9900: Head moves, Blank output

[2jbourret]

I'm printing to an Epson 9900 from am iMac, OS10.9.3Mavericks, Epson driver 15900, using LR5. Small prints (17x22, etc.) are printing fine, but with no warning, event, or software change (except possibly an Apple autoupdate), larger prints from roll stock are not printing. The head cycles across the paper and the paper advances as if ink were being applied, but no print is made. I've tried reinstalling the driver, but it hasn't changed anything. Any ideas? I'm getting desperate!

Thanks,

Jamie

[Dan Sroka]

I had a similar experience once. The print head just moved back and forth repeatedly, along the entire 24" length. No ink getting put down or paper advancing. Even happened after shutting printer off and on.

I called tech support, and they said it was "just doing a print alignment." Their advice was to let the printer do its thing, moving back and forth, even though it may take up to 15 minutes. Once it resolved the alignment, it started to print as normal print.

[Paul2660]

I was going to suggest this also, but the OP stated the paper moved through the printer as if the print was being made.  When the head does this auto alignment, most times, it's always at the start of new print and on mine, yes the head moves back and forth and the paper moves a bit back and forth, but doesn't move forward as if a print was being made.  I never get a lot of blank paper pushed through the printer during one of these.

If it is a head alignment, only cure is what Dan stated, you have to let it run it out.  Power on and power won't stop it, as it just remembers where it left off.  Process can take up to 15 minutes.

Paul

[Garnick]

I'm printing to an Epson 9900 from am iMac, OS10.9.3Mavericks, Epson driver 15900, using LR5. Small prints (17x22, etc.) are printing fine, but with no warning, event, or software change (except possibly an Apple autoupdate), larger prints from roll stock are not printing. The head cycles across the paper and the paper advances as if ink were being applied, but no print is made. I've tried reinstalling the driver, but it hasn't changed anything. Any ideas? I'm getting desperate!
Thanks,
Jamie

Hi Jamie,

I agree, it could very well be the calibration cycle these printers run occasionally.  On my 9900 it usually takes about 5 minutes and makes a total of 45 passes, out and back.  All you can do in that case is wait until it's finished and it will then print the image as usual.  One thing that did catch my attention in your post was the reference to a "possible" Apple Auto Update.  For a while Apple had an update called "Apple Epson Printer Update", or something to that effect.  That update was an absolute NO NO for anyone with one of these printers and a driver that might have been older than the Apple update version.  It would/could apparently ruin your custom roll paper settings as well as some other aspects of the driver.  Luckily I read the warning posted on this forum before upgrading to the Intel Mac Pro a couple of years ago and had a large note attached to my display warning against EVER installing that particular Apple Update.  I'm running 10.7.5 and I haven't seen that update listed recently, but perhaps it's still part of the Mavericks OS.  I have no way of knowing that.  However, if you do ever see that Apple update I would suggest ignoring it completely.  It's mainly for smaller desktop printers and scanners, NOT the Pro Graphic printers.  Any updates for these printers should come directly from Epson.   

Perhaps you have solved the problem by now.  If so, please let us know the results.  If not, let us know that as well.

Gary  

[2jbourret]

Thanks to all for your suggestion that I should let this run it's course and see if it takes care of itself. So far each time I've cancelled the print using the printer  cancel job button. I let it run, and post the result.

Thanks

[2jbourret]

Unfortunately, that didn't correct the problem, so it must not have been a head alignment cycle. I have been trying to print a 66 x 44 inch canvas, and the printer made a 66 x 44 inch canvas, without applying any ink. When I started again, same thing. Made a 17 x 22 inch print of the same image without any problem at all.

This seems like it must be a driver problem, and with Mavericks, I can't be sure that I've gotten rid of the old driver. I can't locate and trash it the way I would have in OS 10.7, which I used previously. Can anyone walk me thru the remove/reinstall driver procedure for Mavericks?

Thanks,

[jferrari]

I have been trying to print a 66 x 44 inch canvas,

Your paper size should be 44 (width) by 66 (length)

[Dan Sroka]

Here's how you reset the printer printers in Mavericks (this is Epson's own recommendations):

(1) Reset Printing system (this clears all printers from the OS, so you'll have to re-add them all later):
- go to System Preferences > Printers and Scanners
- Right-click on list of printers, select "reset printing system"

(2) Remove all Epson files
- go to /Library/Printers/ and delete the Epson folder
- go to /Library/Caches/ and delete the Epson folder
- Epson recommends using Disk Utility to repair disk permissions

(3) get new Epson driver
- get new Epson driver from their website, and install
- go to System Preferences > Printers and Scanners and add your printer