I see the error "Printer driver package cannot be installed" when I try to install my printer on a Windows computer. How can I install the software?

You receive this error when there is not enough free space or free contiguous space in the Windows Temp folder. To resolve this issue, empty the files from the Temp folder and attempt to install the driver again. The Epson driver installation program should now be able to run without this message reappearing.

To empty the Temp folder, we recommend using the Disk Cleanup utility in Windows.

1. Open Disk Cleanup:
   • Type Disk Cleanup in the Start Search bar or navigate to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.
2. This opens the Disk Cleanup utility, which starts with Windows calculating how much space it can make available on the local hard drive (normally C:).
3. Make sure that Temporary Files is ticked in the 'Files to delete' dialogue before you click OK to start the cleanup.
4. Once completed, close the utility.

Note:
This is a standard, minor part of system maintenance in Windows. However, please only perform this if you are confident in carrying it out. This utility gives you the option of emptying the Recycle Bin, deleting Temporary Files, etc. and is carried out at your own risk.

 

Alternatively, follow the steps below to manually delete the contents of the Temp folder:

1. Open Windows Explorer or Computer / My Computer.
2. Browse to C:\WINDOWS\Temp.
3. In the Temp folder, select all of the files:
   • Windows 7: Click Organise > Select All.
   • Windows 8 or Windows 10: Click Select All in the Home tab along the top of the screen.
4. With all the files highlighted, press the Delete key.
5. Click Yes to the 'Confirm File Delete' prompt if one appears.
6. Once deleted, restart the computer.

Once the computer has restarted, attempt to install the printer driver again. The issue should now be resolved. Follow the on-screen prompts to install you printer, additional guidance is available in the following Related Articles:

If you see this error again, it may be caused by low hard drive space or the Print Spooler service may not be running. You cannot install a printer or print with a printer when this service is stopped. If it is stopped, starting the Print Spooler may allow the driver to be installed.

See one of the following Related Articles for help with checking and starting this service. Once you have established it is started, close all the windows down and try installing the printer driver again.

• How to Stop and Restart the Print Spooler Service in Windows

This issue can also occur if the amount of free hard drive space is low (for example, below 10%) on the drive that Windows is installed on (normally C:). You can check the amount of available hard drive space via My Computer or Computer. If available space is low, you will need to increase the amount of available hard drive space before attempting to install the printer driver again. For guidance on this, refer to the documentation included with your operating system such as the 'Help and Support' section or 'Administrative Tools' section in 'System and Maintenance'.