Install Epson AcuLaser AL-C900 on Windows 8

The Epson C900 AcuLaser can be easily installed on Windows 7 x64 and before using the Vista x64 driver available from the Epson website. In fact, most legacy printers can be installed using this method.

There might be an official in-box driver available for your (older) Windows operating system, i.e. it comes shipped with the C900 driver and recognizes the printer when it is connected via USB. No downloaded driver is then required.

Officially, there is no support and no driver for Windows 8 x64 for this printer. But luckily, the in-box driver is still present; it is just not recognized automatically on connection.

Manually install the Epson AL-C900 driver

Perform the following steps to get any legacy printer working on Windows 8:

1. Open Devices and Printers
2. Add a printer
3. Click "The printer that I want isn't listed"
4. Select "Add a local printer", next
5. Select "Use an existing port" and select "USB000", next
   This "Virtual printer port for USB" only exists when the printer is connected and turned on!
6. Select the following driver:
   Manufacturer: Epson
   Printers: Epson AL-C900
   Note: if the AL-C900 is not in the list, press "Windows Update" to get it
   next
7. Done!

The printer will now function, but only on the physical USB port that is linked to the virtual USB000 port. You need to figure out by trying port for port which one this is. Also note that in some cases it can take up to five minutes for a print job to start on this printer.

Delete an existing port mapping

Delete an existing - visible or invisible - port mapping as follows:

1. Open Device and Printers
2. Click Print server properties
3. Select Ports tab
4. Select USB port with the mapped printer driver
5. Click "Delete port"

Cannot delete port

Clear the printer spool folder beforehand by running these statements from a command prompt and reboot:

net stop spooler
del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.shd
del %systemroot%\system32\spool\printers\*.spl
net start spooler

USB printer is not recognized

If the USB printer is not recognized by Windows 8.1 (you don't even get the "USB device not recognized" message) then try the following:

• Control Panel -> Troubleshooting -> Hardware and Sound: Use a printer-> Next
• Device Manager -> Universal Serial Bus controllers -> Delete all Generic USB Hub entries and reboot

After reboot, open the Device Manager and plug in the printer. It should automatically appear. When the unplugged, it should immediately disappear.