Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Reset ink counter on the Canon Pixma MP145

I've owned a Canon Pixma MP145 All-in-one printer for some years now. As you know, buying new cartridges for an inkjet printer can create small holes in your pockets. The last time when I had to replace the cartridges, I had approached CartridgeWorld to get them refilled. But after I received it back from them, the printer wouldn't recognize them and I was forced to return these back to CartridgeWorld and purchase new ones from them.

Recently, I have had to replace the cartridges again and was determined to get them refilled in CartridgeWorld and get them working this time. So I went ahead and got them refilled. But again, same issue - they were not recognized. But I realized that my error was in not removing the sticky tape from the cartridge heads. Removed them and the Black one was recognized. But colour wasn't. After a bit of fiddling around, it finally recognized both the cartridges. And I tried a test print - it worked perfect. Only problem - ink levels were showing as less - with that dreaded exclamation mark within the yellow triangle!

I had got some help from a forum that you can run the MPTool which can be used for resetting the ink counter/levels. Tried this - no avail. What happened is that even though the printer was on and I ran the MPTool, all the buttons on the tool were greyed out. Basically, it didn't recognize the printer!

I finally came across this solution from FixYa - where the guy had given directions to reset the ink counter in the MP140. But I tried the same steps on the MP145 and it worked fine. I have basically copied all the steps from the solution given there.

1) Disconnect the printer’s power outlet
2) Press and hold the power button while connecting the power outlet back.
3) While still holding down the power button, press the reset button twice.(red circle with a triangle)
4) Release the power button. The printer takes about 10 seconds to show the number 0.
5) Press + to change the value from 0 to 1.
6) When this value is 1, press colour button; this will light up two LEDs - One is for plain paper and the other for photo paper. At this point, feed the printer with paper.
7) Press the power button twice and the printer will print a some stuff (if it doesn't print by itself, then press the "color" button once and the test sheet will print). Don’t worry much about the printed material. I got some striped lines and some numbers. When you print this sheet the value in the display returns to zero.
8 ) Open the printer cover cover (not the scanner cover) and remove the cartridges. With the printer still open, disconnect the power outlet.
9) Close the lid and turn on the printer.
10) Place the cartridges back in their nice little abode in the printer.

This worked perfectly and the printer now shows full ink. Me happy! Long live the internet! :)

Thursday, July 05, 2012

July morning

There I was on a July morning looking for love.
With the strength of a new day dawning and the beautiful sun.
At the sound of the first bird singing I was leaving for home.
With the storm and the night behind me and a road of my own.
With the day
came the resolution
I'll be looking for you.