Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: quilt-ez on December 04, 2008, 03:50:20 PM
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I've tried looking for info on 0 Pulse Frequency in Mach, but could not find any posts. I apologize if this is a common question.
I've just install the latest lockdown Mach 3 R3.042.020. I had version 1.84 working great before, but wanted to stay up-to-date with revisions. My system is an Intel Celeron D 2.6 Ghz on a ASUS P5S800-VM motherboard with 700+ Mb ram running WinXP with service pack 3. I've updated all the drivers and bios.
I've got windows stripped down and had version 1.84 working great. Upon installing R3.042.020 I can run DriverTest after running SpecialDriver and Mach takes control and shows pulses per second. It runs the test and completes. As a side note, if I try to run DriverTest using OriginalDriver, it does not output a pulse per second. I've always used SpecialDriver to get Mach to run on this machine and both DriverTest and Mach used to run fine.
Now DriverTest runs fine like I've mentioned, but when I run Mach under "Diagnostics" Pulse Frequency is 0. If pulse frequency is 0 nothing works. Why is pulse frequency 0? What other settings, besides SpecialDriver, affect pulse frequency? Thanks. Roger
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Tried a few more things.
Version 2.63 works fine using SpecialDriver. Pulse Frequency runs at my setting of 35 khz.
If I do not install Parallel port driver for version 3.042.020 then under Pulse Frequency I get "simulate". I run SpecialDriver and Pulse Frequency goes to 0. Thanks for any help. Roger
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You need the parallel port driver installed for Mach to work however I think installing the special or Original driver should do the same. A zero pulse suggests that the driver is not installed correctly yet you are getting the driver test working which seems strange. I would try downloading and installing 020 version again and making sure to choose the parallel port drive in the install. If that doesnt work then again try the special driver and see and if that doesnt work then shout back again and maybe someone can help you out.
Hood
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Thanks Hood.
I tried installing 3.042.020 with the parallel driver and both DriverTest and Mach would not register a pulse frequency. I ran SpecialDriver afterwards and got DriverTest to register a pulse frequency but still no response in Mach. I reinstalled 2.63 and it is running fine once again. I can keep using 2.63, but it going to bug me forever as to why this new version does not work. Anyone else have any other ideas?
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I will ask Brian to have a look here and see if he has any suggestions.
Hood
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Manualy uninstall the driver and reinstall the Driver.. I have seen this on some computers..
Thanks
Brian
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To manually uninstall do I just delete the mach.sys file in /win/system32? (Or the directory it is found in?)
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It is in the manual... you will be in device manager right click / remove driver
Thanks
Brian
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I'll give it a try. Thanks!
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Removed the driver manually. Restarted the computer. Reinstalled the 3.042 version. Reinstalled SpecialDriver. Restarted Computer. Same results as before. DriverTest runs, Mach does not. Any other ideas?
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What do you see on the diagnostics page? For the Time in Int and the Frequency
Thanks
Brian
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The following is from the Diagnostics page;
Time Int = +0.0
Pulse Frequency = 0
Look Ahead = 20
Time Scale = 1.000
PWM Base = 5.0
CPU Speed = 2653.00
All others under "Jog" are 0;
For DriverTest these are the results;
Parameter = 35khz
Pulse/Sec = 33723
CPU = 2653
Shortest Time = .001us
Longest Time = 35us
Apic Timing = 0
Interupt = 0
Max Variation = 32.174 us
Avg Int = 14.26
Longest Int = 46.057
Apic is also green.
Thanks for your help. Roger
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I know this sounds daft, but try installing mach 3 BEFORE you install service Pak 3. As a matter of fact, if all this computer is to do is run Mach, you don't need Service Pak 3.
I think I have the same mother board in my computer, which I have just installed in the workshop. Everything ran in alright and worked first time (apart from a glitch where, for some reason, the LPT1 output had been disabled).
I have since installed service pak 3 and it is still running, although one or two have reported difficultulties.
