Avoiding the Service Mode lockout ?

[websnail]

I've recently been challenged to get some solutions together for more Canon printers and while it's an absolute nightmare to fit anything external to a Canon it seems there's more people willing/wanting to do it... So I'm slowly pulling resources together accordingly.

One thing I'd not kept up to speed with is that the Canon service mode appears to be a veritable minefield if you're not paying attention and get the wrong utility. From what I've read on here and elsewhere it seems that Canon printers are designed to lock in service mode or just brick if the wrong service utility is used so I'm wondering if there's any resource/table that indicates which printer -> utility version?

If not a specific table, does anyone know of disparate nuggets of information that could be drawn together into a single reference?

It's something I'd be willing to develop as a reference if it doesn't already exist.

 

[The Hat]

Up to now it’s been trail and error, but one thing is for sure, Never enter Service More just for curiosity sake without using at least 1 function whilst in there. !

That’s a sure way of been barred the next time you visit, it could also be a one strike policy by Canon on these newer printers...

 

[PeterBJ]

For printers of the PGI-x20/CLI-x21 and PGI-x25/CLI-x26 cartridge generations service tools v3200 and v3400 work well. For cartridge generation PG-x50/CLI-x51 a service tool version 4720 or newer is needed. Some newer service tools have been offered on Ebay. See a list of supported printers for version 5103 and version 5204.