howto: getting free copies with cannon copiers
from http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/5/28/13714/7587:
Getting In
Everything in this article will require getting into the “control panel.” The control panel is where service men and installation men go to configure a copier, fix its problems, examine firmware, and look through error and jam logs. It offers complete control over the copier and its attachments.
You may think that it would be difficult to get into the control panel, or that it is password protected, but curiously this is not the case. Every Canon copier has an Additional Features or a “Guide” button – it has a asterisk on it, similar to that on the phone. To get into the control panel, in rapid succession, push the asterisk key, the 2 and 8 keys simultaneously, and the asterisk key again. If you did this correctly, you will see something like:
Service Mode
Copier
Feeder
Sorter (if its attached)
(other attachments, like edit pads)
There are lots of fun things you can do in the Feeder Service Mode, such as configure it to jam every time a customer or employee puts a piece of paper in. This is for another time, and another place. Hit the “Copier” button on the touchscreen. On the top of the screen, you see:
Display I/O Adjust Function Option Test Counter
These are similar to “tabs” in a modern OS GUI; pushing one of them will bring up a series of push buttons below it, a menu from which you can access various parts of the copier.
You are, by default, in the “Display” menu. You will likely see a variety of nonsensical abbreviations and other meaningless garbage; since buttons have a 6 character limit, abbreviations have to be taken. Any copier serviceman who is worth his weight will be know nearly instinctively what each of these buttons mean; to us, it is just nonsense.
Getting Free Copies
The copy machines you are using are configured in a certain way to use a coin operated slot, key card, or service key (such as those that Kinkos has). Through an interesting “feature” in the firmware, if the copy machine is configured to accept coins or keys, and no machine is hooked up for this, it will give copies for free. Unfortunately, this isn’t as helpful as it sounds; anyone with a remedial amount of intelligence who wants to get free copies will try unplugging the instrument first and foremost. As such, it is often impossible without a service key to unplug the apparatus.
Fortunately, there is a work-around. Go into “Service Mode” (using star-2 and 8-star), and push the “Option” tab. Underneath it, push “Acc”. A new menu will pop up. Hit the “Coin” button, and enter “0” on the keypad. Once you are done, hit “Enter” or “Apply” (you MUST do this after you change any field; otherwise it will reset the next button you push). Once you are done, hit reset until you are on the main screen. Voila – free copies!