However, for the casual user, the risks of malware, bricking, or physical ink leaks may outweigh the benefits. If you are not comfortable entering hidden service modes or running unofficial executables, pay a professional.

Most users assume this means the printer is dead. But for those in the know, it signals the need for a specialized piece of software: the .

If you are a Canon printer owner—particularly of the Pixma series—you have likely encountered the dreaded "Ink absorber full" or "Service error 5B00" message. It usually appears at the worst possible moment: right before printing an important document or a batch of high-quality photos. Your printer, which worked perfectly fine a moment ago, suddenly becomes a paperweight.

Canon sets a counter. When the printer calculates that the pad should be full (usually around 5,000 to 10,000 pages), it triggers . The printer refuses to work until a technician replaces the pad and resets the counter with a service tool.