Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: Shuey on December 21, 2017, 03:47:09 AM
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Hey Team,
Its been a while since I've used any of my CNC gear (Plasma and Mill on Mach3). I decided some time ago (2015) to purchase a licence of Mach 4 and bought a PMDX 422 BOB (now obsolete!) along with a bunch of other stuff. Its all sitting in a box! Anyway, I downloaded Mach4, followed the installation instructions, copied a profile and then tried to launch the program as an Administrator. Windows asked for permission as usual and I click 'Yes', but nothing happens. Installed as an Administrator... Running Windows 7 64 bit... Bitdefender 2018 total security. I looked over the antivirus and it doesn't appear to be blocking the program at all.
I also tried it on my laptop with the same result... also running Win7-64bit with Bitdefender Total Security 2018.
I tried installing Mach3 and it all worked fine.
I'm sure it's an amateur mistake I'm making. Can anyone spoon feed me?
Cheers,
Shuey
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Bitdefender is blocking it. One of many reasons anti-virus are not recommended to be run with Mach (any version).
You will need to check (and tweak as necessary) your firewall, advanced threat defense and safe files settings in Bitdefender.
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Hi,
if you intend to use this PC as a machine controller I presume it wont have an internet connection so why have any anti virus installed?
Craig
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Hey hey steady on YouTube music is a must while im spitting out parts :-D I dont use any antivirus tho i just use Windows defender in Windows 10 never had a problem. Most anti viruses are a virus in themselves i would upgrade to windows 10 (free).
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Hi Peter,
if you use the internet to stream music while your machining you are flying in the face of the advice of every experienced CNCer on the forum.
Craig
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Hey guys,
Thanks for the feedback. I'll get into the bitdefender settings a bit deeper and see what I can see. I wanted to get it up and running on my laptop (I use it day to day for a variety of things) so I could get used to using Mach4, connecting it to the controller etc in my office and generally familiarising myself with it as per the manual . I have 2 dedicated PC in my workshop for Mach3, so yes, I do not have anything other than the bear bones of WindowsXP, Mach3, SheetCAM and LazyCAM installed.
I was interested to see that I had no problems installing and launching Mach3 with no tweeks to BitDefender, but Mach4 is being held back with nothing in the bitdefender log suggesting that it was blocking it... but I'll get another look at it. Two computers with the same set up showing the same ailment points to the antivirus.
Cheers guys.. I'll report back what ever the case.
Shuey
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Ok, so I had a play around with a few settings in Bitdefender on my laptop and it seems that specifically, there is a setting called, "Advance Threat Defence". once this is disabled, I can launch Mach4. The firewall and Antivirus were left enabled.
Cheers!
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A bit late, but... While PMDX doesn't sell the PMDX-422 any more, the plug-in still supports it, and will continue to support it for the foreseeable future.
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Great to know that its still supported. I'm hopeful that Mach4 will have full THC capability before too long and I'll change it over.
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Hi,
Mach has all that is required to support THC, what is required is the hardware support in the motion controller.
To my knowledge Vital Systems Hicon board is the only Mach4 controller that has implemented THC. I know
also that Warp9 are close with the ESS.....but its been close for a long time!
Craig
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Hi Craig,
That's interesting. Seems I need to do a little more research on the topic of THC and Mach4. Hmm... maybe it is a case that my trusty old THC300 is not yet supported by the Motion Controller PMDX 422 rather than Mach4 not being THC compatible...
I have viewed a few video's on Youtube that show guys running a plasma set up on Mach4 and also some suggesting that the proma Compact THC150 is a solution that works with Mach4, but as you said, its a case of the TH controllers working in with the motion control board (and that motion control board communicating with Mach4 right?) rather than the software as it is/was in Mach3.
Hmm... ok, so looks like I either need to chat with the team at PMDX to see if they have THC on the to-do list (no doubt they have and likely a case of when) or throw more money at my setup and get a Vital setup...
IT would be a pity to not be able to use the PMDX-422 board and the THC300 given that I already have the gear and in the case of the THC300, spare boards. But, if it ain't gunna work, it ain't gunna work!!!!
Cheers,
Marcus
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THC support native to Mach4 is currently in beta testing and hopefully will get released soon.
It requires "out of band" motor support, and currently the PMDX plug-in does not have this
feature. It is on our list, but no promise date yet.
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Thanks Steve.
I'll sit tight for a while and keep an eye out on the official release of that version for Mach4 (hopefully not that far away). Once done, I may email you direct regards the compatibility of the 422 etc.
Cheers,
Marcus