epson stylus photo P952A

Hi, just joined this forum to see if any one out there has a solution for my problem, other than the obvious one of buying a new printer. Epson does not supply an update for my P952A epson stylus photo printer, and epson support says they can't even find the model.
I'm not very computer literate and just wonder if someone much more knowledgeable than myself, would know of a driver update that would work.
I'm also running windows xp 32bit which could also be part of the problem.
Thanks,
Goldez

 

What driver do you currently have?
This looks to be about a 13 year old printer.

The closest I can come is stylus photo printer model 925.

Here is a driver for XP 32 bit http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/...es=no&infoType=Downloads&platform=OSF_W_XP-32

This might work http://www.driverguide.com/driver/detail.php?driverid=67591
Caution: only click the link aside of File Name. Stph112e.exe
After you download it, scan it for malware. Do not click on the large green download now button or you end up with an unwanted program!

 

Hi,
Thanks for replying to my question. I think the printer is actually closer to 18 to 20 years old. The actual mechanics of it work fine, but recently it has started printing 2" off center, thus taking a page and a bit to print one page and now is printing only the headlines when I try to copy a page. Obviously it needs an updated driver, but Epson doesn't even list the printer let alone a driver update. I think the printer was an epson stylus photo 600, and definitely listed on the back as model P952A. I've owned it since new.
I'm not sure which driver it has now as I payed for a program that automatically updated my drivers, and not being too computer literate, I'm not sure how to tell which driver it has now. I know that if I go into advanced properties for the printer in windows, it leads me to select a driver for model ESC/P2 and says it is installing it . I run a program called spy shelter that tells me later that there was no installation as it didn't exist.
In my search for a driver, I have also run across the one you suggested, but it always seems to just want me to download DriverAssist.

 

Unfortunately, Driver Guide is a payed service. The exact same driver is available from CNET*. This download is not bundled with their usual junk.

http://download.cnet.com/Epson-Stylus-Photo-Driver/3000-2116_4-10012135.html

* Always take care when downloading from CNET. And as plodr said, scan the downloaded file.

 

Hi Eldon,
Thanks for trying to help me out.
I downloaded the driver; 1.12E (7/23/97), but it said it wasn't compatible with windows XP.
Another instruction box said that my windows system may be in abnormal condition. Exit windows and try again or setup your windows again. I'm not sure what they mean by that.
Goldez

 

This is cause for concern. You might have to repair your Windows XP install. But NOT if everything else is working.

Back to the driver. You've also said the printer is a Epson Stylus Photo 600. I can only find a Epson Stylus Color 600. According to Epson, the driver for the 600 is included with Windows XP. Also, you mentioned ESC/P2. There is a Epson Stylus Photo 700 ESC/P 2. Have another look at the model number.

Here's a link from Epson stating they do not supply a driver for Windows XP.

http://tech.epson.com.au/downloads/product.asp

BTW If the printing is not aligned, I think it's a mechanical problem.

 

Hi Eldon,
On the back of the printer it says :
Epson stylus photo
model P952A
serial number ADA0008516
The 600 comes from a distant memory as the name on the box when I bought it.
What really surprises me is that when you contact Epson support, they say they can't find the model.
I know that windows XP isn't supported by Microsoft any more and maybe that is why Epson doesn't supply a usable driver to XP.
The windows program is the one that says the proper driver is ESC/P2
Goldez

 

Have a look at the following site. It's in (I think) Spanish but, the driver name is in English - Stph112e.exe. The same driver recommended by plodr and I.

http://de.lastdev.com/x/1c/epson+stylus+photo+p952a

More importantly, the driver is for WinNT3.51 & WinNT4. I have searched for a hour and that's the only driver I have found. If the printer worked correctly in Windows XP, then I'm out of solutions. Also, I believe the problem is with the printer itself.

 

Hi Eldon,
Thanks again for all the effort you've put in on my behalf.
If somebody with all your knowledge and know how finds this difficult, then you can guess how frustrating it is for a some what computer illiterate person like myself.
I still have the original installation disk but when I run it, I can hear it it start up, but nothing appears on the screen. I don't know if it would be helpful anyway.
When I go into the computer and punch up system and hardware, my epson perfection scanner shows up but not my printer. is that normal as that program has a troubleshooting mode that could possibly help.
At any rate, thanks again for your help and I know, beating a dead horse is no fun.
Goldez

 

After you load the CD, open my Computer and double-click the CD/DVD drive. It will either autorun and allow you to install the driver, or it will open. If it opens look for a file named setup and double-click it.

Did the printer work in Windows XP on that PC? I still believe the printer has retired.

