Service mode and Reset Canon MG7550

[Rephil]

Several concordant links (with or without video) show this same procedure of putting in service mode, here is one
http://imprimante-en-question.blogspot.com/2018/03/imprimante-canon-pixma-mg7550.html

 

[PeterBJ]

The link to entering service mode is an example of a very bad copy and paste job with info taken from different sources. The gif is taken from www.printerknowledge.com without credits and the procedure for entering service mode misses some steps.

Even worse is the recommendation to use version 3400 of the service tool. This will cause lock of service mode. Locked service mode is indicated by a constantly lit error light when you have tried to enter service mode.

 

[Rephil]

So PeterBJ, The Hat and stratman, you advise me to drop the printer;
I will take your advice into account!
On the other hand, I'm going to boycott Canon who abuses their customers, just like Epson for that matter.
Anyway, thanks again for your recommendations!

 

[stratman]

Thanks for the link. I looked at the top two articles and they seem to give the proper procedure for entering Service Mode.

Unfortunately, what you wrote as the procedure is incorrect.

4) Press this <Power> key again 5 times:

The Power button is always held down and the Resume button is pressed and released 5 times (6 times if pressing 5x does not work).

Maybe this was a typo, but you ended up with an Alarm light remaining lit and then the Service Tool not working.

So at this point, the <Power> light is off and the <Alarm> light is on, which is not normal.

Correct.

Indeed The <Power> light should have blinked and then stayed on.

You should wait for the Power light to stop blinking before running the Service Tool.

When you ran the Service Tool you got Service Tool error code 005:

Error code: 005
Meaning:

• The Service Tool doesn't detect the printer.
• The printer is not ready to accept commands from the Service Tool.

Solution:

• Unplug the printer USB cable that goes to the computer then reconnect it to the computer on a different USB port.
• After the Service Mode entry procedure is complete, the Power LED will flash. When the Power LED is still blinking and the button in the Service Tool is pressed (the Service Tool sends a command to the printer), an error code: 005 will appear. The solution is after the Service mode entry procedure is complete, wait for the Power LED to stop blinking, then run the Service Tool.

It is possible you never entered Service Mode OR even if you were in Service Mode that something else prevented the Service Tool from working at all. You may not have unplugged the USB cable in between failed tries which may prevent successful entry into Service Mode/Use of Service Tool regardless of proper procedure thereafter.

Here is a link to trouble shooting Service Tool error codes.

https://easyfixs.blogspot.com/2020/12/canon-service-tool-error-code-mean.html

Read the entire page as there is an explanation on how you can lock yourself out of Service Mode permanently, such as trying two different Service Tools in a row that are incorrect versions for your printer.

Error: The indicator light flashes orange when entering Service Mode
Meaning: there is damage to Service Mode (Service Mode is damaged).
Cause: the user uses more than one different Service Tool, when entering Service Mode.
Example: Printer user is Canon G3000. After the printer enters Service Mode, to reset the user using Service Tool v.3400, but it fails. Then the user uses Service Tool v.4718 to reset, but it fails. This is the beginning of trouble. When the printer enters Service Mode, the user uses two different Service Tools, namely ST.3400 and ST.4718. Using two different Service Tools in Service Mode will result in damage to Service Mode. When the printer enters Service Mode, the user uses ST.3400 but fails. If the user wants to try with ST.4718, turn off the printer first, then repeat the procedure to enter Service Mode, then reset it with ST.4718.

Since I do not know everything you did to get to this point, including how the printer responded or the state it was in, your alarm light may be because you locked yourself out or you were never in Service Mode to begin with.

Again, after the button sequence is performed, it is the Power light that is the last light to be on. For you it was the Alarm light, possible meaning you were incorrect in your button pushing and ended erroneously with the Alarm light on. No Service Tool, correct or incorrect, will recognize the printer. If this happened the very first time you tried to enter Service Mode, and every time thereafter, then MAYBE Service Mode has not been blocked.

In order to know you must either recall precisely what you have done and how you have done it. OR, you can try to enter Service Mode again with known proper procedure. If successful, then you need to use the proper Service Tool.

The following link recommends ST v.3400 as well. Obviously this version was correct, but maybe firmware updates you knowingly did (or unknowingly happened with the printer "phoning home" while plugged in and your internet connection on) during your ownership may have disabled this version tool and a newer version is required.

https://easyfixs.blogspot.com/2019/09/service-tool-v3400.html

As to what the best version to use I'll leave between you and the the forum's expert on Service Tools -- @PeterBJ

So many unknowns. Now you see why I said get a new printer.

 

[Rephil]

Thanks stratman, I realize that all this is complicated and that there are many unknowns. I had no idea how much the manufacturer CANON locks down the maintenance of their printers.
Yes, I made a typo as it was indeed the <Resume> button instead of the <Power> button, sorry for the blunder.
As I explained on my first post, pressing <Resume> acts as a toggle between <Power> and <Alarm> light. This means that if I want the <Alarm> light off and the power light on, I have to press 6 times, which I actually tried.
But anyway, the <Power> light never blinked before it came on, which is not according to procedure.
From memory, I did a lot of testing. Seeing that nothing worked, I opened both the service v3400 and Canon ST5103 utilities to see if there were any differences in behavior; there were none
I opened at the same time IJ Scan Utility to detect the right USB port, otherwise the editable fields in the utilities were greyed out
Instead of pressing <Resume> 5 times, I tried 6 times, then 7 times, 8 and 9 times. I never noticed any change.
In short, I did everything and anything not being aware of the irreversible nature of these actions.
Hats off to you gentlemen!

 

[stratman]

Thanks for the follow up on what you tried.

What is your next move?

 

[maximilian59]

Did a reset today on a MG7750 without problems. I used Service Tool V5204 which I purchased on eBay for 5$ with a special key. Also tried with another version downloaded somewhere: didn’t work.
The only action I could perform was the reset. After click on button next to main where there is no field for the amount. A text showed up where some of the EEPROM information was shown. Reset is done. Seems it depends also on the correct tool, there may be some fakes existing.
Cheers,
Maximilian