Newbie CNC Computer Hardware Quest

[cropwell]

I, for one, celebrate the fact that Microshaft have stopped buggering about with XP. My CNC machine runs on a PC which does not have anything it can do without (Networking, Games etc) I have a PP card and the whole thing is fast to start up and stable.

[Musicmanager]

Gentlemen

Thank you for the advice .. .. you have actually confirmed my conclusions.. .. .. but inexperience and such of variety of conflicting information on the net makes a judgement all the more difficult to achieve.

I intend to purchase the industrial cased machine and format and load it with Win 7; load it with Mach 3 and Circuit Wizard and also a small program I've seen called Auto-Leveller which, if it's half as good as I think will serve me well milling PCB's.

Finally, Thank You for your welcome to the Forum, I have a steep learning curve to do with milling, but nevertheless, I look forward to gradually becoming an active and supportive member .. ..

Thank you again

Stuart

[JAZZCNC]

Win7 32bit works fine with PP and Mach3.
NOTE it must be 32bit OS for Mach3 parallel port driver to work, the program Mach3 will work fine on 64bit but the PP driver won't work so don't try.

Also not a good idea to run CNC via KVM switch or any other device that gets between PC and CNC machine. Timings are critical with CNC and esp with the PP so these devices can and do cause problems. Best avoided so keep the CNC PC separate and ideally free from any outside sources ie: Tinternet

[Musicmanager]

Hi Jazz

Yes, thank you for that .. ..

I had discovered the problem with 64 bit Win 7 and Mach3 .. ..I've got 32 bit to load on.

The KVM switch is only between the monitor and both computers and I understood only switches the VGA received by the monitor from one PC to the other. Main reason for this is space is a premium so only one monitor needed. The CNC Controller will be connected directly to the parallel port of the computer with nothing to interfere with that.

Ah, I think I see confusion .. I'm not explaining myself too well ! No change there then ..

My plan ..

1. Computer on my desk 64 bit; 4 Gb RAM Win 7, internet; .. loaded with circuit creating software which generates Gcode. Gcode will be stored on 1 Tb discrete MDD.
2. Computer on workbench, in SS industrial cabinet, 32 bit; 4 Gb RAM Win 7 loaded with Mach3 and Autoleveller, no other software, internet available for software update but normally disabled; Gcode imported from MDD to Mach3 for implemetation.
3. KVM VGA switch used to select screen view from one or other computer.

Please do let me know if you think I'm up the cut in a punt !

Thanks

S

[Clive S]

That's all fine