Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => Mach3 under Vista => Topic started by: Rift on May 28, 2010, 11:42:10 AM
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Hey all new user here, and I have been reading up as much as I can on these forums trying to absorb the vast amount of information available.
So far everything has gone well and I made my first cut the other day with no issues.
My question pertains to the Vista reg patch. When I installed Mach 3 I had zero issues, I installed rebooted ran the driver test and everything was running fine.
Is the vista patch still necessary? I ask because I see that some people still had the need to use it under Win7. What exactly is that patch doing to make the software
function?
Like I said no issues so far everything has been an extremely smooth process, and is functioning great. I just want to make sure I'm not missing out on something with that patch.
Thanks in advanced for the help!
Rift
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I am using Win7 32bit on my laptop and did not install the patch. I am using a SmoothStepper though and as memory serves the patch was needed for the parallel port driver to work properly.
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Hrmm I'm using the parallel port and all is working fine without the patch.
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Hmm...maybe it is not needed on Win7 at all then. Perhaps one of the Mach guys will let us know.
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Can you provide me with the following:
1. Current version number of the Mach 3 software.
2. I need to run Mach 3 on a Windows 7 64 bit version----How do I achieve this goal? My current Windows 2000 and Internet Explorer 6 machine is impacting my Usage of Mach 3 caused primarily due to Windows 2000 will not support current Internet Explorer software and it has limited my internet communications and research needed in cad/cam related research and design assistance. This is a very important issue that I must resolve. Not getting thru to Artsoft using their email contact forms.
Thanks much
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If you want to use a 64bit computer than you must use an external motion controller as the parallel port driver will not work. Take a look at: http://www.soigeneris.com/motion_control_and_i_o_boards-list.aspx (my website).
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Hi, I am using windows 7, 64bits. I have installed parallel ports in my cpu. I have read in forum that mach3 wont communicate via parallel port in windows 7 64bits. I am curious if the parallel port is not compatible because their cpu did not have it or 64 bit does not support parallel port at all for the mach3 communication even after the installation of the parallel port in the cpu?
After installation of the mach3 software, the driver test kept giving me error "Driver not sensed". Other than using external motion control, is there any other ways to get the software to work, given that I have already installed the parallel port in the cpu (windows 7, 64 bit)? Thank you very much for your feedback.
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The way the parallel port driver works is similar to how many viruses work, taking over your computer in the background. For this reason Microsoft does not allow that type of unsafe code to run in a 64bit OS.
Beside that external motion controllers work much better.
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I am curious if the parallel port is not compatible because their cpu did not have it or 64 bit does not support parallel port at all for the mach3 communication even after the installation of the parallel port in the cpu?
Neither.
It's because the Mach3 parallel port driver does not work on a 64 bit OS.
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Thank you Jeff and Gerry. Gerry, when you said "neither" did you mean neither parallel port nor external motion controllers will work on windows 7 64 bits? Thank you.
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External devices such as the SmoothStepper work fine on a 64bit OS. If you are looking to add an external motion controller to an existing machine without rewiring things you could use something like my SSENC-2: http://www.soigeneris.com/ssenc_2_ethernet_smoothstepper_system-details.aspx
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Neither was answering your two questions I quoted.