Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: ronncat on December 30, 2009, 01:13:05 AM
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??? I am having one heck of a time getting a computer to work with Mach 3.
First let me give you a little history. I am using Mach3 to control a Gecko G540 mill. I had a couple of CPU's sitting around doing nothing, so I decided to use them. Both are P4 processors @ 3gigs+. Unfortunately, neither has a parallel port on the motherboard. So...I bought my first PCI parallel port card... then my second... finally my third. I installed each card on each PC along with Mach3. Everytime, I was able to get excellent driver test results. The problem was that I never was able to get any output signals thru the parallel ports to the G540. I have addressed the ports properly according to the device manager and was always able to get the estop to function. However, when I tried to configure the charge pump, spindle and coolant outputs, I never could get them to work. A common problem seems to be that these cards cannot function in the EPP mode which is necessary for the G540 to work.
Anyhow, after many hours of frustration, I decided to try another CPU with an on board parallel port. Installed Mach3, configured the port to EPP in the BIOS, then got the dreaded "No Driver sensed installed. Run Driver Test" Tried to uninstall the parallel port driver and install both the original and special drivers, but still continue to get the message. Have uninstalled and reinstalled Mach3 several times with no luck. I am coming to my wits end. Does anyone have a suggestion on more things to try to get any one of these setups to work? I am thinking that installing the driver will be the simpleist, but am open to any and all suggestions. Thanks in advance
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OK...A little more information. I have uninstalled and reinstalled twice since the previos post, from new downloads from this site. Continue getting the no driver installed comment each time. After the last install. I went to the Mach3 directory and double clicked on the original driver icon in hopes that it would load the driver. The dos screen came up with the following:
C:\Mach3>del mach3.sys
C:\Mach3>copy mach3.orig mach3.sys
The system cannot find the file specified
C:\Mach3>REM.exe *Mach3
C:\Mach3>IN.exe .|Mach3.inf *Mach3
Also, a comment box pops up that states the following:
"This file 'Mach3.sys' on (Unknown) is needed"
Then it asks for the pathway where the file is located. That's all great, but I have no idea where this file is located. Anyone can help me out???
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Hi, Ronncat
Have you ever had your mill operating with any computer ever. ?
Could be you don't have a true parallel port extender cable or it's missing a Gnd Pin, Not all cards and cables use the same pin numbers 18 to 25 are Gnd.pins.
Use an ohm meter to check the cable pin 1-1 2-2 3-3 ........25-25, If not you may have a 25 pin serial cable.
Chip
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Wow..Thanks for the quick reply. I am still in the build stage for my mill. I have tested the parallel cable for continuity and have verified that it is a straight through. Spoke with Mariss at GeckoDrive at length about my problems. He told me that controlling the motors with the Gecko G540 via Mach3 would work (and I verified this). but that if the charge pump light was not working then the "extra" features on the Gecko, ie. spindle and coolant outputs and VFD would not be functional either) Therefore it was assumed that the PCI parallel port cards were not functioning in a true EPP mode. Looked on the website for MosChip and their FAQ's stated that a PCI based parallel port might or might not work in the EPP mode in any certain system...unfortunately, I have the systems that don't work properly.
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Mach3.sys is located in the Mach folder.
On re-installing Mach....... after you have un-installed Mach check 'control panel, add remove programs' and remove any Mach programs there, then from 'windows explorer' remove any Mach files and folders etc, then re-install Mach. This way you should get a clean install complete with the driver.
Tweakie.
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Also if you have not done so already download again just in case its corrupt.
Hood
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Ronncat
when you install the PP card , did you try to install the card in the last PCI slot. or the the PCI slot that is the longest
distance away from the CPU. the first and second slots usually have a video preferance.
bill
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Thanks for all the help. Here is where I am at this point....Frustrated...
Last night I had a nice talk with Chip, but we were unsuccessful in loading the driver. I uninstalled Mach completely, and downloaded it again from this site. (a few times) Every time I reinstall the software, everything loads fine until I hit the next button for the install parallel port driver. Then the system hangs and I get the "Driver not sensed installed" message. I have gone into the directory and double clicked on both the original and special driver icons with no success. (see previous post) I have uninstalled the driver in the device manager and tried to point the reinstall to c:\Mach3 so it can find the Mach3.sys file, but again, no luck. Starting to run in circles in a dense fog. Don't quite know what to try next. Any Suggestions?
Bill: Card is installed in the 3rd slot in one CPU and the furthest slot in another. Also I am now trying to do the install on another computer that has a motherboard PP
Tweakie: that's exactly what I have done...multiple times
Hood: Yes have tried new downloads. The previous one I could not find the Mach3.sys file. This time I did
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Didn't see it mentioned, but did you do the Vital re-boot at first install ?
Just grasping at straws........
RC
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Yes, I did
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Are you using XP and are you logged in as an administrator?
Is the LPT port enabled with in the OS and working properly?
Has the computer got a printer driver trying to send a file to the LPT port?
A fresh install of XP may be needed, I had one with old dongle software on that tested for the darn thing every few milliseconds, new install cured it.
Graham
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Update!!
Right in front of my face...the computer that I'm typing this on has a parallel port!!!. I downloaded Mach3 and installed it. Set the parallel port to EPP. The driver installed correctly. Now, running a multimeter from pins 1 or 16 to a ground pin shows 3.3V in active low and 0.07V in active hi. These are the pins that run spindle and coolant in the PROMICA xml. Soooo, it looks like f I use this computer, I should be able to run Mach into my G540...Hmmmm...It's not switching the spindle and coolant. I will talk to Gecko and see if there is a problem on that end.
Still would love to use one of the other three computers as I have a ton of stuff on this one and it would be a pain in the butt to move everything to one of the others. So..still looking for suggestions to make the others work. I just verified that I'm not crazy and CAN download and install a program. :'(
Thanks for your input Graham:
Yes, administrator privileges
LPT enabled and set to EPP in BIOS
No files being sent to LPT
I have considered wiping the entire drive and reinstalling XP, however, the discs I bought are nowhere to be found
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Ronncat
give this a whirl. after you have everything installed that you think should work.
1 shut computer down cold
2 reboot
3 go to device manager
4 uninstal all drivers like -sound - printer - com - basicly the scrap stuff
5 shut down cold
6 boot to cmos and reset defaults
7 reboot to windows safe mode using f8
8 check to see if all the drivers have been found and installed - stay there untill you get them all in
9 reboot
bill
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Bill,
Gave it a whirl...No luck.
Thanks for trying.
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Try doing the optimisation steps that are detailed in the doc you will find on the downloads page, usually that is for helping with the pulse but you never know it may help your problem.
Also might be worth uninstalling any programmes you have that are not needed, apples quick time is notorious for messing the pulse up, so if you have that delete it, not heard of it stopping the driver installing but you never know, same with antivirus if you have it, try disabling.
Hood