Service required error

Please go to my website http://www.the-inkstore.co.uk . I have the latest version of SSC Service Utility to download directly onto your computer and instructions on how to use it, what to click on etc etc. Click any of the Epson links if you can't find it, everything you need to know will be there, including printer Firmware resetting which sorts out a multitude of problems.

The 'maintenance required' problem with Epson printers has absolutely nothing to do with which cartridges you are using, it is a built in page counter in your printer firmware, which has a different maximum amount for each Epson model. Don't listen to old wives tales and heresay, we are the experts and it's an Epson scam to cause a lot of people to pay for maintenance or throw their printers away.
I haven't found a model that can't be reset with the latest version of SSC Serve or the manual reset on my site.

For Epson RX500 users there is also a manual reset on my site, as the SSC Serve software won't do it for you.
When using the program & choosing your printer from the list, it may have a weird name with 'x' in the model number, this is because some configurations are for many models in a series. For example, the C46 will be listed as C4x as it is for the C42, C44 & C46 models.

I hope this helps all Epson users to overcome the Epson scam of page counting and locking out until you pay their dealers money for maintenance.

If you like what I've done for Epson users, please show your appreciation by spreading the word and perhaps buying your ink from my site.

Happy trouble free printing

The INK Store (UK & Europe)

The RX620 may require you to press the "Stop", "B&W", and "Power" buttons all at the same time

Variation on Solution #6
For the CX6600:
Press POWER, COLOR and B&W together until the red exclamation mark flashes (at least 10 seconds).
The message "INIT.EEPROM" will then appear in the window.
Next, press B&W.
The window will tell you to turn the power off.
When we turned it on again, it worked!

EPSON CX6400/CX6600
Turn on printer holding color copy and cancel buttons.
You'll see Init EEPROM on screen. Press green color copy button.
Worth a try for the cx4600.
For the RX620 the on, black, color and stop resets it. Probably works for any of the RX series. There doesn't seem to be anyone that has replacement pads for the head cleaning part but mine seems to not have that much ink in it anyway. There are foam pads that are under the area that the print heads glide over and I clean the one on the right side by taking it out and running under the tap and dry in a paper towel. The one on the right side where the print heads rest can be accessed by setting it to replace cartridge, it will slide over and can be slid over even farther manually. I can't seem to get that pad out without breaking some plastic so I just dab it with a wet paper towel, then a dry one.
I not only use knock off cartidges, I refill them several times before I replace them. My printer is working fine and has been for several years.

This is the second time this happens on our CX6600. First time within the warranty so the engineer came out and apparently it happens after 10,000 prints. pressing power, colour and stop (the one far right) for 10 seconds and more (keep pressing) until the red flashing exclamation mark comes up to the left of the dispaly. then a command INIT.EEPROM comes up (I can now not remember if that was after pressing power again or not but it came up after a while). then press the square button next to the exclamation mark and it will tell you to press power and the SW (black and white button). When you are doing that the screen will come alive (as if the machine was starting up again) and I just kept pushing until it looked normal again - success!

The solutions provided were certainly helpful in getting the printer restarted. But none solve the real problem, the waste ink pads are full. If you continue to use the machine without cleaning the waste ink pads, they will overflow under the machine. How do you replace or clean the waste ink pads ?

I confirmed that the cx6400 was able to reset by the following.
Hold BW, Color, Stop and and power on
Blinking "!" should appear.

It took me twice to do this because I am not sure how long you have to hold
down buttons
But 2nd time I released the buttons,
Then received the init EEPROM msg on the display
then pressed BW, Color Stop and power on again. it then told me to press powewr switch,
I powered off printer and powered back on and it was reset and works

Solution 5 also worked for phot rx500

I had the same problem with my epson stylus c42ux &
I downloaded the software from this website:http://inkjetprinterhelp.us/epsonSSC.html
It fixed my Epson Stylus C42.

Good Luck!

Service light on epson rx425 flashes cant use printer can anyone help have tried ssc to no availe

How about for epson R230?

Does anyone know what to do for an epson stylus cx4600? Any help would be great!!!!!

I have an Epson RX700, with this problem. I've been unable to download the 4.20 version of the SSC Service Utility, however, I do have the 4.30 version. This didn't work. Any suggestions?

I have an Epson RX700, with this problem. I've been unable to download the 4.20 version of the SSC Service Utility, however, I do have the 4.30 version. This didn't work. Any suggestions?

I confirm that my RX620 requires you to press the "Stop", "B&W", and "Power" buttons all at the same time, as indicated by Gazbow (thanks a lot).
This sequence triggers the initialization of the EEPROM (=reset of counters) , which is shown by the following message on the printer display:
INIT EEPROM
FINISHED
PRINTER POWER
POWER Off

Powering on the printer again, everything seems ok.
I don`t exclude that the waste ink pad problem and solution given by Silly Girl (not silly at all), asking for calling an epson tech to clean it and reset it for you, will eventually be needed.

Does anyone know what to do for an epson stylus cx4600? Any help would be great!!!!!

Press and hold 'stop' 'maintenance' and 'power' buttons for about 10 seconds, a message will come on the screen saying counter is reset and to turn off.
 

It works on my R300 printer.

Good luck.

You could also contact the people over at http://www.TheserviceManualShop.com and ask them for a rescue kit for your machine. The y do kits to fix this exact error for most Epson machines. Not all are listed on the web site but drop them an email and they will send you the one you need. Nice tip about the button combo, shame it doesn't work on them all though eh?

Thanks folks!! I had the same problem and using your advice it's now sorted. I too use non-original ink cartridges so this may have caused the problem. Thanks once again

I pressed stop, colour,power buttons simultaneously for ten seconds - it worked!! Epson - grrrr!!!!!

Well i tryed this on a Epson RX700 and it did not work... the cost from a "Epson specialist" would cost upto £150, thats so funny! and that fact that he had never "fixed one" before. you will need a epson printer reset counter softwhere. i asked the epson service man but he said it no. so i went and find it online you will need a: SSC Service Utility v4.20 just put that into google and there it is download and install on the PC with the printer pluged into it.

Follow this info I found:

That is a maintenance error. It means the protection counter has reached it's limit. Read here for more info on how to reset the protection counter http://inkjetprinterhelp.us/epsonSSC.html

Download the program and follow the instructions. It fixed my Epson Stylus C62.

Good Luck!!

I have an Epson R300 bought in Oct 05 - been printing like mad as I am a designer. Just got error message up saying "Parts inside your printer are at the end of their life etc"... Have just followed the tip above ie press stop, colour, power buttons simultaneously for 10 secs and IT WORKED!!! THANKS from Steve UK

I heard it's something epson does to force people into using their original ink. Apparently there's a waste ink counter(the waste ink pad is underneath the print rollers and drive mechanism) that after a certain amount of cleanings won't let you use the printer anymore unless you call an epson tech to clean it and reset it for you, and tell you off for not using epson ink, and using 3rd party ink that takes more cleaning(and causes the error). As a rule Epson does not make public the procedure for reseting this error, but luckily, some guy with the same problem stumbled upon the key combination, and here it is: Press and hold 'stop' 'maintenance' and 'power' buttons for about 10 seconds, a message will come on the screen saying counter is reset and to turn off. I hope this solves your problem. Good luck!