Epson Stylus Pro 9700 User Manual

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4. Press   to exit the menu.
For more information about the Printer Status menu, see page 217.
Checking Printer Status From the Printer Driver
The Epson Status Monitor utility installed with your printer driver lets you 
check the levels of ink in the printer and the level of the maintenance 
tank(s). Follow the steps below to use the utility to check the status.
1. Do one of the following to access the printer utilities:
Windows 7 and Windows Vista: Click  , select Control Panel, 
select 
Hardware and Sound, and click Printers. Right-click the 
icon for your printer and select 
Printing Preferences. Click the 
Utility tab.
Windows XP: Click Start and select Control Panel. Double-click 
Printers and Faxes. Right-click your printer icon and select 
Printing Preferences. Click the Utility tab.
Mac OS X: Open the EPSON Printer Utility3 in your 
Applications folder. Select your printer and click OK.
2. Click the 
EPSON Status Monitor 3 icon.
Tip: On a Macintosh, you 
can also run maintenance 
utilities by clicking the 
Utility button in the print 
job window or the  icon 
on the printer settings 
screen.
If you added a shortcut 
icon for your printer to 
the Windows taskbar, 
you can right-click it and 
select any utility you 
want to run. See 
page 110 to add the icon.
 
						

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The software checks the amount of ink in the printer and maintenance 
tank(s) and displays one of these windows:
Checking and Cleaning the Print Head
If your printed image shows a color shift or horizontal lines, you should 
check the print head to see if any nozzles are clogged or deflected. If 
necessary, you can run a cleaning cycle to clear the nozzles.
You can also turn on Auto Nozzle Check from the printer’s control panel. 
The printer will then check the nozzles periodically or before each print job 
and clean them if necessary. 
Running the Nozzle Check and Head Cleaning Utilities
Follow these steps to use your printer software to check the print head 
nozzles and clean them if necessary:
1. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer.
2. Do one of the following to access the printer utilities:
Windows 7 and Windows Vista: Click  , select Control Panel, 
select 
Hardware and Sound, and click Devices and Printers. 
Right-click the icon for your printer and select 
Printing 
Preferences
. Click the Utility tab.
Windows Mac OS X
Tip: On a Macintosh, you 
can also run maintenance 
utilities by clicking the 
Utility button in the print 
job window or the  icon 
on the printer settings 
screen.
If you added a shortcut 
icon for your printer to 
the Windows taskbar, 
you can right-click it and 
select any utility you 
want to run. See 
page 110 to add the icon.
 
						

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Windows XP: Click Start and select Control Panel. Double-click 
Printers and Faxes. Right-click your printer icon and select 
Printing Preferences. Click the Utility tab.
Mac OS X: Open the EPSON Printer Utility3 in your 
Applications folder. Select your printer and click OK.
You see a menu like the following:
3. Select the 
Nozzle Check icon and follow the instructions on the screen.
4. After the pattern is printed, use at least a 10
× eye loupe to examine it.
If the pattern looks good, as shown below, the print head is clean.
If any dots or segments are missing or deflected, as shown below, 
run a cleaning cycle as described on page 155. Then print another 
nozzle check pattern to make sure the nozzles are clean.
If the nozzles are still clogged after three cleaning cycles, run a power 
cleaning cycle as described on page 155.
Windows Mac OS X
Caution: Don’t run a 
cleaning cycle while 
thick media is loaded in 
the printer.
 
						

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Checking and Cleaning the Print Head Using the Control 
Panel
You can print a nozzle check from the control panel and examine it to 
determine whether any nozzles are clogged or deflected. Then you can run a 
cleaning cycle if necessary. 
1. Press r 
Menu. 
2. Press d until 
TEST PRINT is selected, then press r. NOZZLE CHECK is 
selected.
3. Press r,
 then press OK to start printing the nozzle check pattern.
4. After the pattern is printed, use at least a 10
× eye loupe to examine it.
If the pattern looks good, as shown below, the print head is clean.
If any dots or segments are missing or deflected, as shown below, 
run a cleaning cycle as described on page 155. Then print another 
nozzle check pattern to make sure the nozzles are clean.
If the nozzles are still clogged after three cleaning cycles, run a power 
cleaning cycle as described on page 155.
Automatically Checking and Cleaning the Print Head
The printer automatically checks the nozzles and cleans them if necessary. 
You can specify how often you want this to happen or turn this feature off. 
You can also have a nozzle check pattern printed on a regular basis, so you 
can check it yourself.
1. Press r 
Menu. PRINTER SETUP is selected. Press r again.
2. Press d until 
AUTO NOZZLE CHECK is selected, then press r.
Caution: Don’t run a 
cleaning cycle while 
thick media is loaded in 
the printer.
 
