I know that I can always come here to find answers. Love it. So here's what's up.

I got another printer cuz mine ODed. I was getting low on the colored ink so I replaced it with one that had been referbished (sp). I know I know that's not the best way to go but I did it anyway. Well, it didn't work. My machine ... a Cannon Pixma iP1700 says that it's empty or something and won't let me proceed. It also said I can resume but I can't find a resume button. What I'd like to know is can I just put the old one back in (which I've done) and run on just using the black ink in the other cartridge when the colored ink runs out? I only use black anyway, and that's what I didn on my own printer, but this is a newer one and don't know if it's going to allow it. Any suggestions?

 

Check your printing preferences and see if you can find an option to print in greyscale or to print only with black ink. It's been a few years since I worked on any of the Pixma's, but I think they do allow it.

 

They usually come with plastic covering on the cartridge contacts .. did you remove it?...

 

Interested here as well. I have an earlier model MP 500 that just loves to drink ink.

 

For that, you should be able to go into your printing preferences and select a lower quality print - it's the "photo" and "best photo" settings that drain the ink cartridges the fastest.

I've never been a fan of Canon inkjet-style printers - especially the bigger printers and plotters - if the supply tubes that supply ink to the print head from the cartridges get plugged, they become a major pain to service...

 

In preferences I set it on grayscale printing. Is that what you mean? But when I went back in to check on the print quality it was no longer on grayscale printing. So do I have to set that each time I print something or is there a way to not have to change it each time. I do not see a save changes button.

Yes I took off the plastic covering on the cartridge contacts, but thanks for pointing that out.

I've always had it on the 'plain paper' setting. Then there is a 'print quality' setting with an option to pick either 'high' 'standard' (which I have it on) 'fast' and 'custom'. Is this what you're talking about? Which one should I put it on and how do I save the changes? At the bottom it has 'instructions' 'defaults' 'ok' 'cancel' and 'help'. I know it's not 'instructions'. I pressed 'ok' and it didn't save any changes. What does 'defaults' do?

My sister gave me this Cannon a VERY long time ago. Amazingly the ink was still good and it lasted a very long time. The new black ink I got isn't lasting as long and now I'm having trouble with the new colored one. As I said I don't need to use color, so can I just use the black ink with the empty colored ink cartridge remaining in the printer?

 

Yep

"Fast" will use the least ink but print quality might suffer depending on what you're printing. "Defaults" will set everything back to the device default settings in case any of them were tweaked ("Custom"). "High" will drink the most ink. Try printing something in each of the settings and see which one will work the best for you.

Some applications will override the Windows printer settings - Try this: when you click to print the document, look at the window that pops up - next to where it has your printer name, there should be a button for properties (or something similar) - click on that and you should be able to access the printer preferences (if there's an "Advanced" button, you may have to click on that) - from there, select to print in greyscale (or black & white - whichever it says) then click "OK" - then go ahead and try printing the document. That "should" save those settings in that application. (I'm pulling this from memory, which isn't infallible - I don't use a color ink printer so I can't check it on this PC)

I can't see why not. From a brief Google search, it appears that model of Pixma came out around 2006 - it was sold as a basic, budget printer with no fancy bells and whistles - it shouldn't really care whether a color cartridge is empty when printing in greyscale (or black & white) - some of the more mid to top-range printers tend to complain about that... The old Canon Bubblejets could print in black & white with no color cartridge installed at all. The only way to really know is to try it and see.

 

You can find more information about that printer here:
Canon U.S.A. : Support & Drivers : PIXMA iP1700

 

As usual ... y'all came through for me again. I will try everything suggested and see what happens. Oh and Terry ... I'm mainly printing shipping labels. Do you think that the 'fast' setting will be ok with those? I guess I should just try it but fear messin up the label. Anyway, thanks again y'all. Your are the best.

It's not letting me give rep's!!!!!!