Solving Problems

Solving Problems
If your Epson Stylus Photo 1400 has any problems, see these sections for solutions:
Diagnosing Printer Problems
Problems and Solutions
If you need to uninstall and reinstall your software to solve a problem, see Uninstalling Printer Software.
If the solutions here don’t solve your problem, see Where to Get Help.
Note:
If you need help identifying parts on your Epson Stylus Photo 1400, see Printer Parts.
Diagnosing Printer Problems
Follow the instructions in these sections to diagnose your printer problem:
Checking the Printer Lights
Running a Printer Check
Checking the Printer Lights
If the printer’s lights come on or flash, check the explanations listed below.
Green  power light flashes
The printer is receiving a print job, replacing an ink cartridge, charging ink, or cleaning the print head, or a camera is connected to the  PictBridge port.
Red  paper light is on and green  power light flashes
If you’re printing on paper, your paper ran out or multiple pages have fed at once. Load or reload paper, then press the  paper button to resume printing.
If you’re printing on a CD or DVD, the CD/DVD tray is not inserted. Follow the instructions in Inserting a CD or DVD to insert the tray, then press the  paper button.
Red  paper light flashes and green  power light flashes
If you’re printing on paper, it is jammed in the printer. Press the  paper button to eject the paper. If that doesn’t work, turn off the printer, open the cover, and remove all the paper inside, including any torn pieces. Then turn on the printer, reload paper, and press the  paper button.
If you’re printing on a CD or DVD, the CD/DVD tray has not ejected. Pull out the tray and press the  paper button.
Red  ink light flashes
An ink cartridge is nearly expended. Check the message that appears on your screen to determine which cartridge is nearly expended or follow the instructions in Checking the Ink Status. Make sure you have a replacement cartridge.
Red  ink light and green  power light are on
An ink cartridge is expended or not installed. Make sure you have a replacement cartridge, then follow the steps in Replacing an Ink Cartridge to install it.
If you have just installed a new cartridge, it may be incompatible with the printer or incorrectly installed. Reinstall it or replace it with a compatible cartridge, as described in Replacing an Ink Cartridge.
Red  paper and red  ink lights flash rapidly
Paper is loaded for printing, but the CD/DVD tray guide is open. If you want to print on paper, close the CD/DVD tray guide. If you want to print on a CD or DVD, remove the paper from the sheet feeder.
Green  power light is on; red  paper and red  ink lights flash alternately
An unsupported device is connected to the  PictBridge port. Only devices compatible with PictBridge or USB DIRECT-PRINT can be connected to this port. See Direct Printing from a Digital Camera or Camera Phone.
The  power light is off; red  paper and red  ink lights flash
Paper may be blocking movement of the print head or the printer may have an internal error. Turn off the printer, then open the cover and remove any jammed paper or other foreign objects. Wait a few seconds, then turn the printer on again. If the lights are still flashing, contact Epson as described in Where to Get Help.
Running a Printer Check
You can run a printer check to determine whether a problem comes from the printer itself or some other source.
Before you run a printer check, make sure the CD/DVD tray is not inserted in the printer.
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Press the  paper and  power buttons together to turn on the printer. Continue holding down the  paper button until the green  power light starts to flash, then release it.
A test page prints showing the printer’s ROM version number and a nozzle check pattern. (If the pattern has gaps, you need to clean the print head.)
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If the test page prints, the problem probably lies in your software settings, the cable, or your computer. It’s also possible that your software may not be installed correctly. Follow the instructions in Uninstalling Printer Software to uninstall and reinstall your software.
Problems and Solutions
Setup and Software Installation Problems
Printer Problems
Print Quality Problems
Paper Feeding Problems
CD/DVD Printing Problems
Miscellaneous Printout Problems
Setup and Software Installation Problems
Tip:
Periodically, it’s a good idea to check Epson’s support website (U.S. or Canada) for free updates to your Epson Stylus Photo 1400 printing software. With Windows, you can also click or Start menu, select Programs or All Programs, select EPSON, and click EPSON Stylus Photo 1400 Series Driver Update for printer driver updates.
The printer makes noise after ink cartridge installation.
The first time you install ink cartridges, the printer must charge its print head for about two minutes. Wait until charging finishes (the green  power light stops flashing) before you turn off the printer, or it may charge improperly and use excess ink the next time you turn it on.
If the print head stops moving or the printer stops making noise, but the green  power light is still flashing after 5 minutes, turn off the printer. If the light is still flashing when you turn it back on, contact Epson as described in Where to Get Help.
Turn off the printer, then make sure the ink cartridges are inserted completely and the ink cartridge cover is closed completely. Also make sure no packing material remains in the printer. Wait a moment, then turn the printer back on to clear the error.
