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Author Topic: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)  (Read 15003 times)

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Offline matd

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mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« on: December 02, 2007, 10:37:31 AM »
Hello,

Ik have used the demo of mach 3 a while to do some test with my first cnc made of wood. Now that I know that it works, I am building a second cnc which is more expensive, more accurate,...
I used mach 3 on a pc with windows XP intalled standard on it and it worked fine.

Unfortunately, that pc is needed by someone else, so I am forced to use another one. So it took an old pc with windows 98 standard on it and putted windows 2000 on it.
Mach 3 runs on it after running the "special driver", but it won't move the steppers. The configuration in pins and ports is exactly the same as the pc I had before (the one with XP).
There is nothing wrong with te electronics (I just tested them with the XP pc and worked fine with mach 3).
Already checked the device manager and port is located on 0378.
I like mach 3, it is simple and works well, but I do want it to run on the old computer first before I might purchase the license file in the future.
Can someone help me please?

Thank you

Mathias
« Last Edit: December 02, 2007, 10:53:03 AM by matd »

Offline Hood

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Re: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2007, 10:53:15 AM »
Check that the port is putting out the full  5V and also that the port actually works. You can test this by putting a voltmeter between one of your step pins and ground on the port then jog the axis one way then the other. It should toggle between 5v and 0v.

Hood

Offline matd

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Re: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2007, 11:21:44 AM »
Port is putting out 5V, but does not respond on changes.
I've also tried this on the working pc with XP on it, and here it reacts on the 3d pin when I move the X axis.
The pc with  windows 2000 does not react on the 3d pin when I move the X-axis. It stays on 5V.
When we first had the pc with windows 98 (the one that has 2000 now) it also had a printer that worked. The printer is gone now so I can't test it anymore.

Regards

Mathias

Offline matd

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Re: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2007, 03:00:58 PM »
kept on trying but still doesn't work.

anyone has answers or suggestions?

Offline Hood

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Re: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2007, 05:53:57 PM »
Check and check again that you have the correct port address in, also if you attach your xml file then we can have a look to see if we find anything wrong.  One last thing, do you definitly have the Mach engine installed, you will see this in your device manager.

Hood

Offline matd

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Re: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2007, 07:40:46 AM »
I'm only home in the weekends.
I will post the xml file friday or saturday. I'll also check the ports again.

regards

Offline matd

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Re: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2007, 02:13:39 PM »
Hello Hank,

I've put the xml files in a .rar file, did not know which one to send you. I've also putted some creenshots in the file for you to see that the PLT gate is correctly selected.
It is in Dutch, but the device manager says that the devices (PLT gate an mach engine) work correct.

Mathias

Offline Hood

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Re: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2007, 07:05:20 PM »
Yes it looks like your port is set up correctly, and although you sent the backup xml files they seem to be ok as well. I think it must just be a bad port, you could try deleting the port from device manager and rebooting so it gets reinstalled. Another thing you could try is when booting the PC measure the voltage on the pins and see if its always 5v.


Hood

Offline matd

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Re: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2007, 05:37:59 AM »
I have removed it from the device manager, rebooted the pc and the LPT gate was back. But mach still did not operate the cnc.
Als checked the 5V during startup: when it is turned on, the plt gate gives 0V untill windows is starting up, when it gives 5V (actually 5.95, but that is not a problem I guess?).
could it be that there is a problem with the program that runs the plt gate, as the windows 2000 is not the original windows 98 that was on the pc?

Mat
« Last Edit: December 09, 2007, 05:42:06 AM by matd »

Offline Hood

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Re: mach 3 worked on XP, but won't work on 2000 (older, other pc)
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2007, 07:58:32 AM »
I think you should really see the port toggle Hi/Lo as its booting, it might be that your volt meter is too slow to see the changes but if your voltage is flickering then that is probably what is happening.
 I think I would get a PCI Parallel port card and give that a go, here in the UK they are not that expensive and can be had from eBay for £10 and under.

Hood