My USB SmoothStep has been running successfully for over two years from a laptop, but for various reasons I decided to buy a new desktop. For info my machine is a homebuilt version of Joe's CNC...with a controller using a Gecko 540. Should have been simple to switch, right? It took me about twelve hours to figure it out, or more accurately to luck out into the solution. After reading my brains out here and on the Warp9 forum and some other places, here was my final list of actions (ps - this forum had the best information):
1. Changed out USB cable for more robust one with ferrite choke cores on it.
2. Deleted old Mach 3 install
3. Deleted old Smooth Stepper installs including driver
4. Deleted auto shutoffs in Power Management of Win 7
5. Deleted auto USB power shutoff in Device Manager
6. Deleted internet and network connections.
7. Deleted Norton.
8. Turned off screen savers and updaters.
9. Changed ground wire on Smooth Stepper from the electronic ground to a PC chassis ground.
Before I did #9, the PC only saw the SmoothStepper erratically, and many strange messages popped up. I have read, but do not understand that laptops have a "floating ground", and perhaps that is why my old setup worked. So this solution may not be quite to the standards of the electronic gurus, but I think that was the step that fixed the situation. Anyway, I am glad it is done, and perhaps someone can benefit.
Angie
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