Epson 740 on Mac OS 10

[Jan Alter]

BTW, I did get the printer to work.

I installed gutenprint open source printer/driver utility. The problem I
see with that is the printer maintainance routines like head cleaning and
ink level are only accessible by command line entries. I just don't think
this is a good idea for some elderly lady who use the laptop for email and
an occaisonal letter,

Good that you got it to initially work. Downloading the 5.1 update from
Apple would not update an OS 3.x system. One already needs to have the
computer running OS X.5 to allow that update to work. Besides having a
minimum of a G4 processor it also needs at least 512 mb RAM to install
Leopard. Running OS X.4x needs a G3 processor and 256 mb RAM, and OS3.x
needs 128 mb RAM with at least a G3 cpu.

This situation is not dead yet if the laptop can boot into OS 9. In System
Preferences look at the bottom line of icons and find Startup Disk. Click on
it. Does OS 9 show up? If it does then you can download the Epson driver and
utility that will work from Epson when any OS 9 application is run. The nice
thing about an Apple is that if one has the OS 9 system files installed
already and one is booted into OS X simply clicking on an OS 9 application
will start OS 9 and the program will run right on top of OS X, making the
Epson printer utility available for checking ink and cleaning utility. The
driver is actually listed for OS 8 but will work with OS 9 as well.

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/...0614&infoType=Downloads&platform=MacintoshThe driver is v5.5DE .Whether or not OS 9 is not available the lady should make every effort toget at least OS 10.3 disks. What is she going to do if her OS becomescorrupt and has she to do a reinstall? It's kind of like driving across thecountry without a spare.Jan (e-mail address removed)

 

[Bishoop]

Good that you got it to initially work. Downloading the 5.1 update from
Apple would not update an OS 3.x system. One already needs to have the
computer running OS X.5 to allow that update to work. Besides having a
minimum of a G4 processor it also needs at least 512 mb RAM to install
Leopard. Running OS X.4x needs a G3 processor and 256 mb RAM, and OS3.x
needs 128 mb RAM with at least a G3 cpu.

This situation is not dead yet if the laptop can boot into OS 9. In System
Preferences look at the bottom line of icons and find Startup Disk. Click
on it. Does OS 9 show up? If it does then you can download the Epson
driver and utility that will work from Epson when any OS 9 application is
run. The nice thing about an Apple is that if one has the OS 9 system
files installed already and one is booted into OS X simply clicking on an
OS 9 application will start OS 9 and the program will run right on top of
OS X, making the Epson printer utility available for checking ink and
cleaning utility. The driver is actually listed for OS 8 but will work
with OS 9 as well.

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/...0614&infoType=Downloads&platform=MacintoshThe
driver is v5.5DE .Whether or not OS 9 is not available the lady should
make every effort toget at least OS 10.3 disks. What is she going to do
if her OS becomescorrupt and has she to do a reinstall? It's kind of like
driving across thecountry without a spare.Jan (e-mail address removed)

No cigar, no OS 9 either.

I agree about getting the system disks. I will suggest she spend the 100
bucks and orders a set.

Can you tell me how to determine what printer dirvers are installed on this
laptop as it sits here?

Thanks

 

[Jan Alter]

No cigar, no OS 9 either.

I agree about getting the system disks. I will suggest she spend the 100
bucks and orders a set.

Can you tell me how to determine what printer dirvers are installed on
this laptop as it sits here?

Thanks

Click on the hard drive to open it. Go to the menu at the top of the screen
and click on View. Click on Show as List.
Scroll down to Library and click on the black triangle next to Library.
Scroll down library until you get to Printers. Click on the triangle and it
should show you what printers are installed. It actually may show Epson, but
not all Epson drivers may be installed and that's why the additional Epson
drivers on the third system disk are needed.

Jan
(e-mail address removed)

 

[William R. Walsh]

Hi!

If someone can help with how to determine just what printer drivers are
loaded on the laptop as it stands, I'll just tell the lady to buy one of the
supported printers.

The problem with that idea is the printers for which support is included
will not be very new and are probably only available on the secondhand
market. It might be more trouble to find a good working example of a
supported printer than to simply get a set of Mac OS X 10.3 installation
discs.

If you're comfortable dealing with eBay, there are plenty of Mac OS X 10.3
installation disc sets (look for a retail version, not the "OEM" versions
that sometimes surface) available at a low price.

William

 

[measekite]

There is an applet that handles this for many Epsons.  You may find it by searching the forums for the distribution you are using.  Too bad there is not one for the Canon.

Bishoop wrote:

BTW, I did get the printer to work. I installed gutenprint open source printer/driver utility. The problem I see with that is the printer maintainance routines like head cleaning and ink level are only accessible by command line entries. I just don't think this is a good idea for some elderly lady who use the laptop for email and an occaisonal letter,

 

[Bishoop]

Click on the hard drive to open it. Go to the menu at the top of the
screen and click on View. Click on Show as List.
Scroll down to Library and click on the black triangle next to Library.
Scroll down library until you get to Printers. Click on the triangle and
it should show you what printers are installed. It actually may show
Epson, but not all Epson drivers may be installed and that's why the
additional Epson drivers on the third system disk are needed.

Jan
(e-mail address removed)

Followed you instructions and found no printer drivers installed.

