Patent ID: 8027048

Claim:
A method comprising: providing a consumable item for an image-forming device, the consumable item having a substantially unique identifier of the consumable item stored in a memory thereof, and the substantially unique identifier designating the consumable item as one of a starter item and a normal item; and upon installation of the consumable item in the image-forming device and powering-on of the image forming device, retrieving, by a computer program, the substantially unique identifier from the memory of the consumable item; determining, by the computer program, whether the consumable item is a starter item or a normal item based on the substantially unique identifier; and determining, by the computer program, whether to allow formation of images using the consumable item based on whether the consumable item is a starter item or a normal item, wherein, if the consumable item is a starter item and the image-forming device has previously been powered-on with one of a different starter item and a normal item installed in the image-forming device, preventing formation of images using the consumable item, wherein, if the consumable item is a starter item and the image-forming device has previously been powered-on with the same starter item installed in the image-forming device, allowing formation of images using the consumable item.