Following a friend's recommendation I jumped head's first into this project bypassing TurboCNC and other software options and selected Mach3.

I have went thru the installation video tutorial and followed it step by step.
When I got to the motor tuning section, the motor would not move.

Hardware Connection
1. IBM T40 Laptop parallel port -> cnc4pc Bidirectional Breakout Board (BDBB).
2. External 5VDC -> cnc4pc BDBB 5VDC & Enable.  GND -> GND.
3. BDBB pin 2 -> Gecko 201 STEP.
   BDBB pin 3 -> Gecko 201 DIR.
   BDBB 5VDC -> Gecko 201 COMMON
   - BDBB jumper set to 2-3 position for output
4. External 24VDC connected Gecko 201 24 to 80 VDC.  GND -> POWER GND.
5. Gecko phase A -> homeshopcnc RHT23-260 stepper black wire
   Gecko phase B -> homeshopcnc RHT23-260 stepper green wire
   Gecko phase C -> homeshopcnc RHT23-260 stepper red wire
   Gecko phase D -> homeshopcnc RHT23-260 stepper blue wire

When I power everything up the motor does lockup.  But when I attempt to jog it under Mach3 Motor Tuning it does not move (I have touched on the graph then UP/DOWN key).

My T40 laptop have 4.85 VDC output thru the parallel port.
I have since tried it with a desktop, swamping out with another set of gecko 201 driver and bypassing the cnc4pc break out board but still no motion.
I have checked all gecko 201 drive, resistance between POWER GND and PHASE is 99 KOhms, indicating the driver is still good.

Here's the mach3mill.xml file for reference.

Please help this Mach3 newbie.

Did you do the driver test?

Hi

Haven't had a look at your XML file but looking at what you've described, you state that pin 2 is connected to both the step and dir line. The step and dir line should each have their own pin e.g
Step - Pin 2
Dir - Pin 3

If both step and dir are connected to the same pin then as each step pulse is sent,the dir line will change leading to the motor vibrating on the spot. Due to the step size being so small you probably won't see the motor trying to move.

Cheers

Dave

Hi Brian,
I'm sorry for getting back so late.  I was waiting for the new BDBB from cnc4pc.

The driver test was sucessful.

Interrupt Used: 00
Pulse per Second in 25Khz Mode = 96
Apic Present = TRUE
CPU Speed = 1299
Apic Timming Constant = ...
Shortest Time = 135.167
Longest Time = 10016.0

POPUP: Mach1 test complete.

I have tried the following as troubleshooting.

1. Manual stepping the Gecko STEP by connecting it to a 5 VDC.  Both the STEP and DIR works perfectly.  The motor turns finally.
2. I called up Gecko and talked to their tech support appararently the orignal BDBB did not supplied enough current (LS7400), I have since got a replacement (rev4 with SN74ACT245N).  It still does not work
3. I've checked the output coming out of my parallel port cable with my Fluke 87 DVM.  Pin 2,3,4,5,6,7 vs 25 I get 4.85V

Is there anything else I should check?

Hi David,
You're absolutely correct, I made a typo (since corrected) in the original post.

This is odd you should be running at this point... So you have a PC4CNC board that is going to the geckos. Are there any led's on the board so you can see that it is getting pulses? Also when you install DO NOT uncheck the load driver. Be sure that the control is set to online. That is about all I can think of at this point.

When I installed Mach3 R1.84.001 there is not any really any option to uncheck the driver.  I do notice it install some dll/ocx after the primary software completed.

The PC4CNC's  BDBB does not have any LED on it.  I tried connecting the a LED & 110 Ohms resistor in from the pin 2 (STEP) and +5 VDC.  The led is off.  It seems like the STEP is locked to high cause when I measure it with my Fluke I get 5.01V.

BTW what you you mean "be sure taht the dcontrol is set to online"?
There is only one "OFFLINE" button.  Normally is not highlighted.  When I press it it flashed yellow.  I have tried it both ways and still no affect.

When I use the Up/Down and Left/Right arrow keys, I do notice that the X & Y on the screen values changes but no motor action.

I think I'll need to get a scope and check on the pulse train next.

Thanx for the help thus far.

If you have a scope I think that is the best place to start

Have you checked that you cable is all wires connected and through wired?

Cheers

Dave