Doing a Factory Reset on a Lexmark E260dn

I found incomplete and mildly conflicting instructions on how to do a Factory Reset (including the network) on a Lexmark E260dn that I picked up used.

Here is some, hopefully, helpful info on working with that printer that will save you some time.

To get a printout of Device Statistics and Current network configuration, press the right facing triangle button twice.  This is called the “Continue” button.  It will print 4 or 5 pages.  The last page has the network settings.  In my case, the former owner setup a static IP and a user name and password that were lost to history.

In order to reset the printer, you will need to get it into what Lexmark calls home mode.  Here are those steps:

  1. Turn the printer off
  2. Open the front door, as if you were going to remove the toner cartridge
  3. Press and hold the green arrow continue button as you turn the printer on.  All of the lights will cycle.
  4. Release the button.
  5. Close the front door.  The front panel will now show the home light sequence.  This has the first two lights out, the next three lit – along with the green arrow continue button (four lights total).
  6. Press the green arrow continue button until all of the lights cycle, a printer settings configuration sheet will print.

Now you are ready to do a factory reset.  Press and release the cancel button once.  This will change the lights to only the green arrow continue button.  Press and hold the continue button until all of the lights cycle.  This will perform the factory reset.  Power off and on the printer to access it again.

If you need to reset the network settings (such as changing away from a static IP) then you need to reset the Network NVRAM.

Follow the steps 1 to 5 from above.  If you have already printed out the Configuration guide, there is no need for two.

To reset the NVRAM, you need to cycle through a bunch of menu items.  You do this with the cancel button, one at a time.  On my guide it is the last menu item, when you get there the continue button and the Load Paper button will be blinking – no other lights will be on.  Then press and hold the continue button until all of the lights cycle.  When complete, power the printer off and on again.

After the printer came up, I pressed the continue button twice to print out a new copy of the Device Statistics and Current network configuration.  The last page now shows it having DHCP on my network.  I then browsed to the web portal of the printer and could access the menus that were previously blocked by passwords.

I can now configure this printer how I need to for my network.

Big thanks to Lexmark support who answered my email request for reset information.  They got me very close, I just needed to reset the NVRAM to complete the process.

Hope this helps and good luck with your printer!