Patent ID: 8294932

Claim:
An image forming apparatus configured to that receive print data from an external device and print out the print data in response to a print command, the image forming apparatus comprising: a storage unit configured to that store therein the print data that includes user information; a searching unit configured to that search, when upon receiving new print data is received from the external device, the storage unit for previous print data that includes user information same as that of the new print data; a notifying unit configured to that send, when upon the searching unit finds searching and finding the previous print data, a notice to the external device saying that the previous print data is still present in the storage unit; a determining unit configured to determine whether a data amount of the previous print data is equal to or larger than a first threshold and determine whether the data amount of the previous print data is equal to or larger than a second threshold that is relatively larger than the first threshold, wherein the notifying unit sends the notice to the external device upon the determining unit determining that the data amount of the previous print data is equal to or larger than the first threshold; and a discarding unit configured to discard the new print data upon the determining unit determining that the data amount of the previous print data is equal to or larger than the second threshold.