Last Updated: 27th Sept 2009

This guide is intended for anyone who has looked at or who is considering paying for eBay software items (utilities, resetters, etc..) that indicate they will fix your printer when it stops working (usually reporting an error message of "Service Required")

UPDATE: September 2009

A lot has changed since I first wrote this article a couple of years ago but it's also obvious that some eBay sellers are still willing to mis-sell utilities and rip off their customers... So here's a long overdue update.

SSC Utility

As noted originally, the SSC utility is still free and available for download. It's also still being sold by eBay sellers who keep pretending that it's the magic bullet when it isn't!

What has changed is that the SSC utility stopped being developed back in early 2008 and no new updates have been released since then. As a result, most, if not all of the new printers are no longer supported and they certainly will not reset the waste ink counter.

As a result it's very unlikely that anything purchased in the last 18 months can be reset using it.

Epson Released an "Ink Pad Reset" (IPR) Utility

Unfortunately, while this sounds like great news it is limited in ways that make it a bit like getting a kiss... from your sister.

Theses limitations are as follow:

• It's only officially been released to North American Epson customers.
• Only some printer models are supported.
• It won't work with Epson printer models specific to non-North American zones

It gets "better"... (ok, worse!)

After the first version was released, Epson then released individual resetters for specific printer models. This second generation system incorporates in an activation process that requires a key. This key is only available by submitting a valid North American printer serial number to Epson and then waiting for them to send you back a code to complete the activation.

It's not much of a jump to suggest that Epson track the serial numbers and stop them being re-used past a specific point. In short Epson have locked the system down.

Finally, Epson have stopped releasing new updates for the models produced in the last 8 - 12 months. It's entirely possible that whatever reason* they released these utilities in the first place, no longer applies.
(*probably trade/legal when they locked down on compatible cartridges)

In short, even the North Americans reading this are minus a paddle, up that well known creek, if they have a new printer!

Leaked Adjustment Utilities

These are the software tools provided to official Epson Service Centers and technicians so they can fix and maintain Epson printers. They are incredibly complex and if you don't know what you are doing they (read: "you") can completely FUBAR your printer.

The good news is that once you know the minimum instructions and what functions you can use, you are then in a position to use it to reset your printers waste ink counter and get a printer working again.

Version #2 of the Adjustment Utilities

Yeah, you knew it was too good to be true didn't you... Unfortunately around the same time that Epson brought out the new individually activated versions of their reset utilities they also came up with a new twist on the Service/Adjustment Utilities.

Instead of an activation code the newer leaked utilities are locked to specific computers and whilst you might automatically assume that this means that all bets are off, the reality is that there are some sources appearing that will sell you these utilities but they are NOT on eBay.

Windows XP Only?

One new tip that all the eBay sellers completely miss (proving that they haven't a clue!) is that these utilities are not limited to Windows XP computers. You can use the utilities in compatibility mode on Vista and it's likely (although untested) that the same will be true of Windows7.

Unfortunately those of you using; Linux, Unix, Mac, etc.. will not be able to use these resets. They really are not compatible.

Summary and Where to Find Help

There are still a LOT of unscrupulous sellers on eBay who are quite happy to resell software that is:

• Already free.
• Incompatible with the printer(s) that are supposed to be supported
• Poorly documented and supported

Getting Help

To save yourself a huge amount of trouble and ensure you are not paying for something freely available that will tell you what you need so you'll need the following keywords to locate it.

Keywords: octoink quickfind tool

Other resources:

Try these keywords to locate other useful resources that will help save your printer and stop rewarding the rip off artists.

Keywords: wasteink ssclg adjustment utility 2manuals

Please remember to vote for this guide if you found it useful.

OLD ARTICLE VERSION

I've left this version of the article untouched as it still has some relevant information but you will probably find a large part of it is now out of date.

It's already free??!

First thing you need to know is that in 99% of cases the eBay listing is actually selling you something that is already FREE but because the main site is not particularly well publicised you need to know some keywords to find it on google. Those keywords are:
- SSC, epson, printer, reset

That will help you find a site in Russian that will provide you with the utility. Or of course you can pay between £1 and £4 on eBay for the same thing as a download link or a CD. It's perfectly legal but why pay someone for it?

Whoops we forgot to mention the smallprint

Secondly, many of these utilities are NOT the "cure-all" healer of ill, disabled or maformed printers... Many of the eBay listings will use quotes like:

"Will fix 99% of all your Epson printer problems"
"Get your printer working again without a service"
"...utility allows you to do many amazing things with your Epson printer"

It's true that a program will be required to reset the printer for use but what the eBay seller will conveniently forget to mention is that your printer will be an ink time-bomb waiting to leak everywhere and eventually kill your printer as it drowns in waste ink.

The magic fix is the "Printer parts have come to the end of their life. Service required" which is usually when the waste ink blotting pad in the bottom of your Epson printer becomes completely saturated with ink and requires replacement. What you must realise is that:

1. The pad still needs replacing even if you can reset it
2. The utility will not reset all printers (Many are not fully compatible)
3. If you don't replace the waste ink pad or find another way to redirect waste ink flow (search on google for "external waste ink mod R300") ink will eventially overflow all over your desk, carpet, etc..
   
4. Many of the newer printers will not actually reset at all because the SSC utility is unable to communicate with the printer once it displays the "service required" message.. (this is particularly true of the C64/84/66/86 and D68/88 printers)
   

The SSC utility also has a slew of other potential features (again not available for all printers) but you need to know what you're doing to use them.. There are countless users who have complained that features did unexpected things and resulted in dead printers and because it's not an official utility (you can't get the official ones unless you're an accredited service technician) you don't have any comeback.

Reset possible BEFORE service required displayed.

Most people will find out about the "service required" message after their first printer has decided it's "full" and unless you have a printer that accept reset commands after the message appears (eg: R200, R300...) then you're plumb out of luck using the free utilities.

HOWEVER!! if you're thinking ahead or forewarned it's worth noting that the SSC utility can be used to reset your waste ink counter for a working printer on a regular basis so that it never reaches the failure limit. This approach works with models that won't accept resets when it's too late (eg: C8x models)...

Amendment: I've been informed that the C64 can be reset after the "service required" message displays but as a rule of thumb, avoiding the message is obviously the better policy.

The critical bit is that you reset the waste ink level regularly while the printer is still working and not waiting until it starts screaming for a service you save yourself a LOT of heartache. See, being organised does pay off sometimes (but don't tell my mother I said that!)

Of course, this doesn't mean your waste ink just disappears.. the normal rules still apply... You must make sure your waste ink is being handled properly (eg: external waste ink tank, etc..) so it won't overflow and ruin the printer.



IMPORTANT: I've generalised in this guide as there some other utilities available on the net. However almost all of the Quick fix reset utilities/programs listed on eBay seem to be the SSC utility. Also, the coders responsible for SSC offer very useful assistance for printer users who take the time to read the small-print but you are always responsible for using it. EBay hawkers don't make all the information available so don't blame SSC for those looking to make a profit.