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Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« on: November 18, 2019, 10:03:22 AM »
Firstly "Hello" to All,

I am new to this forum with some knowledge on software, trying to get Mach 4 running on Windows XP.

PC - Dell Optiplex GX280 Pentium 4 Tower, 2G Ram, etc. specifiation checked against requirements for Mach 4.
Windows XP Professional.
Windows updates complete, as far as availibility allows, with SP3, on and loaded.
Mach 4, Download Successful!
vc-edit loaded.
At present no separate Graphics Card installed. Running on, on board Graphics, until I am sure Mach 4 will run!!

My problem is that having got over some of the missing ".dll" files, I am now left with another problem, which is, when I try to run Mach 4 from the the Start Button I get the following message "The procedure entry point InitializeCriticalSectionEx could not be located in the dynamic link library KERNEL32.dll"  I researched this message, and it apparently was not addressed until Windows Vista OS.

So could anyone help me sort this, as some of you say you are running Mach 4 on XP. -  HOW!!!! as in the write up it is stated it will run on Win XP

I'm trying to sort this out so that my husband can decide whether to invest in the registered version.

I do the IT, my husband's the engineer.

Many thanks in advanced, from a very stressed newcomer Jennie
Re: Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2019, 12:38:15 PM »
Hi,
why XP?. It hasn't been supported for years, even Windows 7 is looking pretty dated.

My machine runs on a diminutive dual core Atom mini-ITX single board PC with on chip graphics with Windows 7 32bit and it
runs Mach4 just fine. My 'home' laptop has, and does on occasion run my mill, has variously been Windows 8, Windows 7 64 bit
and Windows 7 32 bit, all run Mach4 just fine. My development PC is Windows 10 Pro and runs Mach4 (and CAD/CAM) just fine.

Even the very cheapest Mach4 motion controller and the cheapest Chinese machine are still likely to be $1000 plus, do you
really need to economize by running a 15 year old operating system?

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2019, 12:45:06 PM »
Hi,
by the way......if you need to explain to your husband why XP won't work and need an Engineering argument
to support migrating to Windows 7 or later its 'don't be a bloody plonker....get  up to date!'

Being an engineer myself I am delighted to be able to use such precision language with just a hint of emotion.... ;D

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2019, 03:34:00 PM »
Thanks Craig,

For your reply, but I was using this PC before I ventured into rebooting and loading Windows 7 or 10 on it, as it was said to be able to use and run it on Windows XP in the Mach 4 details.

But I only asked a question if anyone had, had the same problem. There was no need to be offensive in your reply. Even with humour in it.

As I have reloaded the software in the meantime and got the same response I was already of the opinion of putting the current windows on, it was just going to be a test run.

But I would liked to have resolved the question first, for myself.

Haven't you as an engineer wanted to resolve a problem you may have had, before going on to the next job in hand.

So if I ask a reasonable question in the future I hope it would be reasonable reply.

Jennie



 
Re: Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2019, 08:45:46 PM »
jennie
i feel that i must say in this topic ,i agree 100% +   with craig
in my working i sell software also in many countries in the world ,and i learn from very bad experience
that if you try waste time to fit yours system to any old pc or system ,you maybe success maybe not ,
but the time you waste for that is so high so you ALWAYS sorry for that you even start with that
yaakov
Re: Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2019, 01:39:43 AM »
Hi,

Quote
There was no need to be offensive in your reply

My apologies, it was not my intention to offend, maybe customs are different in your part of the world but this sort of
comment does not ruffle feathers here.

Quote
Haven't you as an engineer wanted to resolve a problem you may have had, before going on to the next job in hand.

By all means yes, if, and the operative word here is 'if' there is a reasonable learning outcome to be had in pursuing a particular
idea to its conclusion however difficult that may be. In this instance even if you get Mach4 to work on XP....so what.....what have
you gained?

I have been using Mach4 for four years and I can assure you there is a wealth of stuff to learn, APIs, how Mach is structured, coding in
Lua, APIs, and Oh, have I mentioned APIs yet? My suggestion would be choose an OS like Windows 7, being Mach4 ready, and save
all that brain power for the real stuff yet to come.

Quote
So if I ask a reasonable question in the future I hope it would be reasonable reply.

Not withstanding the gybe in my reply....my reply IS reasonable, not necessarily palatable but reasonable none the less.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'

Offline smurph

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Re: Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2019, 02:43:34 PM »
We do not support XP anymore with the new builds that have video capability.  The OpenCV library that we link with uses InitializeCriticalSectionEx(), which is not available in XP.  Build 4162 is the latest release that supported XP.  Build 4219 is the latest dev build on the FTP site that will work with XP.

XP is dead.  The rest of the world is moving on.  We tried to support it as long as possible but at this point, it is not possible any longer.

Due to a miscommunication, our web site developer hasn't taken the XP support off.  We had planned to put a link to the last builds that supported XP up on the website.  Hopefully this will be done soon.

Steve
Re: Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2019, 05:34:52 PM »
Hi,

Thank you Steve, that is all I needed to know, was an explanation to the query.

You will all be pleased to know that I will not be progressing that avenue any further. I have already sourced another PC, so now looking forward to downloading the software and getting it all up and running.

Thank you all for your replies.

Regards

Jennie

Offline Rimmel

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Re: Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2020, 03:00:48 PM »
Hi,
why XP?. It hasn't been supported for years, even Windows 7 is looking pretty dated.
Win 7 is the best OS MS has ever produced. Win 10 is an abomination.

Offline thosj

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Re: Running Mach 4 ver.2 on Windows XP
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2020, 09:05:20 AM »
Hi,
why XP?. It hasn't been supported for years, even Windows 7 is looking pretty dated.
Win 7 is the best OS MS has ever produced. Win 10 is an abomination.
Cool. I guess the answer is use something that works with XP then, not Mach4.
--
Tom