About a year ago I bought a new three axis mill and controls and loaded up the then current lockeddown version of Mach3.
Loved it, worked great!
A few days ago that computer blew up and I had to replace it with a new one. The new computer is basically the same as the old and runs Windows XP - same as the old.
I could only get the machine to run on manual continuous jog. Any attempt to run step jog or code resulted in software lockup.
I did several reloads on two differant computers and, Yes, I rebooted after each download.
Finally, I loaded the legacy version 2.63. Runs like a top.
Just though you guys would like to know that there is apparently some issue with the new version going retro on fairly recent machines.

Wade,

This sounds really weird as I have updated to the latest lock-down versions, as they become available, and not had any issues at all.

Perhaps someone may be able to suggest a possible reason for your problem and I for one would be most interested in the outcome.

Tweakie.

What are the specs of the HP you are using?
Hood

I've changed to a Dell, but now suspect there was nothing wrong with the HP since I had exactly the same problem with the Dell untill loading the older version Mach3. The HP was a 2.8 GZ dual pentium 1 meg ram runing Windows XP, virtually idenical to the Dell. The original computer that blew up was also virtually idenical, but had the older version of Mach3.
I had a problem with the HP to begin with that was quite differant. About every 30 seconds or so all three corrdinates would jump. I solved that problem by running the recovery disk. Apparenly something was stepping on the port (I had a lot of stuff on that machine). After fixing that I started trying the current Mach3 out and ran into the problem discussed above. After several total erasures of the current Mach 3 (including the driver) followed by reloads I gave up and changed to the Dell. I had exactly the same problem. Tried several erasures and reloads on that and finally loaded the older version Mach3 which ran like a top.
I don't have a clue what the problem was, but the older version cured it. Though I don't see how, there must be some compatability problem with the control board of the mill which was supplied by Romaxx CNC out of Michigan. It has been a great setup and works like a champ.
Hope this is of some help.

Definitely something weird, Dells not renowned for being the best with Mach but loads work fine.
Oh well at least you have it running now.
Hood

Hood was there a change in the XML between older and newr versions? That sounds like the problem.  You may have to do a manual config of mach??

Just a thought(;-) TP

Hood was there a change in the XML between older and newr versions? That sounds like the problem.  You may have to do a manual config of mach??

Just a thought(;-) TP

Certainly not bothered me on the Bridgeport that has been on the go for around 6yrs. However saying that I did upgrade usually as each new revision came out so maybe the jump from such an early version to the latest is the cause, certainly worth a go.
Hood

Just to give you guys an update, after I got the 2.63 version running on both my Dell and HP, I tried loading the current lockdown version and the beta version (separately) back over the 2.63 version. The same problems came back on both computers. I then had to un-install everything and reload 2.63.
I know the 2.63 is older than the version I had originally installed on the computer that blew up (I down loaded that in March of last year, didn't think to record the version number ).
I am currently running the machine on the HP. I ran into occasional software reset trips with the Dell while a program was running (seemed to be at random places in the middle of a straight go to line of code - don't know what that was about).
Anyway, that's where things stand. Thanks again for taking the time to help.

I have the latest version working on several Dell's and have had no problems. You made one statement that you had a lot of stuff loaded on the HP and that would be the first place I would look. All the documentation says to have as clean a machine as possible, and there are instructions on how to optimize for MACH3. The more stuff you have running on the computer the more likelyhood of having problems. The machine that is running MACH wants to have as much processor time to dedicate to the motion routines, and anything else that is running on the computer will be taking away from MACH. An older computer that you can dedicate will outperform a newer computer that is all juked up with other stuff running as that stuff all steals time that MACH needs to work. Kind of like what happens when teens try to use the cell phone or text while driving. The main task suffers because all the other tasks take too much away from it.