MACH3 - Problem moving from XP to Windows 7

[m_c]

That won't be an easy thing to work out, short of reverse engineering that BOB :/

Have you got anyway to get the config of the computer that died?

I think at this point, I'd suggest ordering one of the generic 5-axis CNC Breakout Boards from eBay. And just checked, there is a solitary one available via Amazon Prime - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fasizi-Brea...dp/B09Z29TYNL/
There are a few resources for those generic BoBs, which removes having to guess what pins are required to get the Tonman BoB working.

[phill05]

Don't know if it helps but the yellow/blue power wires are in different position on middle driver.

Phill

[Robin Hewitt]

XP was the last Windows version where Bill Gates would let you anywhere near the timer interrupts. The moment he lets you in there he can't time-slice you if you start misbehaving. You can hack into a 1kHz interrupt but Bill can keep you waiting if he thinks he needs more processor time. Bad news if you want to keep those steppers rolling. Without control of the interrupts, you have to add another processor between Bill and your motors, one where you are in control.
Or something like that

[Mammers]

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and provide some advice- it is much appreciated

After much head-scratching, crying and pleading we finally got to the bottom of things. The parallel port on the new PC was just not outputting any signals. Whether that was due to the port being busted or Mach3 just not getting along with it I'm not sure. I used this video to get started https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uglCm_qsojk

After some suspect prodding about with a paperclip and a multimeter, I coaxed my friend over with the promise of food and coffee and he brought his oscilloscope to confirm that mach3 and the parallel port were not cooperating. I bought a UC100 motion controller to bypass the whole thing- I really do recommend one of these, well worth the money.

[cropwell]

Quick thought - check port address in Device Manager is same as entered. You probably have done that though. Forget it, I didn't read the whole thread first

[Mammers]

Thanks for replying anyway- that's definitely the number 1 cause of headache for this particular issue, from what I've been reading online. If anyone else is reading this with the same problem this should be your first port of call. Device manager > LPT Port 1 (or equivalent) > Resources > IO Range XXXX. It'll likely be 0378 or something like that, but not always. That then goes into Config > Ports & Pins > Port setup and axis selection. Make sure port 1 is enabled and the port address you found earlier is in there.

[cropwell]

I grew up before Windows - an Amstrad PC1640 - I had a lot of fun getting a plotter working on that. I like LPT ports, there again I like Victorian Engineering (probably for the same reasons).I am in my comfort zone with Mach3 and XP, but when that PC packs up it may very well be GRBL. I built a laser cutter and run it on GRBL and am starting to get familiar with it. Not quite what I want for a CNC mill, but I am only an amateur hobbyist and I like doing things on the cheap.

[Mammers]

I grew up before Windows - an Amstrad PC1640 - I had a lot of fun getting a plotter working on that. I like LPT ports, there again I like Victorian Engineering (probably for the same reasons).I am in my comfort zone with Mach3 and XP, but when that PC packs up it may very well be GRBL. I built a laser cutter and run it on GRBL and am starting to get familiar with it. Not quite what I want for a CNC mill, but I am only an amateur hobbyist and I like doing things on the cheap.

That's really interesting, I've never heard of GRBL. The amount of open-source stuff out there genuinely boggles my mind sometimes. What a time to be alive.