 

Hi Eldon,
I was able to open the installation cd. When I went to reinstall the drivers it said I had to uninstall the printer fom the computer first. Looking at the files on the cd, everything is from 1996 and 1997. If I uninstall it and reinstall it, will it still work as I originally installed it back when iI had windows 95 or 98. I think I've probably had windows Xp for 8 or 10 years and the printer has worked fine up until recently.
I think the printing a couple of inches off center is probably due at one time to my playing with paper size settings in order to copy a full size legal document. I haven't been able to fix it no matter what I do. It also works in conjunction with the settings on the epson perfection scanner, so between the two of them, I think I've somehow screwed up the settings and am unable to set them right.
When I try to copy a page off the computer, and it only prints the headlines, I can take a screenshot of the page and I'm then able to print all the text as well as the headlines by printing the screenshot.
I think the printer has a software problem rather than a mechanical problem due to the above info.
The readme txt. for the reinstallation says if you are using windows 3.1, windows NT 3.5 or less or windows for workgroups, select run from the file menu. Type D:/install and click ok. If your drive has a different letter, substitute it for D.
Drivers are not currently available for windows NT 4.0
That was all Greek to me, but it might mean something to you.
Once again, do you think it would be safe to uninstall the printerand at least get back to where I am?
Goldez

 

I cannot possible say everything will be back to normal if you uninstall & then re-install.
If it was my PC & printer I would do the follwing:
1. Disconnect the printer from the PC. PC must be switched off.
2. Turn on PC & uninstall the printer program/driver with a program like Revo Uninstaller Free. You'll find it on MajorGeeks.
3. Open Printers and Faxes. If the printer icon is still there, right-click it & click Delete.
4. Turn off the PC.
5. Connect the printer to the PC, switch on the PC, and then switch on the printer after Windows has fully booted. If Windows doesn't automatically install the driver, you'll be promted to do so. Let Windows automatically find the driver.

Unfortunately, I have to log off. I check back later.

 

Hi Eldon,
Sorry to take so long in getting back to you.
Tried a bunch of stuff on my own and finally found the problem. It's almost embarrassingly simple.
When running a printing test the black ink lines were poor quality. I cleaned the heads a few times with no difference.
Even though the black ink cartridge wasn't empty, I decided to change it. I took a new one, pulled the yellow tape off and installed it. The results on the test were worse. No black ink showed up at all. I took the cartridge out and saw that even though I had pulled the yellow tape off it had still left a clear membrane over the vent hole. I punctured this membrane and put it back in and the test page came out perfectly. I looked at the old cartridge and realized that it had exactly the same problem. I had played with a bunch of other printer settings earlier, including one that said flip horizontally and I even though I turned it from off to on and then back to off again, my printer now works perfectly, printing in the center of the page again, and the old antique lives to print more pages.
Thanks again for all your help.
Goldez

 

Good to know the problem has been solved. It probably started when the black cartridge was gettig close to empty. I suggest you clean where the membrane was using the same fluid with which you cleaned the printhead.

FYI I was given a 'newer' printer/scanner/copier by a friend and dumped my HP Deskjet 600 which was 16 years old. It was noisy and slow. But it got the job done.

 

Hi Eldon,
Just as an after thought, in case anybody out there is looking for a driver for Epson Stylus photo Model P952A, after I was able to do the test printout, it said my driver was UNIDRV.DLL version 6. I don't understand why that never surfaced in our searches for a driver.
Goldez
(ps. the head cleaning is done automatically by the printer)

 

That's because it's just 1 of the files needed. There's also a Data file & a Config file. The 3 are downloaded as a package - hence the different description. In post #6 I said according to Epson, the driver is included with Windows XP. The next time I log on to Windows XP, I'll check.

 

Hi Eldon, Here's the others;
UNIDRV.DLL Driver name
EPNDVE13.GPD Data file
UNIDRVUI.DLL Config. file
UNIDRV.HLP Help file
Driver version 6
Enviorment Windows NT x86

There are another 13 additional files used by this driver,

Goldez

 

That's correct. I'm curious though, where did you install the drivers from? I checked Windows XP and saved a list of all the Epson printer drivers that's included. Which one is yours?

 

Hi Eldon,
I've gone through that list many times and according to windows the driver should be Epson stylus photo ESC/P2 . I tried to update with it many times but a spy shelter program that I run says it didn't load because there is nothing there.
I'm guessing that the drivers I gave you load from the installation disc that originally came with the printer.
Goldez

 

I'm going to stop scratching my head (brain) :banghead about this one. Let's be grateful an 18-year old printer is still serving the PC... and it's owner. :clap