Printing is too Slow
❏Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of 
paper loaded in the printer.
&See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29.
 
						

							Troubleshooting175
❏For Windows, clear all customized settings and select Text as the Quality Option from 
your printer driver’s Main window.
For Mac OS X, clear all customized settings and select Automatic as the Mode and 
move the slider to Speed in the Print Settings dialog in the Print dialog of your printer 
driver. See the printer driver online help for details.
&See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15.
❏Close any unnecessary applications.
❏If you print continuously for an extended period, the paper may temporarily stop feeding 
or the print head may pause for a while. This is to slow down the printing speed and 
prevent the printer mechanism from overheating and being damaged. If this happens, 
you can continue to print, but we recommend stopping and leaving the printer for about 
thirty minutes with the power on. (The printer does not recover with the power off.) After 
you restart, the printer will print at normal speed. 
❏This printer checks the print head on a regular basis to keep the print head clean and 
to ensure you receive premium print quality. If the print head nozzles are clogged, the 
printer automatically cleans the print head. During self-checking, and during 
self-cleaning operation, the print speed may decrease.
❏Uninstall the printer driver, then reinstall it.
&See “Uninstalling the Printer Software” on page 17.
If you try all of the methods above and cannot solve the problem, see the following:
&See “Increasing the Print Speed (for Windows only)” on page 179.
Paper Does Not Feed Correctly
Paper Does Not Feed
Remove the stack of paper and make sure of the following:
❏The paper is not curled or creased.
❏The paper is not too old. See the instructions that came with the paper for more 
information.
❏The paper fits under the carrow mark inside the edge guide.
 
						

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❏The number of sheets in the paper stack does not exceed the limit specified for the 
media.
&See “Paper Loading Capacities” on page 21.
❏Paper is not jammed inside the printer. If it is, remove the jammed paper.
&See “The Paper Jams” on page 165.
❏You have followed all special loading instructions that came with your paper. Load the 
paper again.
&See “Loading Paper” on page 22.
Multiple Pages Feed
❏Make sure the paper stack fits under the carrow mark inside the edge guide.
❏Make sure the left edge guide is snug against the left edge of the paper.
❏Make sure the paper is not curled or folded. If so, flatten it or curl it slightly toward the 
opposite side before loading.
❏Remove the stack of paper and make sure that the paper is not too thin.
&See “Paper” on page 189.
❏Fan the edges of the stack to separate the sheets, then reload the paper.
❏If too many copies of a file are being printed, confirm the Copies setting in your printer 
driver as follows, and also confirm in your application.
For Windows, confirm the Copies setting on the Page Layout window.
For Mac OS X 10.3 and 10.4, confirm the Copies setting in the Copies & Pages setting 
in the Print dialog.
For Mac OS X 10.5, confirm the Copies setting in the Print dialog.
See the printer driver online help for details.
Paper is Improperly Loaded
If you have loaded the paper too far into the printer, the printer cannot feed the paper 
correctly. Turn off the printer and gently remove the paper. Then turn on the printer and 
reload the paper correctly.
 
						

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Paper is not Ejected Fully or is Wrinkled
❏Clear the jammed paper as explained in “The Paper Jams” on page 165. Also, check 
the Paper Size setting in your application or printer settings. See the online help for 
details.
❏If the paper is wrinkled when it comes out, it may be damp or too thin. Load a new stack 
of paper.
Note:
Store any unused paper in its original packaging in a dry area.
The Printer Does Not Print
All Lights Are Off
❏Press the PPower button to make sure the printer is on.
❏Turn off the printer and make sure that the power cord is securely plugged in.
❏Make sure that your outlet works and is not controlled by a wall switch or timer.
Lights Came On and then Went Out
The printer’s voltage may not match the outlet rating. Turn off the printer and unplug it 
immediately. Then check the label on the back of the printer.
c
Caution:
If the voltage does not match, DO NOT PLUG YOUR PRINTER BACK IN. Contact Epson.
&See “Where To Get Help” on page 182.
The Power Light is On
❏If no buttons are pressed for 3 minutes, all lights other than the PPower light 
automatically turn off to save energy. Press any button (except the PPower button) to 
return the control panel to its previous state.
❏Make sure the USB cable is securely connected to the printer and to your computer and 
check that the USB cable is not damaged or badly crimped.
 
						

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❏If you are using the USB interface, make sure your cable meets the USB 1.1 or 2.0 
standards.
❏If you are connecting the printer to your computer via a USB hub, connect the printer to 
the first-tier hub from your computer. If the printer driver is still not recognized on your 
computer, try to directly connect the printer to your computer without the USB hub.
❏If you are connecting the printer to your computer via a USB hub, make sure the USB 
hub device is recognized by your computer.
❏Turn off the printer and the computer, disconnect the printer’s interface cable, then print 
an operation check page.
&See “Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-500DN Users)” on page 158.
&See “Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-300 Users)” on page 159.
If the check page prints correctly, make sure the printer driver and your application are 
installed correctly.
❏If you are trying to print a large image, your computer may not have enough memory. 
Try reducing the resolution of your image or printing the image at a smaller size. You 
may need to install more memory in your computer.
❏Uninstall the printer driver, then reinstall it.
&See “Uninstalling the Printer Software” on page 17.
 
						

							Troubleshooting179
Increasing the Print Speed (for Windows only)
You can increase print speed by selecting certain settings in the Speed & Progress 
window. Click the Speed & Progress button on your printer driver’s Maintenance window.
 
						

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The following dialog box appears.
The table below lists the factors affecting print speed.
For more details on each item, see the online help.
Other Problems
Print Head Cleaning Does Not Start
❏Make sure that no error indicator lights are on. If any error occurs, recover from the 
error status.
&See “Error Indicators” on page 158.
Print speed Faster Slower
High Speed Copies On Off
Always spool RAW datatype On Off
Page Rendering Mode  On Off
Print as Bitmap On Off