Printer problems and solutions for the Canon PIXMA IP2600

Problem: Waste Ink Tank Almost Full

Solution 1: You can reset the waste ink tank counter yourself. Be aware that this doesn't actually empty the waste ink tank itself (a little felt pad deep inside your printer), but it does allow you to continue printing.

1: Power off printer
2: Hold Resume button then press and hold POWER, the beeper will sound once.
3: Hold POWER and release RESUME
4: Press RESUME twice, then release all buttons
5: When the indicator lights steady, press RESUME three or four times. The indicator should be orange.
6: Press Power to set data

To actually drain the waste ink tank, you'll need to take your printer to pieces and find, clean, wash and dry the felt pads found in the base of the printer. This is a complicated procedure, but it is a good idea to do it if you're technically minded. Many people have just reset the code without actually draining the pads and very few have run into problems as a result. If you do this, you risk damaging your printer and/or the surface it sits on if the pads absorb too much ink. However, if you're going to buy a new printer anyway, you might just reset the code and stand it on a piece of paper or card. It's up to you, just understand the risks.

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Problem: Prints are coming out too dark

Solution 1: This is a common issue that is largely down to personal taste. The only real way to improve (i.e. lighten) your prints is to first lighten them using a piece of photo editing software. A good choice would be Adobe Photoshop elements, but there are free alternatives. Do a google search for "Free Photo Editing Software" (there should be a google search box on this page near the top).
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Problem: Very low print quality

Solution 1: There are a number of steps you can take to solve this problem (in order of easiest & least expensive first).

1. Make sure you have tried printing a nozzle check and you've carried out all the maintenance tasks that the manual alows (align print head, clean print head etc).
2. Your cartridge may be faulty. Ink cartridges that use non-genuine ink are of variable quality and you use them at your own risk. Even genuine cartridges can expire if used after the expiry date. Bad ink can clog your nozzle. It may be that you have a dried-out ink cartridge - try another one if you have one handy.
3. The print head may need cleaning. There are Canon print head cleaning kits available (use Google top right) or you could try doing this yourself - some people have had success immersing the print head (not the cartridge) in cleaning alcohol, warm water or using compressed air to gently blow through the nozzles.
4. Buy a new print head. Check the prices before you do this as (a) you may be throwing good money after bad, and (b) the price of a new printer may be the same as a new print head. Again, use Google (top right of this page) to search for these if you wish.
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Problem: Genuine original Canon vs Compatible & Refill Cartridges - which should I use?

Solution 1: It really is up to you. There are many people who swear by refills and compatible cartridges, and many others who have had problems with them. In a nutshell:

Dangers: Compatible/refilled cartridges vary in ink quality. Poor quality ink can dry out your print head and cause damage. You can replace your print head, but this can cost as much as a new printer. You will also invalidate your warranty by using non-genuine ink.

Benefits: Canon ink is very expensive and good quality compatible substitutes can severely cut the cost of printing without damaging your printer.

Minimise the risks - you can take the following steps to minimise the risks of damaging your printer (it's a good idea to follow this advice whether you use genuine cartridges or not):

- Try not to let your cartridges run dry - this can clog the print head.
- Always power off the printer using the printer's power switch rather than simply unplugging and switching off at the mains. The reason is that some printers keep the ink in a ready (i.e. open) state when they are printing to keep printing time shorter. When you power off the printer, it closes the ink cover, keeping the ink tanks sealed. If you just unplug the unit, it will not cover the print head and leave it exposed. For this reason, you should restart your printer and shut it down again if you experience a power cut while the unit is on.

0 out of 0 people found this solution helpful. Solution 2: Just some additional remarks:
- generally, the ink quality of original cartridges is higher, which is important if you want to print photos at home (instead of going to a professional photo print shop, which is probably cheaper)
- the risk of damaging your printer with non-genuine cartridges is a non-argument in my opinion; a set of genuine cartridges costs almost as much (at least in Holland) as a new printer, which includes a set of (partly filled) cartridges.

0 out of 0 people found this solution helpful. Solution 3: Original always works best, refills are messy but economical, try universal brand works great for me!
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Problem: I refilled the cartridges of my IP2600, how do I reset the ink levels to "full"? I tried the sequences of pushing/releasing the power/resume buttons as suggested on the internet, but they don't work for this printer. I also tried different versions of the iptool program from Russia, but none seems to be valid for the ip2600.

Solution 1: The 'press and hold the resume button sequence' will work if you just want your printer to ignore the low ink levels and continue printing. To reset the ink levels you have to perform a 'master rest' on the printer. The following link will help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lQFl6KgexQ&feature=related
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Problem: Ink Levels low after moderate use on new Canon PIXMA IP2600

Solution 1: Both color and black cartridges provided together with the printer contain a really tiny amount of ink inside, so it isn't strange that they don't last much. But there are both official and compatible cartridges with a lot more ink you can buy from Canon or other sources when you intend to change the ones found in the bundle. They will last a lot more.
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Problem: I have put in a new colour cartridge from the Cartridge people which is a remanufactured one. The black one was also from there and was a remanufactured one which is working fine. The alarm light is flashing which the instructions say means the cartridge has not been installed properly. It is in properly. On the Cartridge Peoples website inte FAQ'S one of the FAQ's is what to do if your printer won't recognise the cartridge. It suggests wiping the copper plate on the cartridge with a piece of slightly damp kitchen roll and wait till its dry then put it back. I have also tried this and the printer still won't print. What do I do?

Solution 1: You probably just need to press the 2nd button (not the one you use to turn on the printer, the other one) for at least 5 seconds.
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Problem: ran out of color ink how can i just use black ink

Solution 1: Yes! First you must change the settings on your printer to print from the black cartridge.
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Problem: Ran out of color ink on my Cannon iP 2600. Set to just black ink but STILL will not print. Is cannon MAKING me buy ink? This printer sucks!

Solution 1: try taking (you may have done this) both ink cartridges completely out. Then shake them up and put them back. Be sure you are set to grayscale printing, not just black. That may work.

Good Luck. Take Care. Happy 4th of July!
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Problem: i have lost the cd to set up with another laptop. where can i get one?

Solution 1: All the software you need to set it up should be available to download at Canon's website. Google "ip2600" and click on the link that comes up from Canon's official site (canon.co.uk). Then click on "Drivers and software" on the right hand side.
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