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Good thought. I tried it though. The reason I installed service pak 3 was because this new version of Mach 3 did not work. So, using the same mentality as every other product, "Make sure all drivers and products are updated!". So I upgraded to SP3. And no change. So I switched back to Mach 2.63 and the router works fine again. There is something, some code or function, that was added to this new version that I imagine is not allowing Mach to access the driver.
I guess if no one else has any ideas I'll stick with Mach 2.63 on this machine and just plan on upgrading when I upgrade the machine.
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Yup.. You are not installing the Driver... If you would please manualy uninstall the Driver and post a picture of what you have in device manager. Then Run the DriverTest.exe in the Mach3 Directory.
Also to uninstall the driver you will need to tell the system that you would like to DELETE the driver from the system
Thanks
Brian
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Brian,
I'll give it a try when I get in to the shop on Monday. In my past uninstalls the driver was there in the device manager and I uninstalled it as per your instructions and it was removed from the device manager. I rebooted, reinstalled the whole program, rebooted for kicks, and got the same results. With 2.63 I can run "OriginalDriver" and Mach won't run. I get 0 pulse frequency. I then run "SpecialDriver" and it runs great. No such results with version 3.042.018 or version 3.042.020. Is it possible that the SpecialDriver has not been proven with this version of Mach? Does anyone else use the SpecialDriver? Thanks for the continued help.
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You need to do more then remove it... Some of the newer Windows steups will Keep a backup of the driver and when you install it will call up the backup. We did some work to Rev the Driver and it should make it install over the old driver. But some machines have trouble (I would say like .01%) . So when you tell it to remove there should be an option to delete it from the system... So after you uninstall do a search for Mach3.SYS and delete ALL That you find ;) Then Reinstall
Thanks
Brian
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I joined the forum to contribute to this topic. I was having exactly the same problem this morning, Driver test appeared to be working but Mach 3 was not. While I was waiting to be accepted I found an answer for my problem in this topic http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,9541.30.html
I realise I'm new and haven't run Mach in any configuration before but have you tried Sherline mode, it helped me and it sounds like it might be able to help you.
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Brian,
Well I think I must be in the .00001%. I uninstalled the program, uninstalled the driver in device manager, removed mach3.sys from the found backup files, searched for any hint of Mach3.sys (hidden folders, system folders, etc) on the computer, deleted anything and everything related, and rebooted. Installed ver 3.042 and rebooted. Tried DriverTest and it gave zero for pulse/sec. Ran SpecialDriver then ran Driver Test and it gave the 36K pulse/sec. Ran Mach3 and still 0 for pulse frequency.
Thanks for the suggestion msraynford! Gave it a try with this new install and still nothing.
Now does the fact that I have to run the "no apic" SpecialDriver to get Mach to work with any version hint to any conflicts?
Thanks again. Roger
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Unzip this into your Mach3 Directory and try it.. Hope it helps
Brian
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Gave it a shot and no change. Still got 0 pulse frequency in Mach and DriverTest works fine. One thing I am noticing as I switch from version 3.042 to version 2.63, is the load time for the program. Version 2.63 loads right up with a single system beep. With version 3.042, I double click the icon, it loads the splash screen, it gives a beep and the splash screen disappears, then about a 5 sec delay, another beep and Mach loads up. Don't know if that says anything, but it is a change from one version to another. Thanks again for your efforts. Roger
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Check your error log.. I think you are getting a driver error..
Thanks
Brian
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Here is the button that you need to press to open the file.. also it is called LastErrors.txt
Thanks
Brian
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Here is the file. .
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Hey what do you know! It does have an error in there. Some how didn't see it!
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Sucess!! Sucess!! I reinstalled the driver with your mach3.noapic file and it worked this time!! The pulse frequency comes up and the router moves!! I can now use Version 3.042!!
Here is how it was fixed;
1) Install Version 3.042.020
2) Place Brian's "Mach3.noapic" in Mach folder
3) Run SpecialDriver
4) Reboot
5) Run Mach
Thanks again. This is a great program and has worked great in our shop! Thanks again. Roger
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LOL I wsa thinking that last one should have fixed you :)
It is in the new installer (for the next Rev) so you should no longer have a problem..
