Service Tools for Canon Printers

[stratman]

@PeterBJ @maximilian59 - This is what I guessed.

One of the hypertext links (pass mouse cursor over text to see link) in my post gives detailed instructions on resetting the waste ink counter and a free download of an alleged appropriate service tool (v.4718) for OP's printer model. That web site is a treasure trove of Service Tool info (and more) that seems legit. A lot of work to make such a detailed web site just to fool people.

Could it be the more recent version service tool is not completely backward capable, ie not every model printer previously hacked is included in the next/newer generation/version service tool??

I don't know more than you do about the newer two cartridge printers and service tools.

Disagree. You've forgotten more than I've ever learned about service tools.

 

[PeterBJ]

I think the easyFIXS website is legit. I've found it a maybe a week or two ago, when searching for newer service manuals and parts catalogs. They have many service manuals and parts catalogs for printers newer than the PGI-x25/CLI-x26 cartridge generation, but sadly most are in Chinese and scanned to .pdf. This means the pages are saved as images, so you cannot copy and paste text and use Google Translate.

The MG3500 service manual and parts catalog suggests that using service tool v4713 you can get info and do a test print, but reset procedures seem to be lacking? See pages 7/18, 11/18 and 13/18

I wonder if a forum member reads Chinese and could help solving the mystery about the disposable printers?

 

[The Hat]

but sadly most are in Chinese and scanned to .pdf. This means the pages are saved as images, so you cannot copy and paste text and use Google Translate.

Try saving the PDF to your desktop and then use Word to open it… That might work...

 

[PeterBJ]

I just tried your idea and sadly it didn't work. BTW neither AVG Internet Security nor Malwarebytes Antimalware found anything wrong in the file.

 

[PeterBJ]

I think I have an OCR program on one or more Canon install CDs. Maybe that will work with Chinese?

 

[stratman]

reset procedures seem to be lacking

These are detailed in the link in my post as is their recommended Service Tool v.4718, since v.4713 is "not available".

 

[stratman]

I tried an online OCR and it seemed to work enough to get the gist. Not perfect and multi-step, but free.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=ocr+chinese+to+english

I tried the first one on the page -- https://www.i2ocr.com/free-online-chinese-traditional-ocr

Needed to download the PDF and feed it to the web site since it did not work giving the PDF's URL. Unfortunately, seemed to only do one page at a time and the PDF is 18 pages, so may take a while. I didn't examine things much so maybe you'll have better luck.

 

[PeterBJ]

These are detailed in the link in my post as is their recommended Service Tool v.4718, since v.4713 is "not available".

Yes, but missing reset instructions in the service manual makes me think the printer is not resettable/disposable.

Thank you for the tip about online OCR and chinese translation. I tried the translation of page 13/18 which I think suggests the printer is disposable. The translated text seems to be about stress testing the paper feed. So that didn't answer the question: Disposable or not?

easyFIXS also has a service manual for MG5500 series and more printers. Notice page 41/71 item 12 "Ink absorber counter" and page 54/71. These printers are resettable. I have successfully resat some printers of this generation using service tool v4720. I think this suggests that if the printer is resettable it is in the service manual.

 

[stratman]

missing reset instructions in the service manual makes me think the printer is not resettable/disposable.

Maybe so. However, there are some discrepancies that are neither explained nor adequate to make solid conclusion.

The two PDF's have greatly different number of pages. Could be the MG3500 manual is missing data for reasons other than functionality of the Service Tool.

Why even include an image of Service Tool v.4713 in the MG3500 Service Manual at all if it does little or nothing? There were a lot of functions of the Service Tool listed in the MG5500 Service Manual other than waste ink counter resetting. Why were none of these other functions listed?

I think the only way to be sure is to try Service Tool v.4713 (or v.4718 as easyFIXS recommends and is available on that web site).

 

[stratman]

@PeterBJ

We both seemed to have missed the compelling evidence that Service Tool v.4718 can/could reset the waste ink counter on the MG3500 printers.

Go back to my link on easyFIXS and look at the images of the EEPROM print out. Printer model number in the uppermost left hand corner.