						

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3. Select one of the following, then press OK:
 ON: PERIODICALLY—The printer periodically checks its nozzles 
and runs a cleaning cycle if necessary (default).
 ON: EVERY JOB—The printer automatically checks its nozzles 
and runs a cleaning cycle if necessary before each print job. This 
process uses a very small amount of ink (and no paper) and is 
recommended if you are running large print jobs unattended.
—The printer will not perform automatic nozzle checks and 
cleaning cycles.
4. Press 
l, then select PRINT NOZZLE PATTERN and press r.
5. Select 
ON: EVERY PAGE to have the nozzle check pattern printed 
before each print job, or 
ON: EVERY 10 PAGES or OFF. These settings 
take effect only when you print on roll paper.
6. Press 
OK to save the setting.
Running Cleaning Cycles
You can run several types of cleaning cycles from the control panel (or from 
the Epson LFP Remote Panel2): normal cleaning, power cleaning, and 
cleaning each pair of ink colors.
Run the power cleaning only if the normal cleaning process is not sufficient 
to clear the nozzles. The power cycle uses a large quantity of ink, so it is 
recommended only as a last resort.
The cartridges need to be at least 50% full to use power cleaning. You may 
need to replace a low cartridge to run the cleaning cycle. After cleaning, you 
can reinsert the old cartridge.
1. Print a nozzle check to make sure the print head needs cleaning, as 
described on page 154.
2. Make sure the printer is ready and the red B 
Ink Check light on the 
printer’s control panel is not on or flashing.
3. Press r 
Menu.
Caution: Don’t run a 
cleaning cycle while 
thick media is loaded in 
the printer.
 
						

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4. Press d until MAINTENANCE is selected, then press r.
5. Press d until 
CLEANING is selected, then press r.
6. Select one of the following, then press r:
 NORMAL CLEANING—Press OK to start the cleaning cycle.
 CLEAN EACH COLOR—Press r, select the color pair you want to 
clean, then press 
OK to start the cleaning cycle.
 POWER CLEANING—Press OK to start the cleaning cycle.
7. When cleaning is finished and the Ppower light stops flashing, print 
the nozzle check again to confirm that the head is clean.
For effective cleaning, always run a nozzle check between cycles.
If the pattern is still missing segments or has deflections after a power 
cleaning cycle, turn the printer off and leave it overnight, then clean the 
print head again the following morning with regular cleaning cycles. If 
you still see no improvement, contact your service provider for 
assistance.
Aligning the Print Head
Aligning the print head is the most important thing you can do to ensure the 
best print quality. If banding appears on your prints, if they look grainy or 
blurry, or if you see misregistration or “ghosting,” you need to align the print 
head.
Although you can align the print head using the printer utility software, it’s 
also easy to align from the printer’s control panel. This will do the most 
thorough job in the shortest time, and it’s all automatic.
If you haven’t already done so, it’s a good idea to run a nozzle check before 
aligning the print head (page 154). This ensures that the print head 
alignment patterns print correctly.
Follow these steps to align the print head using the control panel:
1. Make sure the printer is turned on. Then load Epson Enhanced Matte 
paper.
Note: You must use at 
least a 10
× eye loupe to 
examine the nozzle check 
pattern for deflected 
nozzles. 
Tip: To properly align the 
print head, you can also 
use Epson Doubleweight 
Matte Paper or Ultra 
Premium Photo Paper 
Luster. 
 
