Epson R260 doesn't recognize ink cartridges

I've had this printer for about 5 years. I don't use it constantly and the photos we make from it are SEM photos for presentations. I last used it about 3 weeks ago, the cartridges were all partly used but none were giving empty warnings.

A few days ago I tried to print and I got a replace cartridge warning for all of the cartridges. I removed and reinstalled each cartridge but nothing changed. I contacted Epson tech support and they said it sounded like faulty cartridges and said they would replace them. I was dubious since they were working fine up to now. I had another new set and installed them with the same results with one addition, this time the printer dialog box warned me that I should use only standard Epson ink. It looks like it can't recognize the cartridges anymore and so thinks it is out of ink.

Anyone ever had this issue with an Epson printer? Is there any way to fix it? I'll do some googling but thought I'd ask here first.

I'm sorry that I can't help you with this specific problem, but I've wanted to smash my Epson R260 with an old hammer ever since I've owned it. Constant errors, disc tray jams, and running out of extremely expensive ink without even printing anything, has aged me 7.5 years older than I actually am. True story.

Epson having a patent on disc printing is criminal, and if my printer had a face I would punch it.
I apologize that this post helps nobody but me. But I will search around and see if I see anything about your specific problem.

-Kevin

Removing and reinstalling carts does not work on my R2880. The carts I install have to be new. There is apparently a way to reset the ink usage counter, but I don't know if doing that would allow you to reinstall part used carts.

Sounds like a call to Epson is needed. I have found them helpful in the past, to the extent that they sent a techy to help sort out an ink swop issue on mine. The issue revolved around the matt/glossy black ink swop, I now have to stockpile matt print jobs until my gloss ink has run out, then stockpile the gloss jobs until the matt has gone. Its hardly convenient but I live with it.

Dorsey, the printer has been fine for my uses. I've never had a clog or poor prints after letting it sit for months sometimes. Lowner, I did contact Epson tech support, they told me to reinstall, then told me that the cartridges were faulty and they would send me new ones, so I put in a brand new set of ink I had and the same thing happened. The printer apparently can no longer recognize the cartridges.