I'm not familiar with Win 98 (I'm not familiar with XP either ... but what the?) but as always check your cables. There have many anxiety attacks over computer and peripheral performances posted on this forum due to an electrical plug not all the way in the wall or a loose cable connection, or as in my case recently, the electrical sockets used for my printer's electricity are controlled by a wall switch...and of course someone flipped the wrong switch and I thought I had a dead printer...it happens. Now with XP when you print you have to make sure the correct printer or device is highlighted in the print box, its easy to overlook, especially after a few years. This USB hub...I'm assuming is for a laptop? You aren't going over your computer's capacity with everything plugged in? Plug the printer directly to your computer. If you are using a hub that might be the problem ... they do wear out, as we all do. If all of that checks out, well it might be time to upgrade to XP...as you know '98 is no longer supported. I don't know what extent Microsoft interprets "Not Supported". The reason I say this is its time to check your drivers and maybe reinstall them. I have been in driver hell myself. The number of times XP Windows has reported a device or driver was working properly when it wasn't is more than I have fingers and toes and I still have all of them. You can get your original drivers off your basic install disc...so I've heard...if you place it in your multi-drive after your desktop is up. (If you do it before your desktop is up and viewable you might be on your way to reinstalling Windows...that's what Best Buy told me anyway. I'm too lazy to check it out today.) Or you can subscribe to a place like Driver Agent DriverAgent.com). They will do a scan. Sometimes they are wrong and supply you with downloads that don't apply, but in those cases the driver just doesn't install, I've never heard of or had damage from Driver Agent myself. I have gotten many drivers back and up and running through them...mostly my realtek sound drivers after an electrical storm. I'm just too stupid to figure out which driver I need when I go to the manufacturer's site. I get lost in the Intel site...I've even downloaded the wrong drivers and updates from Toshiba ... who told me I needed them through their automatic update service. Drivers are something I don't want to think about...its so confusing, and Windows is less than useless with their driver recommendations. Make sure your cables and plugs are not fried and conducting current and memo groups like they should, check out that hub by plugging the printer directly into your computer and pray that you won't get lost in driver hell..or that your hard drive is failing. marf

Well absolutely no one should be online without adequate protection these days, too many scoundrels out there by far. The 2 most popular seem to be Superantispyware and Malwarebytes. Be careful installing and stay with the free version, Malwarebytes is free but does not appear to say so as you install. I run one or the other perhaps weekly, more if I feel I have visited doubtful places. That is a very smart move taking your scanner when visiting rellies, at least that way they feel safe in that the photos remain in there possession. Also you get the chance to discuss each and perhaps make notes because no one thought to write on the backs of the photos. On the printing issue have you considered having them done for you? This can be done online at a large number of places including your local supermarket and/or pharmacy. You then collect them the next day or whatever the rules are at any given location. This to me is cheaper than using your own ink and I think their ink quality is somewhat better than we get for our printers. I found scanning slides very trying but that was a few years ago and the equipment was not as good as we have now. You say the scanner is expensive and no doubt it is. But when I started the local computer joint charged $10 for the first scan and $8 for any others done at the same time. It made sense to buy a scanner and save a bundle, you have to decide how many scans you need to do then decide on which route. Photo editing for tears, bends and scratches is very interesting but time consuming and a steep learning curve at the outset. I enjoy that stuff, in fact I just removed a no longer son in law from the middle of a family group for a lady.

When the cartridge carrier returns to it's base position does it do that properly? I ask because I had a Lexmark with similar issues and the fix was to jamb the cartridge carrier hard to the right side so it actually clicked into the resting position. Obviously Canon is not Lexmark but these are the kinds of things you might consider trying. I suspect this has nothing to do with the individual ink cartridges being seated in the carrier. Although it might be prudent to ask if you have recently replaced inks and if you used off brand stuff. The other issue of course is your used only occasionally, printers need to be used or the print heads can and do dry up. This is not the nozzles on the cartridges but the jets themselves. I like to print something, even a small item, weekly or close to that.

iowagirl, I really don't know much about the DSLR cameras, so I guess I better do lots more research. I just mentioned to my sister than I was going to buy a new camera and I wanted another Canon. She has an Olympus and said she thought it took great pictures until she saw her 2 friends pictures. They were awesome, so she ask them what type of camera they had and both just said Canon 12 mp. I'll get her to ask them more about which camera it is. I'll also check out the others that you all have suggested. I just want to hurry up and get one! I hate to be without a camera. Of course my clothes dryer wouldn't work this morning, so I may be shopping for a dryer before the camera. :( Thanks to everyone!