Hi all. As luck would have it, my Windows XP PC blew up. I managed to source a Windows 7 PC with a parallel port, install mach3 and transfer over my config XML and license from an old backup. Doing this seems to have transferred over the pin settings etc, but I can't get any movement out of the motors. The DRO is changing like the machine is moving when I use the arrow keys, but the motors aren't working and the spindle won't start up with the usual command either. I can hear the motors engage when I turn on the control box.

The control box's red e-stop LED won't turn off either, which is probably telling of some kind of issue, and it will go off momentarily during startup (and also by pure luck if I press the movement keys in a certain order with mach3 open).

I've flicked through all the modes for the PP in the bios and tried each one, the port address is definitely correct, the mach3 drivertest tool runs fine. I've gone through several threads and the fix always has something to do with the port address.

I've been scratching my head and trawling forums for days looking for a solution to no avail.

maybe your PP is a 3.3V version. i think you have to check with voltmeter.
there are a couple of tutorials on youtube.

maybe your PP is a 3.3V version. i think you have to check with voltmeter.
there are a couple of tutorials on youtube.

Thanks for your reply. Is Mach3 not compatible with this type of port? Do you have a link to a tutorial as I can only find information about testing functionality

it's not Mach3 your stepper drivers may not be able to run at a 3.3V PP.
you should also check settings in bios for PP-card

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uglCm_qsojk&t=337s
 

Can you give us some info on your  Break out board or what ever connects the parallel port to the stepper drivers?

Hi,
the majority of breakout boards used, particularly in older installations require 5V signals from the parallel port. From
the nature of the discussion it sounds like your new PC may only have 3.3V outputs, in which case you older breakout board
may not work or at least be flakey.

The are some possibilites:
1) Replace the breakout board but of a later design that has 3.3V compliant inputs.
2) Put in a different parallel port card, one that is known to work. There are quite a few parallel port cards that do not work, they work well enough for
a printer but fail to comply with the full port standard and therefore fail for use with Mach3. Try PMDX, they supply parallel port cards that have been proven for
Mach use.
3) Ditch the parallel port and all its shortcomings altogether and get yourself an external motion controller. The UC100 is very popular even after many years.
It is USB connected to the PC but has a DB25 (parallel port output) socket and would plug directly into your breakout board.  Note that there are tons of UC100
rip-offs on Ebay and Amazon, but a genuine UC100 (CNCDrive) or don't bother. The rip-offs are not a patch on the real thing. Another popular motion controller
is the Ethernet SmoothStepper. It has three output ports, so very considerably more IO than your current installation. You'd need an IDC-to-DB25 cable ($9.00)
to plug your breakout board into it.

I upgraded from a parallel port many years ago to an ESS. I'd always thought Mach3's parallel port worked pretty well until I got an ESS. It ran that much
smoother I was able to run my steppers 1/3 faster without losing steps. I also found that the any extra software or running programs that used to screw
the parallel port had no effect on the ESS. Lastly now I could use any 64bit PC and 64bit OS like Windows 10, whereas with a parallel port you are limited
to 32bit OS's Windows 7 or earlier.

I also upgraded to Mach4 which was a real good step in the right direction, its light years ahead in my opinion.

Craig

it's not Mach3 your stepper drivers may not be able to run at a 3.3V PP.
you should also check settings in bios for PP-card

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uglCm_qsojk&t=337s

Thank you very much for this. It started me down the path to getting the issue resolved. Turns out the PP was the correct version, it was just either broken (or the card was), or just not getting along with Mach3. I had a prod around with a paperclip and a multimeter and it wasn't outputting anything to the pins controlling the XYZ motors. My friend's oscilloscope confirmed as much.

I ended up getting a UC100 USB motion controller and just bypassing the whole PP mess. I highly recommend this to anyone who is struggling with the same problem after eliminating the usual suspects.

Can you give us some info on your  Break out board or what ever connects the parallel port to the stepper drivers?

I wish I had some info on my BoB! It's some obsolete tech from a company long gone, no docs available. I have designs on reworking the whole thing when I have a bit more confidence.

For the time being, I used a UC100 motion controller to bypass the whole PP mess.

Hi,
the majority of breakout boards used, particularly in older installations require 5V signals from the parallel port. From
the nature of the discussion it sounds like your new PC may only have 3.3V outputs, in which case you older breakout board
may not work or at least be flakey.

The are some possibilites:
1) Replace the breakout board but of a later design that has 3.3V compliant inputs.
2) Put in a different parallel port card, one that is known to work. There are quite a few parallel port cards that do not work, they work well enough for
a printer but fail to comply with the full port standard and therefore fail for use with Mach3. Try PMDX, they supply parallel port cards that have been proven for
Mach use.
3) Ditch the parallel port and all its shortcomings altogether and get yourself an external motion controller. The UC100 is very popular even after many years.
It is USB connected to the PC but has a DB25 (parallel port output) socket and would plug directly into your breakout board.  Note that there are tons of UC100
rip-offs on Ebay and Amazon, but a genuine UC100 (CNCDrive) or don't bother. The rip-offs are not a patch on the real thing. Another popular motion controller
is the Ethernet SmoothStepper. It has three output ports, so very considerably more IO than your current installation. You'd need an IDC-to-DB25 cable ($9.00)
to plug your breakout board into it.

I upgraded from a parallel port many years ago to an ESS. I'd always thought Mach3's parallel port worked pretty well until I got an ESS. It ran that much
smoother I was able to run my steppers 1/3 faster without losing steps. I also found that the any extra software or running programs that used to screw
the parallel port had no effect on the ESS. Lastly now I could use any 64bit PC and 64bit OS like Windows 10, whereas with a parallel port you are limited
to 32bit OS's Windows 7 or earlier.

I also upgraded to Mach4 which was a real good step in the right direction, its light years ahead in my opinion.

Craig

Thanks so much for the in-depth response Craig, it is much appreciated. I ended up going down the UC100 route like you mentioned, I've related the whole ordeal in another comment.