Thanks
Brian
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I wrote a question about erratic stepper. I thought I had fixed it by adjusting the step per pulse under motor tuning for the problem axis. I left the machine for lunch and went back run again and nothing. I looked at diagnostics tab and pulse frequency is sitting at 100. Nothing in the event history other than e-stop from me hitting the reset.
I have to believe if this pulse frequency is dropping out randomly the steppers would act very strange.?
Seeing the dialog under this topic I will apply the fixes suggested.
Let me know if I should be looking at something else.
Thanks,
B.E.N.
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Well it's been a while since I last looked at this topic but it has now come up again.
I'm not getting any output from my parallel port. Driver test runs fine and doesnt report any problems.
The whole system was working but it isnt anymore and it is displaying the exact same problems from this post, all I did was reinstall Lazy cam and now I'm not getting anything.
My pulse frequency is 25450, I can see the current position changing when I jog the machine but I'm not getting any change of the Lights on the diagnostic tab telling me what the Port 1 pins current sate is.
I used a DMM to measure the direction output on the parallel port and I'm not seeing any changes on the port.
I tried to reinstall with the special driver and I got no output on the driver test so I returned to the original driver, but I'm just not getting anything when running Mach3. Please help me.
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Double check you have the correct port address set.
Hood
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Checked, It's the standard parallel port that came with the computer on the typical port 0x378
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If its the onboard port then that is the usual address but just double check in device manager.
If the opulse frequency and Time in Int are displaying correctly that means the driver is installed fine and if the DROs change when you jog then it seems that for some reason your port is not working.
Hood
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Yep, the pulse frequency is 25K and the time in in is 40 ish. The DRO's change when I jog but I'm not seeing any lights in the output boxes.
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I just fired up my Mach3 Gantry mill after it had been mothballed for two years.
In the interim I hooked it to a new computer.
I did a clean install of 3.042.020
I had to remember all the install problems I had and how to fix them.
I too could not get the motors to run.
Spent a day and a half.
Same problems as the thread.
Limit switches lit up the LED's and DRO's moved but no motor motion.
Then I went back through my PDMX122 board instructions.
It was the Charge Pump
I had not set it to pin17 port1
I activated it and Voila'
One other possible fix:
On my first installation years ago i remember deleting the parallel port from the device manager.
then on reboot when it found it again Mach3 had control of it.
Those are my two suggestions ::)
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karbunkle, You make a good point of deleting the parallel port and letting windows reinstall it. I hadn't thought of this as I have been working with computers for thirty so years and have never had a problem with LPT1. However, I think I will try this as I am in the same predicament. Thanks for the suggestion. My controller has threeindividual drivers for each axis and I find it hard to believe that all three would have gone bad just from sitting.
I will try it this evening and see what it does.
Hollye
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I was dealing with this problem, but I was using a computer with a 500 GHz processor and W2K. The pulse frequency would work for awhile and then go to zero. Take a look at task manager. Do an alt ctrl del, task manager, performances see how much CPU Usage you have going on. When I loaded Mach on the old computer I was often at 100%. I now have a new computer the is 2.6 ? GHz processor with Windows XP and stripped of all unnecessary programs, it is always less than 30% usage now.
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I've been building a DMF router since Feb 2009 and now its in my studio expecting to be fired up. but a few issues evolve as I work on Mach3 set up . First I need to figure out why the pulse frequency has change from a running condition at 24800 ish to zero and I cant get it to flow again I must say that I began to configure the cnc with my ports hooked to the c10 bidirectional breakout board. After having no motor response I decided to install the mach pulsing engines using the device manager. Since then the pulse frequency is dead. I have unhook the board from the PC, uninstall the drivers, reset, reboot, and tried to run the test again. A message stating that a the driver test fails because it "could not locate missing vector" shows . What to do next? Anybody has an idea?