You’re having problems installing the printer software.
Make sure your printer is turned on and the cable is securely connected at both ends. Then carefully follow the installation instructions on the Start Here sheet. Also make sure your system meets the requirements listed in System Requirements.
If you’re using Windows and you see an error message or your software doesn’t install correctly, you may not have software installation privileges. Contact your System Administrator.
If you are using a Mac OS X 10.2.8, 10.3, or 10.4 and you do not see the printer name in the Format for menu on the Page Setup screen, you may need to set up your printer in the Printer Setup Utility or Print Center. See the Start Here sheet for instructions.
Make sure the USB Controller is working properly in Device Manager. See your Windows help system for details. If it’s not working, contact your computer manufacturer.
Printer Problems
Only the green  power light is on, but nothing prints.
Run a printer check. If the test page prints, make sure your software is installed correctly. You may need to uninstall your printer software and then reinstall it.
If you’re trying to print a large image, your computer may not have enough memory. Try reducing the resolution of your image or printing the image at a smaller size. You may need to install more memory in your computer.
If you print continuously for an extended period, the paper may temporarily stop feeding or the print head carriage may pause for a while to prevent the printer mechanism from overheating and being damaged. If this happens, you can continue to print but Epson recommends that you stop and leave the printer on for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn the printer off and on and it should print at normal speed.
The printer sounds as though it is printing, but nothing prints.
If you’re using Windows, make sure your printer is selected. For Macintosh, make sure your printer is selected in the Page Setup (if available) and Print windows.
The printer won’t operate properly if it’s tilted or at an angle. Place it on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the printer base in all directions.
Your printer makes noise when you turn it on or after it has been sitting for awhile.
Your printer is performing routine maintenance.
You don’t see the printer icon in the lower right corner of your screen (taskbar) in Windows.
Try restarting your computer. If you still don’t see the icon, follow these steps:
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Windows Vista: Click , select Control Panel, and click Printer under Hardware and Sound. Then right-click your printer icon and select Printing Preferences or Properties.
Windows XP: Click Start, select Control Panel, then select Printers and Faxes. Then right-click your printer icon and select Printing Preferences.
Windows 2000: Click Start, point to Settings, then select Printers. Then right-click your printer icon and select Printing Preferences.
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Click the Maintenance tab.
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Click the Speed & Progress button, then click the Monitoring Preferences button.
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Click the Shortcut Icon box. Then click OK in each of the open windows to close them.
Printing is too slow.
Make sure your system meets the requirements listed in System Requirements. If you’re printing a high-resolution image, you need more than the minimum requirements listed. You may also need to:
For the fastest printing, try these tips:
Select Grayscale in your printer settings if your document doesn’t include color.
For Windows, choose Draft as your Quality Option.
The red  ink light is flashing or on after you replace a cartridge.
An ink cartridge may not be installed correctly. Follow these steps:
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Press the  ink button two or more times until the print head moves to the ink cartridge replacement position.
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Press the  ink button to charge the ink.
Print Quality Problems
You see banding (light lines).
Align the print head.
Your printout is blurry or smeared.
The printer won’t operate properly if it’s tilted or at an angle. Place it on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the printer base in all directions.
Align the print head.
If you are using double-sided paper and printing heavily saturated or dark images on the front side of the paper, you may notice that smudges or marks appear on the front when you print the second side. If one side of the paper will contain a lighter image or text, print that side first to eliminate marks or smudging.
Clear the High Speed check box in your printer settings.
Select Thick paper and envelopes in your printer software. Access the setting from the printer settings window as follows:
Windows: Click the Maintenance tab and select Printer and Option Information.
Macintosh: Select Extension Settings from the pop-up menu.
Your printout is faint or has gaps.
Caution:
Don’t open Epson Status Monitor, pause printing, or respond to any ink messages when your printer is printing. This may cause your printer to pause and leave an uneven surface on your printout. If your ink is running low, wait until printing finishes before checking ink levels or attempting to replace a cartridge. If you must replace an ink cartridge in the middle of a print job, the quality of your printout may decline. For best results, check your ink levels and replace ink cartridges, if necessary, before printing large or high-resolution print jobs.
You see wrong or missing colors.
Clear the Grayscale setting in your printer settings (for Windows). Change the ink setting in your printer settings to Color (for Macintosh).
After you print, the colors on your printout will take some time to set as the ink dries. During this time, the colors may look different than you expect. To reduce the drying time, avoid stacking your prints on top of each other.
Your printed colors can never exactly match your on-screen colors. However, you can use a color management system to get as close as possible. Try using the ICM (Windows) or ColorSync (Macintosh) setting. Also see Managing Color with Profiles in Photoshop Elements 6.0.
