Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Cole1127 on July 22, 2012, 11:48:12 PM
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I just setup a computer with intigrated video. Is there anything I can do to get the system working??
I have more than enough ram, CPU, buss, and missed the requirement for no intigrated video card into the motherboard. UGH!! :-[
It is a Dell with 2G CPU, 1G RAM, - any possibilities to salvage this computer or do I have to build another computer???????
Thanks.
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Hi Cole,
If you have a spare slot then you could fit a PCI video card and use that. The bios should automatically set the new card as the video output during startup (at least mine does :) )
Tweakie.
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Cole,
The problem with on board video is that the signal from the computer can be bad. One needs to look at the signal with an O'scope but you would know rather quickly since in the case of
steppers, the motors would not sound right or velocity will be restricted. One option is to use an external device such as the Smoothstepper.
Not sure what your problem is based on what you posted.
RICH
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The biggest problem came with the older computer that were marginal on speed and ram. I use the integrated vid all the time with high speed MBs without problems. You may want to give it a try before you toss it Most times it works just fine.
(;-) TP
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Tweakie, Rich, amd TP
It is a 2003 Dell without a video card slot - that rules that out.
I did a basic printer port test with a volt meter and it appeared to wrok, but the system was dead - nothing working. I am using a DB25 BOB and DQ860MA stepper drivers on an XP pro OS PC. After I posted this, about 1 AM (couldn't sleep trying to resolve the problem theoretically), I decided to set up on the media center computer (way too beefy and expensive to use as a CNC system in a shop) and the motors ran smooth and sweet. I did pull out the scope and the signal on the Dell was ugly, even with 2G of RAM memory and 2G CPU. - it will not be useable.....
I was beginning to wonder if the drivers were defective - I bought some of the equipment 6 years ago just before a bad heart atack, and the heart attack caused me problems with short term and some long term memory - I simply missed and forgot that intigrated video could be a problem... Since I already have much of the equipment, and have some newer computer components, I am just going to build another computer. I am thinking I will eliminate some possible problems with another computer. I spent two or three full days benchtesting the setup, and time is sometimes limited. I think it will be less time comsuming to build something that is less problematic than to try to tweak this computer.
Thanks for the feedback. I do appreciate it very much. It will save me hours to build another computer than to try to force this computer to work. Anyone need a used computer ? LOL. It was just upgraded and a new OS installed.. It works good as a good backup PC. I am spoiled with the media center (not for sale) with 3.4G dual core CPU, 4G 1333 bus RAM, dual SATA 1T harddrives (video uses huge files) high res video card with 512M RAM, so I think I am going to sell the Dell and build another one.
Thanks again.