Some versions offer a free trial key that resets the counter to 80% to allow for temporary urgent printing. The "Hidden" Maintenance Step Reset Epson L1250 ink pad reached end of life.

Resetting the counter repeatedly without maintaining the waste ink pads (ink spills inside, stains prints, ruins electronics). If you reset more than 3 times, consider installing an external waste ink tank (available on Amazon/eBay for ~$10).

John tried to restart the printer, but the error persisted. He checked the manual, searched online, and even called Epson's customer support, but nothing seemed to work. The printer was stuck, and he was on a deadline.