Your printout is grainy.
Align the print head.
Your printout has a slight slant.
Align the print head.
There are scratches on your print.
If you’re printing on glossy paper, prints may be scratched if not handled properly. Don’t place objects on top of your prints, and be careful not to scratch them with your fingernails. For best results, frame your prints under glass.
Paper Feeding Problems
Paper doesn’t eject fully or is wrinkled.
If the paper doesn’t eject fully, you may have set the wrong paper size. Press the  paper button to eject the paper, and then select the correct paper size.
Note:
Store any unused paper in its original packaging in a dry area.
Paper doesn’t feed correctly or jams in the printer.
If paper doesn’t feed, remove it from the sheet feeder. Reload it against the right edge, behind the tabs, then slide the left edge guide against the paper.
If paper jams, press the  paper button to clear the jam. If that doesn’t work, turn off the printer, open the cover, and remove all the paper inside, including small pieces that may have torn off. Then turn on the printer, reload paper, and press the  paper button.
If your paper loads incorrectly or jams frequently:
Use new, smooth, high-quality paper, loaded printable side up. Make sure the paper is not curled, creased, wrinkled, too thin, or too old.
Paper dust may have built up on the paper rollers. Use Epson Ink Jet Printer Cleaning Sheets (part number S041150) to clean the rollers as follows:
Caution:
Do not use the cleaning sheets that come with Epson special papers; they may jam inside your printer.
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Caution:
Do not follow the loading instructions on the sheet; they are not correct for your printer. Follow the steps here instead.
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Position the cleaning sheet in the printer’s sheet feeder with the cut corner in the lower left. Make sure the sticky side of the cleaning sheet is face up.
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Press the  paper button to feed the sheet through the printer.
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CD/DVD Printing Problems
Images and text are not centered on the CD/DVD.
Adjust the print position. For more information, see Adjusting the Print Position with Windows or Adjusting the Print Position with a Macintosh.
Ink smears on the CD/DVD or printing is too light.
Printed CDs or DVDs are dirty.
Clean the rollers. For more information, see Cleaning the Rollers.
The CD/DVD won’t feed into the printer.
Turn on your printer and gently insert the CD/DVD tray along the tray guide until the arrows on the CD/DVD tray and tray guide match each other. For more information, see Inserting a CD or DVD.
The CD/DVD tray ejects or does not fed correctly when you send a print job.
If the tray is ejected when you start a print job, the printer is not ready. Wait until you see a message on your screen asking you to insert the tray. Then reinsert the tray and press the  paper button.
Miscellaneous Printout Problems
The image is inverted, as if viewed in a mirror.
Turn off the Mirror Image setting in your printer settings. See Customizing Windows Print Settings, Customizing Macintosh Print Settings (Mac OS X 10.5) or Customizing Macintosh Print Settings (Mac OS X 10.2.8, 10.3 and 10.4) for instructions.
The printer prints blank pages.
The margins are incorrect.
Use the Print Preview option in your printer software to check your margins before you print.
Output is not what you expect when printing borderless photos.
Too many copies are printing.
Make sure that the Copies option in your printer or application software is not set for multiple copies.
You see incorrect characters.
The image size or position is incorrect.
Uninstalling Printer Software
You may need to uninstall and then reinstall your printer driver and utilities. For example, this might be necessary when you upgrade your operating system. You don’t need to uninstall Epson Print CD or this on-screen Reference Guide.
Uninstalling Printer Software with Windows
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Click or Start, and select Programs or All Programs.
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Point to Epson or Epson Printers, then select Epson Printer Software Uninstall.
With Windows Vista, when you see the User Account Control screen, click Continue.
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In the next window, select EPSON Stylus Photo 1400 Series and click OK. Then follow the on-screen instructions.
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Restart your computer, then see the Start Here sheet to reinstall your software.
Uninstalling Printer Software on a Macintosh
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Open the Epson CD-ROM desktop icon.
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Double-click the English folder, then double-click the OSX folder.
Note:
You may have to scroll down to see these folders.
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Double-click the Installer icon.
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When the Installer window appears, select Uninstall from the pop-up menu at the top and click the Uninstall button at the bottom.
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Mac OS X 10.5: Select System Preferences, select Print & Fax, select EPSON Stylus Photo 1400, and click the button.
Mac OS X 10.2.8, 10.3, and 10.4: Open the Applications folder on your hard drive, select Utilities, choose Printer Setup Utility or Print Center, select Stylus Photo 1400, and click Delete.
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Restart your Macintosh, then see the Start Here sheet to reinstall your software.