Reinstalling printers; problems with .kext files

The error can mean:

• The extensions do not have the correct permissions.
• The extensions are incompatible with the running version of OS X.

For the former the problem can be corrected (usually) by simply using Disk Utility to repair permissions then doing one or two restarts. If the error continues to appear then it's the latter problem. To correct this you need to uninstall all the software associated with these drivers as well as the drivers themselves. See:

Uninstalling Software: The Basics

Most OS X applications are completely self-contained "packages" that can be uninstalled by simply dragging the application to the Trash. Applications may create preference files that are stored in the /Home/Library/Preferences/ folder. Although they do nothing once you delete the associated application, they do take up some disk space. If you want you can look for them in the above location and delete them, too.

Some applications may install an uninstaller program that can be used to remove the application. In some cases the uninstaller may be part of the application's installer, and is invoked by clicking on a Customize button that will appear during the install process.

Some applications may install components in the /Home/Library/Applications Support/ folder. You can also check there to see if the application has created a folder. You can also delete the folder that's in the Applications Support folder. Again, they don't do anything but take up disk space once the application is trashed.

Some applications may install a startupitem or a Log In item. Startupitems are usually installed in the /Library/StartupItems/ folder and less often in the /Home/Library/StartupItems/ folder. Log In Items are set in the Accounts preferences. Open System Preferences, click on the Accounts icon, then click on the LogIn Items tab. Locate the item in the list for the application you want to remove and click on the "-" button to delete it from the list.

Some software use startup daemons or agents that are a new feature of the OS. Look for them in /Library/LaunchAgents/ and /Library/LaunchDaemons/ or in /Home/Library/LaunchAgents/.

If an application installs any other files the best way to track them down is to do a Finder search using the application name or the developer name as the search term. Unfortunately Spotlight will not look in certain folders by default. You can modify Spotlight's behavior or use a third-party search utility, Easy Find, instead. Download Easy Find at VersionTracker or MacUpdate.

Some applications install a receipt in the /Library/Receipts/ folder. Usually with the same name as the program or the developer. The item generally has a ".pkg" extension. Be sure you also delete this item as some programs use it to determine if it's already installed.

There are many utilities that can uninstall applications. Here is a selection:

AppZapper

Automaton

Hazel

CleanApp

Yank

SuperPop

Uninstaller

Spring Cleaning

Look for them at VersionTracker or MacUpdate.

For more information visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on removing software.

Download Apple's Apple Epson Printer Drivers 2.7 update and install the new drivers. Then open Print & Fax preferences, click inside the box with the installed printers list, CTRL- or RIGHT-click and select Reset Print System from the contextual menu. This should clean out all the old installed driver software. Now, re-ADD the printers selecting the drivers from the newly installed Epson drivers package. If no driver exists for your model, then you need to visit Epson's driver support site to see if they have new software listed as compatible with Snow Leopard.

AppZapper will not remove files in the /System/ folder. Those malfunctioning extensions will require you to remove them manually:

Select the extension, CTRL- or RIGHT-click and select Move to Trash from the contextual menu. Enter your admin password when prompted.

Note that you cannot simply drag the extension to the Trash.

Must be some problem with Epson files because that should not occur. I have no solution for you because if those drivers are truly incompatible then there is no real fix other than deleting them. I would try removing them to the Trash but not deleting them, and see if the printer still works without them. You will need to restart after moving them out of the /System/Library/Extensions/ folder.