We purchased a mini mill with a gecko g540 controler and mach3 software from a vendor called deepgroove1, we intend to use the machine for engraving. the problem is we can't get it going and the vemndor has not been really helpfull.
we started with a new pc we built with a pci parallel port card, running xp por at thei point after trying a number of different settings etc, we can't get the motors to run.
when the controler is on the motors lock up and the green light on the controler is on. the software seems to be working, in the jog control when the buttons are pushed the dro's work. but the motors don't move.

I am also unable to find the port address for the parallel port and to see how it is set, ie ecp, epp. when you check the port in settings in the seystem information it shows the port, but the information windoe is blank.

after getting nowhere with this we installed the software on an old pc with built in parallel port running win2000 and set the parallel port configuration and loaded the gecko file . but with this setup the dro's don't change and the lights on the port status are all off. we have checked all the configuration settings and all seems correct.

anyone have any suggestions what to try?

Did you set up and assign all the parallel port pins? The DRO's won't do anything until all the axis are setup in ports and pins

yes, we have done all the pin assignments and other setup configurations