Make sure to use the latest version of Mach, the SmoothStepper driver and SmoothStepper plug-in. a few versions back there was a change in Mach that required a change in the SS plug-in. This means you can mix and match older versions of Mach with the newer versions the SmoothStepper plug-in or vise versa.

I would also suggest trying things out with a fresh new profile to make sure you don't have some goofy setting has crept in.

Nothing should have changed with my system to cause it to fail, it's only job is to make parts. There were no updates or changes to the machine or computer system so something creeping in would have a real challenge.
Not only did I try a new profile, but I installed Mach3 on a totally different desktop CPU which never had Mach 3 or SS installed. When completed, all the revs for Mach 3 and SS were new and most current, the system gave me all the LEDs with the flashing red LED. As soon as I pressed RESET a few times on the MACH screen, the red LED went dark and the new Mach 3 on the new computer became unresponsive and required a reboot.
It's really looking like there is some type of problem with the SmoothStepper. Unless there is something else I can test on the SS, I'm afraid it's a loss of a very cool interface and I'll have to go back to a parallel port type of interface. What would you do next?

Does the lockup only happen when pressing Reset from an enable condition, what I mean by that is when the Reset is not flashing and you press reset.

Hood

Hood,
To isolate any other potential interference with another device, I have the SS board itself with plugged into the USB port. Nothing else is connected to the SS, just computer and SS. So to the RESET is always flashing when I press it. Since there is no ESTOP feedback, Mach 3 goes back to the flashing RESET. I really don't see any reason why Mach 3 should ever lock up no matter how many times RESET is pressed or what condition it's in when it's pressed.
The original problem showed up when I was running the MPG#1 and Mach 3 locked up with the charge pump active! After reading other posts about noise and cables, I swapped cables around and eliminated any noise sources. I also installed Mach 3 and SS on a new computer with the same problem.
Thanks for helping...

Are you just pressing reset in quick sucession, press-press-press-press? If so, why? I could see a situation where Mach and the SS could get out of sync if you did that. In fact I just tried it and could get a lock up on a known working SS by not having anythinh hooked up and pressing reset about 10 times in 3 seconds (But again why would one ever do that? I mean it shoudl not lock up but what does pressign Reset in rapid sucession prove?)

I have heard of folks some of the CNC4PC BOBs and VistaCNC pendants having problems with their system lock up. Have you tried running the system without the MPG?

Hi Jeff,
Pressing the RESET is about the only thing you can do with nothing hooked up to the SS but the USB. I'm not sure what practical operation would ever require this situation, but I think you have to agree that nothing, meaning NOTHING, should cause a lockup, regardless of why we are doing it. That's called a bug. I may have other problems, but this demonstrates an undesired and undocumented behavior!
Yes, I have run the system without the MPG, and it still locks up. Thanks, Robert

Sometimes problems like this turn stem from the current methodology that Mach uses for motion plug-ins. I think as time goes on we'll see both Mach and the external motion plug-ins improve as they both learn the best ways to interact. If you go into Ports&Pins you can toggle the Active Low setting for EStop which will allow you to reset Mach. That might allow further testing.

Do you have any macro pumps or other plug-ins running?

If you want to send your SS to me I would be glad to test it out. I bet Greg at Warp9 would test it for you as well.

Thanks a bunch Jeff!
I agree with your analysis about the motion plug-ins methodology, and hopefully Greg can circumvent the undesirable side effects. I do not have any other plug-ins or macro pumps running, but I like your idea about the active low ESTOP, at least I could test the rest of the SS operation. Thank you for your offer to test out my SS, Greg has done the same and if we can't get everything figured out and it looks like the SS is failing, I'll probably replace it nonetheless.
Right now however, I (sadly) reverted my mill to parallel port operation, to make parts, so the SS is not controlling anything. Hood and Greg are working on some test plug-ins, and hopefully with those, we can get to the bottom of all this stuff! Cheers, -Robert

I am just doing the testing, Gregs the man thats doing it
Hood