Hi, sometimes when I switch on Mach3 in the morning the first couple of attempts to cut a component the spindle and steppers switch off in mid cut. The error code "Driver watchdog triggered". I reboot Mach 3 each time and after a couple of false starts all appears to be OK, I then use the machine all day, most of the time cutting metal, with no problems. Searched all the forum but cant find a solution. The machine is in a wooden built workshop at the bottom of the garden and this error fault appear when the weather is cold, not frosty but in single digit temperatures. I can live with this but would like to no the possible cause and solution to the fault

Sounds like mechanical tightness in the guides due to cold and perhaps lack of lubrication.

Brian.

Try turning OFF the driver watchdawg.  It is on the gen config page RH side. It is NOT needed for normal useage.

(;-) TP

Cheers BR549, after I had posted I remembered I had trouble last year with the spindle turning off when it was not even cutting. I have an old LYNX spindle drive built in 1988, it tends to wander with its RPM when cold so it could be that, I used to have a big friendly spider that used to wander around the electronic board and thought it was him (her), don't like spiders so left it alone.
Just seen the turn off watchdog option so will try it tomorrow. Thanks mate. Jim

Hi,
Strangely, my machine has just started giving "driver watchdog triggered" errors out of the blue. The machine to date has been very stable running for a number of years, no new software and not connected to the interent, so I can't imagine that anything has changed. The watchdog errors can occur whilst the machine is executing a program but also when it is standing idle with nothing going on.
I have just disabled watchdogs in general config - and so far so good. Bigger test coming on shortly.
What exactly have i disabled?
Watchdogs sound like good things - is it really ok to disable them?
Ian

Not very good on electronics but looked on the internet I understand its a background checking  process, hence the word watchdog that is monitoring the parallel port driver performance. If the driver starts under performing, the watchdog alerts you to that fact.

This can happen because your machine has other processes competing for resources. Perhaps you're running other programs, your screensaver has started or a spywear or your firewall is checking your machine for errors. You can either turn off the watchdog, or try and disable other things that may be interfering with the driver timing. If you're already running a computer that's not on the internet, then it might be telling you that you need more CPU power or RAM, however in my case I just felt its other background processes that are running when I start the computer. If I wait 5mins after I turn on my computer before calling up the mach3 program it then doesn't happen, so i haven't turned off my watchdog option I just have a cuppa between switching on the computer and running the Mach3 program. At my age I ain't in no rush, don't take my advice as Gospel as I'm a metal basher by trade, hope this helps. Jim