Help, my iMac & Printer stopped talking!

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Help, my iMac & Printer stopped talking!

Looking for tips on how to troubleshoot a problem I'm having trying to print from an iMac to an Epson R280 printer (that prints out onto blank faced CDs). Only recently when I go to print-out using the Epson software - nothing happens, although it will print OK on paper when I'm using Appleworks or other documents on the desktop.

At first, I thought it was because I was missing the Printer Setup Utility from the utilities folder, and immediately made a copy from the family MacBook Pro thinking that would solve the problem (after I transferred it to the iMac). But instead the new cloned copy crashes every time I try to open it.

Also, I have already used the Epson Start-Up CD-ROM to uninstall before reinstalling everything, and to date everything looks OK (at least from the Epson side of the fence).

Any tips, advice, and/or practical suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Mac OS X (10.3.x), MacBook Pro OS 10.4.11

Posted on Dec 26, 2013 12:08 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

sterling r

Community Specialist

Dec 28, 2013 2:29 PM in response to netcoaster

Hey there netcoaster,

It sounds like you are unable to print from your connected printer. I would try the troubleshooting in this article named:

Troubleshooting printer issues in OS X

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts3147

Make sure that the printer is powered on, has ink / toner, and that there are no alerts on the printer’s control panel. Note: If you cannot clear an alert on the printer's control panel, stop here and check the printer's documentation or contact the manufacturer for support.

Ensure the printer is properly connected to a USB port on the Mac or AirPort base station / Time Capsule. If the printer is a network-capable printer, make sure that it is properly connected to your home network.

Use Software Update to find and install the latest available updates. If an update is installed, see if the issue persists.

Open the Print & Scan pane or Print & Fax (Snow Leopard) pane in System Preferences.

Delete the affected printer, then add the printer again.

If the issue persists, try these additional steps:

Reset the printing system, then add the printer again.

If the issue still persists, reset the printing system again. Download and install your printer's drivers. Then, add the printer again.

Contact the printer vendor or visit their website for further assistance.

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

Regards,

Sterling

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