Epson Stylus Color 880 printing error

[Dave]

Whenever I try to print a document I get the following error:
"Unable to monitor current status. Close all Epson Status Monitor 3
windows and the driver's property ... click Epson Status Monitor 3
icon button."

I have uninstalled and reinstalled the drivers four times and after
each installation the printer will work for that session. The next
time I reboot my computer, I get the above error message again. Using
the "Restore" option does not help - although one time it did, but
only for that session; after I rebooted I no longer was able to use my
printer. When I try to get the Epson Status Monitor 3 to check for
errors it will run for a long time but it is unable to locate the
problem.

I am using the most current Win XP drivers available from Epson.
Although I installed a digital camera (Canon EOS 20D) connection to
another USB port a while back to download my image files to my hard
drive, I had no problems with the printer during that time. Also I
have never sent any of the image files directly to the printer.

I recently reinstalled Win XP, but for some reason during the
installation process the installation program didn't recognize my new
modem and gave me only two online connection choices - DSL/Cable, or
LAN (I have dial-up on a single computer). I chose DSL/Cable.

System: Win XP Home SP2
Printer connection: USB001

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Dave Petterson

 

[Bob I]

I suspect you don't have the motherboard drivers installed, and hardware
is not properly recognized. You should have gotten a motherboard drivers
CD with the computer.

 

[Dave]

Bob,

I didn't even know there were such things as motherboard drivers. I
take it that these are installed separately when one reinstalls Win
XP, is that correct?

I have a Dell Dimension 8100, purchased in 2000. Originally the system
came with Win ME, but I upgraded to Win XP Home when XP came out.
Although I've reinstalled Win XP a number of times, I've never had
problems with the printer until this last reinstall when the
installation apparently didn't recognize my new modem and thought I
was either connected to DSL/Cable or LAN. Even then, it worked
correctly for about a month until recently.

The only thing I've noticed after past reinstallations of Win XP is
that the printer never shows up in the Device Manager. It shows up as
a yellow question mark (or I assume this is the printer). However,
since the printer worked okay, I never fiddled with it.

Dave

 

[Bob I]

With an OEM configured "restore" CD the drivers would be installed
automatically. If you simply upgraded with the XP disk you may have
gotten by. I would suggest checking on the Dell site then for the ones
for that model(Dell Demension 8100). That should correct the issue.