# Epson C42UX "Parts Have Reached End Life" Error



## GearMaven (Jan 16, 2005)

My parents have a little used Epson C42UX. This is my first experience with a printer giving the dreaded "interior parts have reached end of life" error message, telling me to contact the manufacturer.

Are there any work-arounds for those kinds of messages when this printer has hardly been used. It must be a date thing...as it definitely cannot be a number of pages endlife issue.

Any help?


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

I copied this from fixyourownprinter.com. There was no way to link your directly to this post.


I recently had problems with my Epson C42UX printer, the red and green light began flashing and a window popped up, saying, take it to your services center because some parts have reached the end of their life. Instead I did a bit of reading and I was successful. You see printer companies set a “protection counter” on all printers , it’s an internal counter measuring the amount of ink wasted by head cleaning. I needed to reset the "protection counter" as well as clean the “waste ink pad overflow”. Following is the procedure that I used:



Unplug the power and USB cables from the printer. I pried open my C42UX printer, careful not to break anything. I use a flat blade screwdriver to pry it apart; there are two-three tabs at the back and two at the front. Gently push them in, and then using a bit of force pry apart the cover. 
Next I removed the two (2) waste ink pads. They are located at the back on the left hand side. I used the flat blade screwdriver to lift up the ink pads (they were soaked). Please use rubber gloves as it gets very messy. 
Next I took the pads to the kitchen skin and washed them with just plain hot water until they were white again. I just let the hot water run on them (the pads are about three inches long). 
Once washed I dried them using a hair drier. (you could place it the sun for a few hours or on top of your heater or maybe in a heated oven; (make sure you do not set it on fire with too much heat). 
Once dried I placed the pads back in the ink waste bin at the back of the printer. 
I closed the printer cover and put back all the pieces and plugged in the USB & power cable and turned it on. (Yes the lights are still flashing). 
Go to this link and download this software: http://www.ssclg.com/epsone.shtml 
Install the software and run it. 
Select your printer and model number ( It only says C42 there is no UX, choose it anyway).It will ask if you replaced with new pads; say “YES”. Then close the window. 
Now right click on the SSC service utility, it looks like a printer icon near your clock in the task bar. 
Then click on reset counters. You can do all other stuff with this utility too. 
Turn off the printer power and then turn it on again. If necessary un-plug the power cord from the back of the printer, wait 20 seconds. Plug it back in. 
THERE YOU GO! IT WORKS AGAIN.


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## GearMaven (Jan 16, 2005)

Thank you ever so much for taking the time to copy and paste that here!

I'll follow the instructions when back down at folks' place and get them up and running again. 

Jan


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Your welcome. Please let us know how it goes.


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## GearMaven (Jan 16, 2005)

Many, many thanks. We followed the instructions and, while the pads were only a little bit gray, the reset software seemed to do the trick. Old Epson working away again beautifully.

Thank God for you techies...save us all from the big bad corporate wolves who want us to buy new products every year!


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Glad that brought it back to life. 
Thanks for posting back.


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## tech_lite (Sep 30, 2006)

I was happy to find this since I have had the same trouble with my epson C42UX. I did all you suggested and then dowloaded the software. When I run the software though and right click to reset counters the prompt reads: "For your printer model reset counters functions are provided for special purposes only. Please, use ink freezer functions instead." I don't know what that means but it doesn't solve the problem. I have tried to reboot, and reinstall the SSC Service Utility program but get the same results. Any suggestions? Thanks!


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## tech_lite (Sep 30, 2006)

Never mind! I got it to work - after right clicking, the CORRECT choice needs to be "protection counter" then "reset protection counter." NOT the top choice "reset counters" which I was trying! 
Much thanks!!!


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## Terrister (Apr 18, 2005)

Glad you got it.


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## JorgeR (Aug 28, 2007)

ray:THANK YOU!!!
It worked fine and easy.
New version of needed software is 4.2 and the list of available printers just shows Epson Stylus C4x for C42UX model.
Best regards!


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## nzbrummi (Mar 24, 2008)

I have this same problem with a C41, have tried all of the suggested solutions, but nothing happens after I reset protection counter.
Also Ink monitor page remains blank no matter how many times I refresh.
I have unplugged, rebooted, reinstalled etc etc, but no change to the error message (have also washed and replaced ink pad thingys).
HELP!


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## proboscis (Nov 24, 2008)

Terrister said:


> _I copied this from fixyourownprinter.com. There was no way to link your directly to this post.
> 
> Unplug the power and USB cables from the printer. I pried open my C42UX printer, careful not to break anything. I use a flat blade screwdriver to pry it apart; there are two-three tabs at the back and two at the front. Gently push them in, and then using a bit of force pry apart the cover. _


I am trying to do this with a C42ux but am unable to find the 2 FRONT TABS!! I must be blind but cannot locate them. rear tabs were easy.

Please can someone point them out for me????


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## tombstoner79 (Nov 28, 2008)

It's all a big bunch of money making horse ****. They want you to throw out your computer and go out and buy a new one just because the pads are soaked. What a joke. Do they have ways to do that to Canon printers as well? I know they have the same thing going on with the pads on those.


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## rampanthorse (Feb 19, 2009)

Terrister
great info. i followed your instructions and now it works fine.
Thanks
Barry


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## pip100 (Mar 11, 2009)

Excellent directions, well explained, followed everthing to the T but unfortunately, it still doesn't work. The green and red continue to flash. I even uninstalled everything, went back to square one, still didn't fix the problem. Very frustrating because like I said it so well explained and others have had success. Any suggestions, besides throwing it out of the window?


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