Epson C44 'Communication Error'.

[Reg Mouatt]

Hi,
I am looking for a final something to check before deciding the
printer needs a doctor or a replacement. If you have come across
anything like this before and have a suggestion, I will be pleased to
hear from you.
Simply the printer will not print other than the colour block test
page from holding down the on/off and the maintenance buttons.
Dialogue boxes appear as normal, keeping track of the intended print
but nothing actually appears on paper. The Status Monitor showing the
amount of ink remaining is greyed out. I have replaced the USB cable,
uninstalled and reinstalled the latest driver from the Epson web site
and tried a number of tips found on help files etc. The only error
message I very occasionally get is the 'Communication Error' one.
When installing the driver and having reached the message to make sure
the printer is connected and switched on, the printer is never located
and the necessary printer port cannot be established.
Thank you in advance for any ideas.

Reg

 

[pete]

Hi,
I am looking for a final something to check before deciding the
printer needs a doctor or a replacement.

<snip>

Don't you have a friend / family / colleague who'll let you test with his/her
computer?

 

[Reg Mouatt]

<snip>

Don't you have a friend / family / colleague who'll let you test with his/her
computer?

I have and I will. Thanks Pete.
It looks like 'High Noon' for Epson C44

Reg

 

[Arthur Entlich]

How is the printer connected to the computer? Are you using any type of
USB hub? If so, how is it powered? Have you tried plugging directly
into the computer without the hub?

Art

 

[Jim]

Hi,
I am looking for a final something to check before deciding the
printer needs a doctor or a replacement. If you have come across
anything like this before and have a suggestion, I will be pleased to
hear from you.
Simply the printer will not print other than the colour block test
page from holding down the on/off and the maintenance buttons.
Dialogue boxes appear as normal, keeping track of the intended print
but nothing actually appears on paper. The Status Monitor showing the
amount of ink remaining is greyed out. I have replaced the USB cable,
uninstalled and reinstalled the latest driver from the Epson web site
and tried a number of tips found on help files etc. The only error
message I very occasionally get is the 'Communication Error' one.
When installing the driver and having reached the message to make sure
the printer is connected and switched on, the printer is never located
and the necessary printer port cannot be established.
Thank you in advance for any ideas.

In addition to what you have already done, going through a hub can introduce
enough delay for the "Communication Error" to appear.
It is advisable to use as short a cable as you can find and to connect the
device directly to the computer. The Epson software seems to be very
sensitive to timing delays.

Another problem you might have is a bad USB port.
Jim

 

[Reg Mouatt]

How is the printer connected to the computer? Are you using any type of
USB hub? If so, how is it powered? Have you tried plugging directly
into the computer without the hub?

Art

No hub, I'm afraid Art,
Just a straight connect between PC and printer and it has been
working for over a year with no problem whatsoever until now.

Reg

 

[Reg Mouatt]

In addition to what you have already done, going through a hub can introduce
enough delay for the "Communication Error" to appear.
It is advisable to use as short a cable as you can find and to connect the
device directly to the computer. The Epson software seems to be very
sensitive to timing delays.

Another problem you might have is a bad USB port.
Jim

Hi Jim,
My connection is not through a hub and until now the printer has
been working 100%. You may be right about the USB port but I have two
USB outlets, one used for the broadband modem and the other for the
printer and I have swapped them over without a cure for the printer
being achieved. I will install the driver onto a friends PC and see if
I get any response there. If that shows there is a fault with the
printer I will have to decide whether I feel it worth the cost of
repair.

Reg

 

[Arthur Entlich]

So, if I understand you correctly, the printer will print the block test
page but nothing else. while connected to the computer.

I assume you can get a print out of the printer disconnected form the
computer completely, using the front panel commands for a test print?

Art

 

[Reg Mouatt]

So, if I understand you correctly, the printer will print the block test
page but nothing else. while connected to the computer.

I assume you can get a print out of the printer disconnected form the
computer completely, using the front panel commands for a test print?

Art

Complete 'belt and braces' job - I have uninstalled the driver
software, turned off the PC and removed the USB cable from the printer
and Yes the printer does print the block test page but nothing else.

Reg

..Snip...

 

[Arthur Entlich]

What OS are you using? Where is your print spooler being stored on your
hard drive? How much free space on the drive, and when was it last
defragged? Do you recall having either any virus or worm issues or have
you installed any new software right before this occurred?

Art

 

[Reg Mouatt]

What OS are you using? Where is your print spooler being stored on your
hard drive? How much free space on the drive, and when was it last
defragged? Do you recall having either any virus or worm issues or have
you installed any new software right before this occurred?

Art

Thank you for the help Art,
Windows 98 is the OS. Can't find the spooler anywhere other than
via 'My Computer' and double clicking the Epson C44 icon. Free space
should be fine, just a 10GB Hard Drive of which I am using between 2
and 3GB. The last defrag was about a week ago and no I have not,
fingers crossed, had any problems, of which I know from viruses etc. I
run an AV and anti spyware programme pretty regularly. The last
programme I downloaded but not just prior to this was AVG 7.0, their
latest offering, the free version.

Have just discovered through installing it onto a friends PC that
there is nothing wrong with the printer, therefore something has gone
awry with my PC. Have tried to reinstall back again with the same
outcome as previous. I get as far as the box asking to check the
printer is connected and switched on but the printer is never found
and although I carry on the installation process without that, the
printer port EPUSB1: is never established. I have a Packard Bell PC
which came with OEM discs and I am trying to verify the method by
which I may reinstall the OS 'over the top' in the hope that may put
right whatever is wrong.
Regards,

Reg


..Snip...

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Well, at least we know know the printer isn't the problem.

As a result, the next thing to check is the bios on the computer. It
may have become partially scrambled. Check to make sure the correct
parallel port configuration is selected and look for possible IRQ conflicts.

You might also wish to see if you get any useful information from this url:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q128345/

This knowledgebase page has a lot of suggestions and references to other
documents regarding tracking down printer related problems. They also
claim there is a trouble shooting feature in Win 98 to try to track down
printing issues, and explains how to use it.

Art

 

[Reg Mouatt]

Well, at least we know know the printer isn't the problem.

As a result, the next thing to check is the bios on the computer. It
may have become partially scrambled. Check to make sure the correct
parallel port configuration is selected and look for possible IRQ conflicts.

You might also wish to see if you get any useful information from this url:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q128345/

This knowledgebase page has a lot of suggestions and references to other
documents regarding tracking down printer related problems. They also
claim there is a trouble shooting feature in Win 98 to try to track down
printing issues, and explains how to use it.

Art

Have taken a look through the BIOS and have enabled something called
'Legacy USB Support' and have noted that the Parallel Port is set to
'bi-directional', which sounds correct. Sadly this has still left me
with the problem even though I have tried other suggested ways of
uninstalling and reinstalling I am left with the problem that the PC
and Printer seem, for now, unable to recognise each other. I will
study the Microsoft article, Art to see if there is something there
that gives a clue. Thank you for that.

Reg

 

[Reg Mouatt]

Have taken a look through the BIOS and have enabled something called
'Legacy USB Support' and have noted that the Parallel Port is set to
'bi-directional', which sounds correct. Sadly this has still left me
with the problem even though I have tried other suggested ways of
uninstalling and reinstalling I am left with the problem that the PC
and Printer seem, for now, unable to recognise each other. I will
study the Microsoft article, Art to see if there is something there
that gives a clue. Thank you for that.

Reg

Well I have got the printer back but at the cost of carrying out a
complete clean install of Windows 98. I am in the process of
attempting to return the PC to how it was before. Never found out the
cause of the printer problem. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Reg