Epson V850 Pro stopped working after Sequoia 15.6.1 update

Check to see if everything for Epson has been updated. Even their latest downloads don't always have the most current files in them. Go to the /Applications/Epson Software folder and launch the EPSON Software Updater app.

You'll first see this. Which is an odd palette to show at all since you had to manually launch the updater to start with, so why wouldn't you want it to run?

Though the important part of this dialogue is the last sentence. If the scanner isn't on, it will show no updates available even if there are any. Click Yes.

If there it looks like this, there are no newer files to install.

If it shows anything in the upper box, install whatever it presents. Repeat until it shows there are no further updates.

The scanner definitely shouldn't just continually blink after turning it on. With mine, it takes only about 10 seconds to go through its startup self check, and then the light is on solid. And it shouldn't require pressing the button again to get the light to stay on solid.

The System Settings are correct. That is the hardware model number for a V850, and 10.4 is the current driver.

Test to see if something in your normal user account is causing the problem. Go to System Settings > Users & Groups and click the Add User button. It will ask for your admin password. Enter that. You'll then get this panel:

Standard account is fine. Give it any ol' name and a very easy to remember password. It's just for testing and you're going to remove the account afterwards anyway. When the necessary information is filled in, click Create User. One more question will appear. Most people choose to keep automatic login.

Now, go to the Apple logo at the top left and choose to log out of your account. At the login screen that will appear, choose the new account and login to that. You'll have to go through a bunch of new user setup questions. Answer them however you like (I usually skip entering my Apple ID since it's going to be a short lived account).

Eventually, you'll be at the desktop of the new account. If the scanner is blinking, turn it off, wait a few moments, then turn it back on. It should go to a fixed light after the short startup sequence. Launch Epson Scan 2 in the Applications folder and see if it connects.

If it works, something in your normal user account is causing the problem. If you get the same issue, then it's a system wide problem. For the latter, it could be a bad cable, or a cable that simply isn't seated fully/correctly.

To get rid of the new test account, log back in to your normal account and go back to System Settings > Users & Groups. Click on the "i" icon to the right of your test account. Click the button, Delete User. Click the bottom radio button to Delete the home folder so the entire test account gets removed. Click the red Delete User button.

You'll notice the fast user switching icon will then be stuck at the top right of the screen, even though you're back down to one user account. With the System Settings still open, click on Control Center at the right. Then in the right column scroll to the Fast User Switching heading and change Show in Menu Bar to Don't Show.

the Epson V850 Pro doesn’t appear at all.

It won't. Not as that name. GT-X980 is the hardware designation for a V850.

The scanner’s green light just keeps blinking.

That would be one reason why the Mac can't connect. The scanner thinks it's doing something and the OS can't butt in to queue it.

Turn everything off. Wait 15 seconds or so and turn the Mac back on. When it's at the desktop, turn the scanner on and wait for the startup sequence to finish. The green light will then be on steady rather than flashing.

Now try the Epson scan software and see if it connects.

If these suggestions fail, start over. You may have already tried this, but it wasn't mentioned.

Download the 1.3.2 uninstaller from Epson's v850 support page.

It should prompt you to restart the Mac. If it doesn't, do so.

Then reinstall the Epson software from scratch. Make sure to run the updater afterwards.

Hmm, you've tried everything I can think of with no resolution.

It's looking like you're correct that the Sequoia update did your scanner no favors. No problem here, but I'm also using an M4 Pro mini and not a 6 year old i5 Intel Mac.

Assuming nothing else changed, and all was working before the update, then it's a very good bet the update broke something for that older Mac.

Or, as you mentioned, you could try removing the software again with the uninstaller, then installing only the base software again without applying the updates. The main change with the updates were Epson finally made the software universal. It was Intel only before.

Thanks you for the kind words. But, I don't give up easily. 🙂

I'm presuming the scanner worked under Sequoia 15.6, but not 15.6.1. If that's correct, you can go back one step without too much difficulty.

1) Do not pass Go, do not collect $200 without performing this step. Absolutely, no excuses, make a Time Machine backup (or other backup software you use) before proceeding beyond this point.

2) Copy/paste the following line into Terminal:

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 15.6

Terminal, for a few moments, will tell you it's locating the software. It will then will begin downloading macOS 15.6. I stopped it a few percent of the download in, so I don't know exactly how it works after this point. I presume you'll get the usual Install macOS splash screen. Let it install 15.6 over 15.6.1.

That is great news!

Ya' gotta' love it when the uninstaller right on the page with the drivers doesn't work. I'm going to have to save your link for future reference. Thanks for posting it. 🙂