Printer Problem

[tearinghair]

The printer connected to my desktop is acting oddly- Canon inkjet iP1900. I have been printing, successfully, Word documents which consist of picture + text; now, on the same documents, the letters are running into each other and the word spacing has changed. I have tried removing and reinstalling both (colour and B/W) cartridges, but no change. I'm using glossy photo paper, and had just started another pack of the same, but I don't think it's that because I've just got the same results printing the document on plain paper in b/w. Another problem which may or may not be linked is that for the last week or so, whenever I've started printing, the first page has gone straight through, blank, and I've had to start again.

Does it sound as though I need to buy a new printer? And if so, what would you recommend? It needs to be fairly simple - I don't need several different individual colours - but must be able to print well on to good quality glossy photo paper.

[Buenchico]

It might be a corrupt printer driver. Try reinstalling it from the disc that came with the printer. (I'd normally provide a download link as an alternative source of the driver installation file but the Canon UK website denies that the iP900 exists. Are you sure that it's not iP90? http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/Consumer_Products/product_ranges/printers/pixma/index.aspx ).

Alternatively try a phone call
http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/Consumer_Products/Telephone_Numbers/
or email
http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/consumer_products/Contact_Support/

[tearinghair]

It's iP1900, Buenchico - a Canon Pixma.
Thank you, I'd hadn't thought of contacting them directly, I'll do that. Not sure i can find the original disk, and i seem to remember having difficulty installing it anyway. That was quite some time ago; as my mother would have said, the printer doesn't owe me anything....

[Wak]

If your printer is producing a blank page first, then it is possible that the document you are trying to print has a cursor position that has gone past the last typed page onto the next page and it is this last blank page which is being produced first. Make sure that the cursor is on the last typed page.
It is also possible that the printer is picking up the page setting details from this last blank page (which haven't possibly been set up) and is causing the change in the spacing of the letters.
Printers usually do what they are told to do by the computer program being used.
Just a thought!

[tearinghair]

Sorry for the delay in replying, Wak, I've only just checked back. I understand what you mean; I don't think that's what's happened, but it is possible because there is a blank page at the end. I've actually set up the printer to print pages 1-4 on to one A4 sheet (to make four separate cards) so will try again tomorrow when my brain is in gear. I haven't had chance yet to contact Canon, because their email wasn't working at the weekend and tomorrow will be the first time I've had chance to phone in office hours.