						

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2. Press r Menu.
3. Press u or 
d until HEAD ALIGNMENT is selected, then press r. 
PAPER THICKNESS is selected.
4. Press r, then select the paper type loaded in the printer and press 
OK.
5. Press l three times, then press d to select 
ALIGNMENT.
6. Press r to select 
AUTO, then press r again. UNI-D (uni-directional) is 
highlighted. This is the type of alignment to start with.
7. Press r, then press 
OK to start the alignment process.
Each head alignment takes about 7 minutes. The printer’s white beam 
sensor reads the alignment pattern and adjusts the printer automatically. 
Make sure you don’t open the front cover or turn off the printer during 
this process.
8. When the uni-directional alignment is finished, press r.
9. Select 
HEAD ALIGNMENT, then select ALIGNMENT.
10. Select 
BI-D ALL and press OK to start the alignment process.
11. When done, press   to exit head alignment mode.
Replacing Ink Cartridges
Before you begin a large print job, you should check your ink levels. If one of 
your cartridges is low, you can replace it before you start. Or you can wait 
until the ink is expended, replace the cartridge, and then continue the job 
without any loss of print quality. However, it is best to replace a low ink 
cartridge before starting a large print job.
The easiest way to check ink levels is from the control panel LCD display. 
The numbers above the ink icons on the LCD display correspond to the 
5 ink cartridge slots on the printer.
The icons show the approximate amount of ink remaining.Tip: You can store 
partially used ink 
cartridges for up to 
6 months. If you do so, 
Epson recommends 
covering the openings 
with tape.
 
						

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When the red BInk Check light is flashing and INK LOW appears on the 
LCD display, the indicated cartridge is almost expended. Make sure you 
have a replacement cartridge. When the light stays on and 
REPLACE INK 
CARTRIDGE 
is displayed, the cartridge is expended. You must replace the 
cartridge before you can continue printing.
You can install any combination of 150, 350, and 700 ml cartridges. Use the 
following Epson UltraChrome
® with Vivid Magenta ink cartridges: 
You can purchase genuine Epson ink and paper from an Epson Professional 
Imaging Authorized Reseller. To find the nearest reseller, visit 
www.proimaging.epson.com (U.S. sales), www.epson.ca (Canadian sales), or 
call 800-GO-EPSON (800-463-7766). Or you can purchase online at 
www.proimaging.epson.com (U.S. sales) or www.epson.ca (Canadian sales).
Before you start, make sure the printer is turned on. Then follow these steps:
1. Note the color of the cartridge that is low or expended.
2. Press the
  button.
3. Open the ink cover all the way.
Slot no.Cartridge150 ml350 ml700 ml
1 Vivid Magenta (VM) T642300 T596300 T636300
2 Cyan (C) T642200 T596200 T636200
3 Photo Black (PK) T642100 T596100 T636100
4 Yellow (Y) T642400 T596400 T636400
5 Matte Black (MK) T642800 T596800 T636800Note: We recommend 
that you use genuine 
Epson cartridges and do 
not refill them. The use of 
other products may affect 
your print quality and 
could result in printer 
damage.
Yields vary considerably 
based on images printed, 
print settings, paper type, 
frequency of use, and 
temperature. For print 
quality, a small amount of 
ink remains in the 
cartridge after the 
“replace cartridge” 
indicator comes on.
For best printing results, 
use up a cartridge within 
six months of opening the 
package.
Caution: Leave the 
expended cartridge in the 
printer until you are ready 
to replace it.
To prevent ink reporting 
errors, never replace the 
ink cartridges with the 
printer turned off.
 
						

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4. Then press in the cartridge you want to replace. The cartridge pops out.
5. Remove the expended ink cartridge from the printer. It’s a good idea to 
save your first set of expended cartridges so you can use them for 
transporting the printer, if necessary.
6. Make sure the replacement cartridge is the correct color and remove it 
from its package. Gently shake the cartridge for about 5 seconds before 
installing it.
WARNING: Do not shake 
the expended cartridge, or 
ink may leak out. If ink gets 
on your hands, wash them 
thoroughly with soap 
and water. If ink gets in 
your eyes, flush them 
immediately with water.
 
						

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7. Hold the cartridge with the arrow pointing toward the printer. Then 
insert the cartridge into the slot until it clicks into place. Don’t force it 
in.
8. Close the ink cover.
Once the cartridge is installed, the printer returns to its 
READY state.
Note: If you can’t insert 
the cartridge smoothly, 
you may have the wrong 
cartridge. Check the 
package and product 
code. If the BInk light 
remains on after installing 
the cartridge, it may not 
be inserted fully.
Caution: Do not remove 
and re-insert cartridges 
more often than 
necessary. Doing so can 
compromise the needle 
valve seal and allow air to 
enter the ink tubes, 
causing nozzle damage.