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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Ricoh Afício MP5002 & MP6002 Error SC899-00 & SC555-00


     This Ricoh issue has been addressed in a few different ways so you might considering using your browsers find feature to get to the most appropriate section or at least start reading from the bottom up since I've written updates as we figure more out about the problem.  Also, just to get you back up and running as quickly as possible, see the Instructions for clearing SC899-00 & SC555-00 error messages, below.

     Our new Ricoh Afício MP5002 printer is have a problem printing PDF files from Google Apps in Microsoft Windows using Mozilla Firefox and, we think, Google Chrome with the Adobe Acrobat browser Add-on.  The "Adobe Acrobat" Add-on/Plug-in is installed to your browser(s) when certain Adobe products, such as Adobe Acrobat Pro or Adobe Reader, are installed to your computer. If you have the bad version, which appears to be v10.1.3.23 of the Adobe Acrobat Add-on/Plug-in, when you print a pdf it results in a printer error SC899-00 which completely locks up the printer.  Sometimes the printer will just lock up and not even display the error message.  Unfortunately, Windows tries to keep printing the file and prevents you from resetting the printer, it will just error out again immediately after reboot.

     Initially, to fix the issue you would have to figure out who has the bad Add-on/Plug-in version and delete the print job from their local Windows print queue, for that specific printer.  Sound impossible?  Well, it almost was.  Luckily, we had made the banner page option on, by default, in the drivers.  When someone printed with the bad Add-on/Plug-in, the printer would print the banner page just before it locked up.  This allowed us to track who had the issue and troubleshoot it.  Lucky for you we have determined a work around and it is simple.  Updating to the latest version of Adobe Reader, Xi at the time of this posting, fixes the issue.  I would blame Ricoh for writing bad drivers or blame Adobe for writing a bad version of their plug-in but since we know what the issue is and how to fix it who cares. :)

Notes:
  • After updating to Adobe Reader Xi you should have an "Adobe Acrobat" Add-on/Plug-in version of 11.0.0.379 or higher.
  • Versions of the Adobe Acrobat Add-on/Plug-in older than 10.1.3.23 do not appear to have this issue.
  • If you are running Adobe Acrobat you will have a different browser Add-on/Plug-in so you are probably not be effected by this issue unless you also run a version of Adobe Reader that has updated your Add-on/Plug-in to the bad version.
  • It appears that this problem may also effect the printing of other document types in Chrome.  This may be due to how Chrome handles other document types before it allows you to view or print them and maybe it uses the same Add-on/Plug-in, I don't know.  Rarely we saw this error when other document types were printed, not just pdfs.


Update: After many months of working with Ricoh we have only resolved this issue on the MP5002s. It appears to be pdfs or documents that are rendered as pdfs by a browser plug-in, such as documents viewed from Google Docs, which cause the printers to fail. Below is a way to clear the error but Ricoh is unable to provide us, after several firmware updates, a fix for this issue. Ricoh has gone as far as to send a couple techs out to try and capture network traffic for diagnosis but the errors don't appear when they stop by to do a capture. We did our own capture and have recently provided the data to Ricoh but have yet to hear back from them or get a newer firmware fix for this. It is Ricoh's belief that this problem only exists within our school but I now have proof that others have this issue, so thanks for posting.

Instructions for clearing SC899-00 & SC555-00 error messages:
  1. Unplug the printer network cable
  2. To enter service mode press, in order, [Reset], [1], [0], [7], [clear] holding down the [clear] button until the “SP” menu appears.  You can enter service mode even when the SC899-00 error message is showing. 
  3. Press the “System SP” button.
  4. In the new menu, expand the portion labeled “SP-5XXX.”
  5. Scroll down several pages until you see “5801 -> Memory Clear” and expand this section.
  6. Click on subsection 8 labeled “Printer Application” and then click on the “Execute” button on the right-side of the screen to clear the printer’s memory.  A confirmation message will then appear, click “Execute” on this message to proceed.  Do NOT select subsection 1, labeled “All Clear,” and click on the “Execute” button as this will also erase all of the accounting codes from the printer (If you use accounting). 
  7. The printer will then tell you it needs to be powered off to finish the process.  Restart the machine and the error message should be gone.
  8. Keep in mind that if the user who sent the document which caused the 899 error is still connected to the network and has not cleared his/her local print queue the document will simply be sent to the printer again, causing another 899 error.  So, after clearing the error you must find the offending computer/user and clear the print job before plugging the printer back into the network.
Update 2:  I've recently had another user who printed a .pdf file from Internet Explorer and crashed our 6002 with an 899 error.  I've tested it from within IE, from Acrobat Pro and from Acrobat Reader, running the latest versions of each.  The printer crashes regardless of how this file is printed.  We have contacted Ricoh but they have not sent a tech. out to capture the error, as it occurs.  If you want a copy of the .pdf to test with, msg me.



The Problem as it stands: When certain pdfs are printed the printers are not receiving an end of file token, probably due to a poorly created file.  The current firmware isn't written in such a way to handle this and results in the 899 error.  We believe Ricoh changed the printer firmware on the 5002s to somehow get around this.  The development for the firmware is all done in Japan so I can’t say that this information is completely accurate.  This is what our tech. heard from the Ricoh representatives who came out to repair our printers.  This information may also include problems associated with error code SC555-00, so I'm adding that error code to the title of my blog.

12 comments:

  1. I just wanted to say thank you very much for posting this. I had a copier that was having this very same issue. I did everything goose's guide instructed as well as updating all firmware. Ricoh Helpdesk was at a loss as well. I order a new printer/scanner kit and nothing work. I could of saved myself a lot of time if I would of known this . Letting my boss know about this fix so other techs aren't in the dark.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for posting and letting me know that we are not the only ones effected by this problem. Also, please see my update to this issue.

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  2. I had this same error while attempting to print an online coupon using Firefox. Thank you for your information you saved me MANY hours of problems getting this fixed.

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  3. This is awesome!!! This is a lot easier, than the trick I was doing to work around this issue !!! I was using Postscript if the MFD had this option installed or have the webpage capture via PDF format, then send to printer !!!
    Thanks! Cheer!!!
    Mig

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  4. I've seen a lot of 899 codes recently. Many times it is with PDF files, but sometimes it comes across as a PCL error too.

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  5. Nice one for taking the time on this document. Anyone know if Ricoh have fixed via firmware update or driver update? The fix works but doesn't stop end users from sending the offending files to printers ;)

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  6. Pull the paper trays out turn m/c off and on wait for boot up and error due to no paper press printer reset print job works

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  7. Awesome! I was able to fix this in 5 minutes vs a few hours of waiting for a tech. And I don't have a huge bill! Happy Camper!

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  8. No one other than a Trained Service TECH should ever attempt to change a setting in service mode. Damage can result than can not be recovered or repaired.

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  9. thank soooooooooo much. really great

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  10. Thank you so so so much for this Blog Post! I just fixed my Lanier MP 6002 issue.

    ReplyDelete
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