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« on: May 23, 2009, 12:16:15 AM »
I'm using the latest version (3.042.020) with a Mechatronics driver board and a Zenbot tool. I am loosing a step at each direction reversal. The test is to home on a dial indicator, run 10 iterations of X3 Y3, X0 Y0. (Distance does not matter) DROs end at zero but the indicator shows .015" drift. I have tried three different computer systems, each with a minimal WinXP, 2-3Ghz processors, and at least 2GB ram.
Before anyone chimes in with useless suggestions such as belt tension, loose cables, etc... I have read many posts here and on Yahoo about this. I know that the Mechatronics and Zenbot are not at fault because I can run the same test with TurboCNC and all the same motor parameters and the carriage returns home, dead on.
So, is Mach3 really so sensitive to the PC setup that it has to be just right? I know others have felt this pain, how did you resolve it? Most posts I have read did not have a successful resolution. Some of the solutions resulted in blue screens or an unbootable PC for me, or were things I had already done. I know at least one poster here has switched to other software because this could not be resolved.
For those of you who are lucky enough to have a machine working with precision: Has anyone documented their PC hardware setup (Motherboard, BIOS, CPU, video card, memory, peripherals) and a step-by-step installation and stripping of winXP (which version and which service pack, did you get all the latest updates from Microsoft, etc. What additional drivers got loaded?) I know about systems that don't work and would like to know something about the systems that do work.
I have spent a week on this, hijacking servers, buying a new motherboard, re-installing XP for the nth time, etc. I have to start cutting so I am stuck with TurboCNC for now, doing the diskette shuffle from the design system to the workshop. Had to install a diskette drive on the design system.
I'd appreciate hearing about your successes.
Jurgen