Messages

31

General Mach Discussion / Re: Should I scrap Vista for XP?

« on: May 29, 2008, 05:21:02 PM »

I don't mean to ask a dumb question, but do you mind telling me how to do that XML thing?..Do I need to be online? Also, I do not remember seeing a pulse engine in the device manager. Did I miss that too? I will look again now. Thanks Hood

I did check for the pulser engines (Mach3Driver??) It is there and status says it is working properly. I will do the other stuff as well.

32

General Mach Discussion / Re: Should I scrap Vista for XP?

« on: May 29, 2008, 05:03:35 PM »

I appreciate all the comments, am sorry for the thread split (I know now I should not do that) and will attempt at responding to all that are relative:

1. It is a Desktop
2. This may very well be human error and is why I could use some help.
3. I am not sure how to fix the port issue.

Kristen,

1. I did check the cable pin to pin (OK).
2. I downloaded the driver online because the instruction sheet that came with it did not say anything about what to do for Vista (Culprit?). So, I went on line and let it determine whether it was capatible with Vista and figured it would tell me if it was not. In fact, whenever I go into the driver files it says it is working fine. I am a real newbie to this so, I believe what it is telling me.
3. You are saying I should remove the PCI slot card & driver only? (Only have the one slot)
4. If I send it to printer, it does everything but lay down the ink. (Ink was old) It would not work at first, I had to eventually go into port setup and click the pooling box and all the ports available. Not really sure which one it was. Should I redo that and determine this?
5. It sounds like a cheap lease machine is the way to go before adding XP to this one. I thought I was doing the right thing by purchasing a new computer dedicated for this purpose and thought I did enough investigating. Maybe I didn't!

Thanks again

 Colin

33

General Mach Discussion / Re: Should I scrap Vista for XP?

« on: May 28, 2008, 11:58:25 PM »

Colin,

If you can scrap vista I would, seems most people work well with XP, question is do you have the XP OS on CD to do that. Next Q, since it a new system, I would recomend swapping out the HDD and using another to install XP on so as not to mess with the "factory installed" OS should you need warrenty service. Since it's a PCI card it should work, the address you gave here or on the other thread seemed strange to me is there any way you can assign 0X378 to that port? It seems like the # you gave may be a virtual port address and that may make a big difference if the PC has to jump through hoops to send a signal to it. Just a thought as I just recently upgraded to XP from 98 but each OS has it's "funny quirks" and I used to be much happier when I could set a hard address by jumpers rather than plug and play software, a whole lot less problems and trouble.

Kristin

Kristen,

I do not have XP on CD, of course when I purchased the computer they said they could install another HDD and load it there. As far as assigning a different port address such as OX378, You would have to explain how to do that to me..

I was just out in the shop checking for voltages as Hood had recommended and could not get anything on my dir pins 2(X),4(Y) or 6(Z) to a ground pin (18-25). (I believe I had the correct pins)

34

General Mach Discussion / Re: Should I scrap Vista for XP?

« on: May 28, 2008, 09:28:28 PM »

Kristen,

The PP (DB25?) is a Moschip aftermarket card I purchased. Recommended after I was told the USB adaptors would not carry the signals needed. I installed it, downloaded the drivers online because I couldn't figure how to get it off the CD they sent. I then followed Machs tutorials on how to designate the proper address, which seemed successful, I continued setting up via video (Great BTW!) to the point where he says: you should be able to move your motors only right now, the rest we will do later....Well, it's later and I am still waiting for my motors to move. I am kinda green with this so, if someone said burn it- then throw it to the dogs, I would.

Hood,

I have a meter and will do what you have suggested.

I do not mind messing with Vista as long as I will get working results in a reasonable amount of time. I want to use my mill, I am behind on a engine construction project and by letting this get in the way, it is starting to consume me.

Colin

35

General Mach Discussion / Re: Vista, Mach3 Help!

