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Error: "900 RIP"

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900 Service Error

If the 900 error occurs only when the printer is receiving information from a network or computer, you should contact your software/network support. If the error occurs when the printer is idle or not connected to the network or PC, there may be a printer hardware or connection problem. Sometimes a bad connection with an Internal Network Adapter/Network Card can cause the problem. The first thing to check is the base printer.

To check the base printer:

  • Turn off the printer and disconnect every cable, except for the power cord.
  • Turn on the printer and see if the error returns.
  • If the error does not return, try to print a test page from the Test Menu.
    1. Press Menu > to enter Menus.
      Optra S series and Optra K series printers: Continue to press Menu > until you see TESTS MENU.
      Optra T and Lexmark T and W series printers: Continue to press Menu > until you see UTILITIES MENU.
    2. Press Select to view the menu items. TESTS/UTILITIES MENU is now on the first line of the display.
    3. Press the Menu > button until Print Menus appears on the second line.
    4. Press Select.
    5. If the display tells you to change paper, press Select or the GO button to print.
  • If the test page prints correctly, the printer's hardware is most likely working correctly. The source of the problem is probably outside the base printer.
  • If the 900 error occurs again before, during, or after the printing of the test page, remove all options (internal network adapters, optional feeders, second drawer options, finisher options, additional memory, etc.) from the printer.
  • Then turn on the printer and try to print the test page. If it still posts the 900 error, the printer may need to be serviced.
  • If the error does not return, then the problem may be with one of the options.

    • IMPORTANT: If you receive an Invalid Engine Code error message when you power the printer back on, there is a problem with the printer. An Invalid Engine Code condition will cause a 900 RIP Software Error message to appear if you try to use the printer. The Invalid Engine Code error means either that your printer has lost its stored operating code for the engine board or that the printer's engine board has gone out.

    To check the options:
    When you have verified that the base printer is not the problem, start testing any options you may have. Note: The power cord should still be the only cable connected to the printer.

  • Turn off the printer and install the options, one by one.
  • After each installation, turn the printer back on and try to print a test page. If the error returns, you have found the problem option.
  • If you do not find a problem option, print the test page again with all of the options installed.
  • If it still passes, the problem may be with the communication or connection.

    • To check the connection:
    When you have successfully printed test pages with all of the options back on the printer, you are ready to reconnect the printer to the network or PC.

  • Turn off the power and connect the network or PC cable.
  • If you have more than one connection, you should try each connection separately.
  • If the error doesn't return and you are able to print successfully, there may have been just a bad connection.
  • If the error does return, something may be wrong with either the network's or PC's communication with the printer. Contact your software/network support.

    • There are also a few settings you can check on the printer.

    To check the printer settings:
    Three settings on your printer can cause this error to occur if they are not set correctly:

    NPA mode
    PCL Smartswitch
    PS Smartswitch

    1. Locate these settings on the menu settings page you printed earlier.
    2. On the printer, look under PARALLEL MENU, SERIAL MENU, USB MENU, and NETWORK MENU for these settings. Note: Not all of these menu choices may be present on your printer.
    3. All of the NPA mode settings should be at AUTO.
      All of the Smartswitch settings should be set to ON.
      If any of these settings is not correct, you will need to go into the printer menus of the printer and change them.

    If none of these tips resolves the issue, there may be a problem with one of your network or driver settings or with one of the main logic boards on the printer.
    Based on the results of the tests, you should be able to determine whether you are experiencing a hardware or a software issue.