| Alternative | Difficulty | Cost | Safety | |-------------|------------|------|--------| | | Low | High ($50–120) | Safe | | Replace maintenance box + use genuine resetter | Medium | Medium ($25–40) | Safe | | Install external waste ink tank | High | Low ($10) + manual reset | Medium (requires pad reset tool anyway) | | Buy new printer | Low | High ($150–200) | Safe | | Use open-source ink command (Linux) | High (requires reverse engineering) | Free | Medium |
Once the counter reaches a factory-set limit, the printer firmware triggers a "Service Required" lockout, usually accompanied by alternating red and green power light flashes. This mechanism serves a critical physical purpose: it approximates the point at which the physical waste ink pads inside the printer may be saturated. To return the printer to an operational state, the counter must be reset using a software utility known as an "Adjustment Program" or "Resetter." epson m100 resetter adjustment program tool portable