Sam,
As far as I am aware, you can't "drag" the user origin. You use the
coordinates palette and place a new location for the user origin.
So, that raises the question: what did you do when you said " I dragged it
[the user origin] back and it jumped even further"? I can't figure out what
could be behaving that way. Sounds like a zoom issue, maybe.
Please try and describe that particular action of yours in a different way or
use more detailed account of the exact actions and sequences performed.
When you hover the mouse over a tool its name appears, tell us the
names of the tools, etc that you are using.
The fact that your grid is 4x4 and appears dense, tells me you are zoomed
out too far. Use the "fit in window" zoom to move in to see only the items
you have placed. Note: fit in window won't help if you have some outlying
object placed beyond Timbuctoo, in that case use the scroll wheel to zoom in closer.
Provide that screen shot Link asked for and try the above.
Please indicate your version of AC and OS in the signature line of your profile.
HTH,
Snap
PS I'm a bit confused, how you can have a dense grid, but see an almost
all white screen? Go to >View, >grid options, >grids and background,
and change a few settings just to see what is going on.