She has purchased a new printer that is 10.3.9 compatible and I'll install
it today. I have suggested she get a set of the installation CDs, I don't
know if she will pop for them or not.

Thanks to everyone for all the help. Now I know that the "X" for closing a
window is on the left on Mac machines instead of on the right on Windows
PCs.

 

[John McWilliams]

Followed you instructions and found no printer drivers installed.

She has purchased a new printer that is 10.3.9 compatible and I'll install
it today. I have suggested she get a set of the installation CDs, I don't
know if she will pop for them or not.

Thanks to everyone for all the help. Now I know that the "X" for closing a
window is on the left on Mac machines instead of on the right on Windows
PCs.

However, Command-x, from the key board closes it without moving the
mouse....

==

 

[Matt Broughton]

However, Command-x, from the key board closes it without moving the
mouse....

It's Command-w not Command-x. If it is also the only open window for an
application, the application will not quit as it does in Windows.

 

[John McWilliams]

It's Command-w not Command-x. If it is also the only open window for an
application, the application will not quit as it does in Windows.

Of course it is that, the W; brain wind. And Cmd-Opt-W closes all
windows in the Finder.
A couple of apps, Lightroom comes to mind, will close as it does in 'Doze.

 

[NotMe]

|
| | > | >> Bishoop wrote:
| >>> Trying to help a neighbor lady get her printer running on a Mac
running
| >>> OS
| >>> 10. The printer is an Epson 740 and from the Epson web site all they
| >>> have
| >>> are drivers for OS 9. This is the first Mac I've tried to install
| >>> anything
| >>> on.
| >>>
| >>> Will the OS 9 printer drivers work with OS 10; yes, no or maybe?
| >>
| >> No, but working drivers for the 740 should be included in the OS
| >> installation. What version? Did you do the install? What happens when
you
| >> hit Cmd-P with the printer connected?
| >>
| >> --
| >> John McWilliams
| >
| > All versions of OS X.x will install with drivers for the Stylus 740. If
| > the version of OS X is X.3.x (Panther) the utility program will not be
| > available to monitor ink levels or to do maintenance, such as head
| > cleanings or calibrations. Apple was highly inconsiderate to not put the
| > time and effort into making the utility program available.
| > If the version being installed is OS X.4.x then the utility will be
| > there and the user will be be able to do software cleanings and monitor
| > ink levels.
| > Apple must have received a heck of a lot of complaints from Epson
| > printer users about the lack of the utility to get them to develop it
for
| > their upgrade, Tiger. I don't know how the newest version of OS X.5.x
| > (Leopard) will work with the Epson, but my guess is that it is probably
| > available.
| > If the neighbor is installing the Panther version of OS X then it
would
| > behoove him/her to also install the OS 9 system files so that the
computer
| > can also be started in OS 9. Doing this will allow the installation of
the
| > 740 drivers for it and the working utility program so that the user can
| > simply start an OS 9 program, ie, Simpletext, and then have the
| > opportunity to check the ink levels and do head cleanings. It's an easy
| > work around.
| > Having dealt with this problem numerous times at our school using
lots
| > of imacs and emacs with different versions of OS X has allowed me to
glean
| > the differences using the Epson 740 and 880 printers.
| >
| > --
| > Jan Alter
| > (e-mail address removed)
| > or
| > (e-mail address removed)12.pa.us
|
|
| Thanks for the info. Unfortunately most of what you discuss is "Greek" to
| me being a Windows guy since its inception. The lady I'm trying to help
is
| no help as far as installing drivers, etc.
|
| I don't even know how to identify exactly which version of OS is on the
| laptop.
|
| In a few words can you explain how to try to install the printer with the
| existing drivers contained in the OS?
|
| Is there anything like Windows control panel which might help me to
install
| the drivers. What about system help files that can point me in the right
| direction?
|
| Thanks again for your assistance.

Most Macs have support for Classic OS 9 installed as a default. If you're
working with the Intel base Mac then all bets are off.

We just upgraded to Mac Book Pro hardware in our studios and had replace ALL
the software we had been using to the current version as Intel Macs don't
provider Classic OS9 functionality.

~$4k a pop for new machines and then add another $3 to $4K for mandatory
software upgrades.

 

[NotMe]

|
| >
| > I get to the add printer window. It shows USB in the top center of the
| > window and under the "product" column it shows Epson 740 (only printer
| > listed) and under "Type" it shows Driver Not Installed.
| >
| > I try pointing to the Epson 740, left click, right click and nothing
| > happens. "Add" at the bottom of the window is grayed out.
| >
| > The OS version in 10.3.9.
| >
| > I tried rebooting and that makes no difference.
| >
| > And here I'm stuck.
| >
| > Thanks for your continued help.
|
| Reading on the Apple web site I see that Epson2 printer drivers are not
| installed by default.
|
| Apparently no installation disks came with the machine that was purchased
| about a month ago.
|
| I tried updating to 10.5.1 via the web but when the download completed a
| window opened that reads:
|
| Installer package "macosupd10.5.1" cannot be opened'
|
| The bill of materials for this package was not found.
|
| Now I'm wondering if the 740 drivers would even be included the 10.5.1
| update.
|
| Thinking further about the ""driver not installed" message I get when
trying
| to install the 740 driver means is "ain't" on the harddrive.
|
| Any suggestions?

I may have an old copy of the 740 install disk in storage. If it'll help I
go look.