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Author Topic: After all these years...(2009)  (Read 5134 times)

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After all these years...(2009)
« on: July 04, 2014, 10:32:39 AM »
Well, the inevitable has happened....hard drives do not last forever! Luckily this happened on a boot-up - "boot disc failure."

I was using an old version R2.042.30 and was doing fine so now must reconfigure a new hard drive and reload Mach3. (thinking about one of the new SSD's but they're all so large - 180 GB is the smallest I have located.) I found a back-up of the .XML file and hope that is all I need to get back running again. But - it occurs to me that 'why not upgrade?' since many improvements have been made with Mach3, go with the current version. This is a machine dedicated computer....

A question or two may help: Will my old license work with the new software and can I upgrade with the old XML file? I had also licensed an add-on...which I used too.

Its been a while since checking in and this machine has been making parts right along. I still build miniature IC engines and have also been doing some gunsmithing on the machine. Having the machine computer fail in such a catastrophic manner has made me very sad - very sad indeed! But maybe with some help it will recover without too much anguish.

Thanks kindly!   
Re: After all these years...(2009)
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2014, 01:32:43 PM »
I have found and read that the license is good with the latest version.... but discouraged if current version works OK ( correct: R3.042.020) And making an assumption: the XML file will work as well..... but no need....

Everybody must be in July 4th celebration mode! (where I should be but my CNC mill has become a very necessary tool...and hard to do without!)
« Last Edit: July 04, 2014, 01:41:32 PM by BClemens »

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: After all these years...(2009)
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2014, 01:29:31 AM »
I agree with your findings - Unless you have a good reason to update then stick with the version you currently use and yes your license and .xml files will work just fine on your new HD.

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: After all these years...(2009)
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2014, 05:35:18 AM »
Thanks Tweakie. The SSD is another dilemma which may not be worth the upgrade, at least at this point in time. The new hard drives are now serial data and in my older machine they were parallel. I ordered a PCI card to convert to serial data but at this point my main concern is to get the Mach3 system back in motion with the conversions that were performed to the machine to do so - ie: additional USB's and an additional parallel port for a pendent.

This is also a totally new installation of XP on a new hard drive. I had purchased a new installation of XP a couple of years ago...happy about that now! Waiting for delivery of a new (old stock) 40GB HD.... Small new (<120GB) hard drives are tough to find! HHD's now are all massive...even the SSD's.

Thanks again,

Bill C.
Re: After all these years...(2009)
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2014, 07:45:00 PM »
Mach3 is installed, license shows as is should but the xml file does absolutely nothing. Checking 'ports and pins' appears to be all zeros or totally blank. The XML seems to have data when pulled but doesn't have any effect when placed into the Mach3 file. What the hey have I missed here?

I'm not sure why the double dot but I've tried it both ways and Mach 3 does not read these XML settings... I'm afraid...

Thanks much.

Do we need to remove the existing .xml files?



  
« Last Edit: July 11, 2014, 07:52:11 PM by BClemens »
Re: After all these years...(2009)
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2014, 11:32:26 AM »
Got Mach3 working with the correct xml file, so now I have no parallel port! First the hard drive locks up for no apparent reason (old age maybe) now it appears that the parallel port on the mother board no longer functions. Mach3 is indicating moves on the DRO but nothing is happening. This would be OK if I had had some forewarning that something was failing... Must start from scratch! Anybody want to buy a perfectly good NC mill with no operating system? Am I the only one reading this?

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: After all these years...(2009)
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2014, 01:29:24 PM »
I'm reading Bill - unfortunately I can't make any suggestions that will help you sort out the problem. Sounds like a new PC is required ?

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: After all these years...(2009)
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2014, 02:00:17 PM »
Whoop! Machine's not for sale any more....got it running again! I located the books of reference data that I compiled when this machine was converted and they helped immensely - my memory has gotten really bad for details like these...

Tweakie, I'm not going to tell you what I found - it's embarrassing.... But the parallel ports were alright all along - even the addresses were correct! (on both ports!)  ::)

Now back to some meaningful fun stuff!

Thanks Tweakie! It's that cape!  ;D

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: After all these years...(2009)
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2014, 02:17:51 PM »
I am really pleased that you got it sorted Bill.  :)

Tweakie.
PEACE