I wonder if anyone can help me sort this one out:

I tried 'dry running' Mach3, licensed version, on two computers:

Computer 1 (Athlon 2.01 GHz, 1Gb RAM). Running XP Home SP2 with updates.

Computer 2 (Dell 1100, Celeron 2.79 GHz, 1Gb RAM). Running XP Home SP2 as installed by Dell 25 May 2006.

The interface board requires step pulses on pins 2, 5 and 8 for X,Y and Z axes respectively.

On both computers the Mach3 software runs OK but when (with jog keys used to send pulses, or with a G-code file running) a 'scope is applied to the appropriate pins on the parallel port of either computer there is output only from the X axis (pin 2). No output on pin 5 or pin 8.

Suspecting that XP might be interfering with the parallel port I installed a PCI parallel port card on computer 2 and configured Mach 3 to direct the output to this port (port 2), but the problem persists.

Has anyone else had a similar problem, or is anyone aware of XP interfering with the use of the parallel ports?

In anticipation......

Many thanks


David

Check to see that you done have any other pins set set to the same number and be sure that you have it set to Port 1

Thankyou Brian.

It was the cable which I mistakenly thought was a 'straight-through' type when in fact it was a 'crossover' for linking two computers.....

David

I have had that happen to me in the past too  I took the loppers to the cable after that