clueless from Portsmouth needs advice

**Crazy L** · 20-09-2023

Hi again guys

I asked this in another post of mine but because the post was originally about something else, slightly, no one has answered me and that post probably ran its course.

So, I was thinking of selling my machine. On the day I was taking pictures, I found it didn't work. After listing on here I think, and on ebay, being as honest as I can, I had no takers. Alas.

So I decide to see what was wrong with, knowing full well it's the tower and after some messing around with the pc last week, it turns out, I believe, to be the motherboard. I've removed the hard drive, which had mach 3 and vista on it, and the serial port pci card, and slung the thing out the front, to go to the tip.

So, as I'm genuinely confused as to what to do with it, because I have a shed load of things going in my life and in my head right now, I'm asking opinions as to whether I should get a cheap 2nd hand laptop, an rs232 serial/usb adaptor (any good?), ask someone to help me with a copy of mach (or similar) and parameter setting up to get it going how it used to.. Or, sell it as is, with the tools/collets/aluminum I have, so someone can plug it to their pc, give it a few clicks and be done with it.

Give me your suggestions, greatly apprec'd.

Thanks in advance

**Neale** · 20-09-2023

You could buy a cheap second-hand PC off eBay for less than £100, install your existing PCI card in it (but make sure that if it is a full-height card, the PC is in a big enough box - a lot of the eBay PCs are "small form factor" which won't take a full-height card). Install Mach3 - you can still download it off the Internet. Copy across the existing licence file and settings from the old hard drive, and you are all set. Don't think about a USB/serial adapter - it probably would not work in this situation. All depends on whether you want to sell a working system or maybe keep it and use it, or just see the back of the whole thing with minimum effort.

Well, that's how I would do it, but I have to say that I'm better at IT than CNC...

**AndyUK** · 20-09-2023

Huh. Didn't realise you were so close. I'm over in Fareham and am regularly in Havant, so if you want some moral support and a second set of eyes I'm more than happy to pop by.

I might also have a spare PC tower we could poke to life in order to give it a try if you're interested. I'm more of a UCCNC user, but I'm sure we could threaten Mach3 into playing ball one way or another. I've also never used the Denford machines, but hey, it's just stepper motors and drivers after all.

**Crazy L** · 24-09-2023

Originally Posted by Neale

Install Mach3 - you can still download it off the Internet. Copy across the existing licence file and settings from the old hard drive, and you are all set.

Well, that's how I would do it, but I have to say that I'm better at IT than CNC...

Thanks for the reply Neale. I still have the install file on my everyday PC, so that's not a problem, I also don't have the licence key anymore. I bought the mill 2nd hand as a going concern, but when the hard drive dropped dead in that PC, I lost the lot, and the tower that's just died now was primed for use as it had vista installed.

I'm better at CNC than IT, but only if I'm at a heidenhain of fanuc control , lol.

**Crazy L** · 24-09-2023

Originally Posted by AndyUK

Huh. Didn't realise you were so close. I'm over in Fareham and am regularly in Havant, so if you want some moral support and a second set of eyes I'm more than happy to pop by.

I might also have a spare PC tower we could poke to life in order to give it a try if you're interested. I'm more of a UCCNC user, but I'm sure we could threaten Mach3 into playing ball one way or another. I've also never used the Denford machines, but hey, it's just stepper motors and drivers after all.

Thanks for the offer Andy. I don't even know what UCCNC is, lol, I'm guessing it's a controller software of some sort. That's how green I am. I can program the thing, but it's been the constant problems and not knowing how to solve them that has done my head in, also, too many hobbies. Could we sort out a meet up then? I may take you up on your offer,

**AlexDoran** · 02-10-2023

Im also in Havant, I work in IT and have lots of Pc Spares if you need anything, including lots of old Dell towers etc. Let me know, id be interested in your bucket of Aluminium, got any pics, what grades?

Thanks

Alex