« on: May 28, 2008, 08:29:40 PM »

Have you got the correct port address set in Mach? If its a PCI port you will need to look and see what its address is in Control Panel , System, Hardware, Device Manager then Ports. Look at the resources tab of your port and the first four digits will be what you enter in the Ports and Pins for Port 1 address.
Hood

Hi Hood,

Yes, I Think so, I have entered the port address example: B800 is what it is telling me in the resource folder. I even tried the other addresses as well. I just keep running into the same thing (No motor movement). Does it make a difference where the DIP switches are positioned on my driver boards are? I left them set where they were when I got them from PMDX? After looking at the spec.s, I know they will be changed but, did not think those changes would affect my current problem of no movement. Those changes it looks like are as follows: Motor current rating (I will be increasing this), Driver response to Step Input ( Set on eighth steps now?) Motors are oriental, pk-266-e2.0a,reduced current is disabled, step polarity is open or up (acting on the risingedge). It took a couple of try's to get all the start up settings for mach3 to get me to this point of just being able to get the motors to move. Just have not been able to get past this point.

36

General Mach Discussion / Should I scrap Vista for XP?

« on: May 28, 2008, 03:43:19 PM »

Is there anyone successfully using Vista with Mach3 2.0. I am a newbie with a newly retrofitted mill and I believe Vista is the problem. Thanks Colin

37

General Mach Discussion / Re: Vista, Mach3 Help!

« on: May 27, 2008, 09:08:31 PM »

Could port direction be causing my problem?...What is port direction and how can I check it?

38

General Mach Discussion / Re: Vista, Mach3 Help!

« on: May 27, 2008, 08:46:30 PM »

Thanks Hood,

I did do that and have not had any luck there as well. One thing I do know is, in the diagnostics page where the port pin status is , it shows which ones are green and I guess active. Does this help? Colin

39

General Mach Discussion / Vista, Mach3 Help!

« on: May 27, 2008, 04:48:19 PM »

I am new to this stuff like many other folks and hoping to get some input as to why I cannot get mach3 which appears to be functioning according to the tutorials so far, will not run the motors on this initial start up. Someone has advised that I check to make sure the port I installed is working and to use parmon which is what I plan to do if I can figure it out, also he had me check to see if a printer would work to see if it was getting that far. Finally was able to get that to work but, still no response to the mill. My mill is a retrofitted Questech Micromill with PMDX 122 & 150's. Motors work if I use the test mode buttons on the boards, leds are showing to be normal "All is well and active".

I purchased a new HP PC/Vista with only usb ports, I was told to install this moschip parallel port, which I did along with the drivers and they too seem to be working according to Vista, I am lost and need some help! Thanks in advance for any help. Colin

40

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Getting up and running in Vista

« on: May 26, 2008, 12:02:23 AM »

I am new to this forum and glad it is here. I will go right to my problem, I have recently retrofitted a Questech mill (Sherline) with PMDX equipment, have a new HP 6400 series (Vista) dedicated for this machine. As you might expect, I am having trouble getting my motors to jog with Mach3. I will try to consolidate what I have done so far and hope maybe I can be directed what I am doing wrong or have not been able to do due to lack of understanding all this. I also have Bobcad, which in order to open it I had to go into the program files and make compatibility changes.
This being said, I have done sort of the same changes for mach3, then I had to install a moschip parallel port in my PCI slot and download a driver for it since the computer only came with USB. I tried numerous times to get a wave form and finally got that, with a good freq. pulse, set the config. the way he describes with pin numbers I believe are correct from PMDX spec. sheet. I am to the point where I am just trying to get the motors to respond from the keyboard or anywhere but the test switch on the PMDX-150 Driver. I feel there is something simple here that I have done wrong and/or overlooked.
This is all new to me so, I thought it was best to retrofit this mill and give me the hands-on approach and learn it this way.

Can anyone help?  Thanks Colin