[jimmyaz]

Hey guys, I already post this problem in Mach3 forum, but no answer yet... I figure I might get more help here.


I have two computers

#1 (very old Dell)
450mhz CPU
500mb ram
64mb delicated graphix card


#2 (IMB think centre, just bought it from craiglist yesterday)
3.00ghz
1gb ram
128 Intel Share Chip graphic


I have been using the old computer to run test on my new CNC router, which have the Xylotex driver. Pretty much I left everything at Mach3 default and it work just fine. The funny thing is when I tried with the new computer... there's a problem. The setting on Mach3 are the same for both comp. IN the Motor Tuning window, the new one work too... I can jog back and forth at 2000mm/m just fine for all axis. But as soon as I EXIT that window and jog normally... every is mess up, stepper motor stall and run like a jig saw...and barely can travel at all.

To confirm this, I hook the driver back to the old comp (Dell) and as expected, it work just fine. What the hell right? So I change the Frequency to 35,000hz (IBM comp) and does not fix anything. So I took the IBM comp and plug it into my old Hubbard CNC Unipolar driver and... it seem to run it just fine.

WHAT THE HECK?

I have search all day and read somewhere someone said he was having a lot of trouble with his PC with a shared Graphic card?

Do you think this could be my problem?

[robe_uk]

I think I read somewhere also that a dedicated graphics card was recommended but as your machine is 3Ghz you would think it should be ok, can you pull the card out of the old computer and put it into the newer one just for testing? Basic graphics cards are cheap so it might not be a bad idea just to put one in anyway?

[LeeWay]

Have you tried running the Driver Test? It's in the Mach 3 folder.
It should show how the computers pulses are doing.
You can also optimize the computer to be able to run Mach 3 much smoother by turning off many unneeded items.

[jimmyaz]

Hi Lee,

Yes, I did run the driver test.. but I don't understand how to read what's good and what's bad.

The pulse for the old computer is at about 25,040 and it stay solid. The new one how ever is at about 21,000 and fluctuate up and down quite a bit (50-100).

I have went into BIOS and increase the shared memory amount for the graphix card, from 128mb to 256mb. I have also did some Window XP Optimizer... I will see if this fix it.


I could not try the old Dell computer graphic card with the IBM because the IBM is a small form factor type and the slot is not the same.

[louieatienza]

Hi Lee,

Yes, I did run the driver test.. but I don't understand how to read what's good and what's bad.

The pulse for the old computer is at about 25,040 and it stay solid. The new one how ever is at about 21,000 and fluctuate up and down quite a bit (50-100).

I have went into BIOS and increase the shared memory amount for the graphix card, from 128mb to 256mb. I have also did some Window XP Optimizer... I will see if this fix it.


I could not try the old Dell computer graphic card with the IBM because the IBM is a small form factor type and the slot is not the same.

It is possible since the IBM board is a SFF type, that is also has power saving and other features akin to a laptop that might screw up the Mach3 timing. Also the Dell is probably an AGP slot and the IBM a PCI-E slot, for graphics. I would go the other way and try to disable graphics acceleration. The kernel speed on the IBM is likely compromised since the CPU is still controlling memory usage and probably some if not most of 2D graphics.

Plus even though you have 1GB RAM, Windows XP resides in probably 1/4 - 1/3 of that, so you allocate too much memory to graphics, it won't take long for Windows to start paging memory, slowing your machine down further...

[jimmyaz]

Well.. I went to Frys Electronics and pick up a PCI paralle adapter just so I can try my home office desktop with a Built in delicated graphic card...

128mb delicated and 326mb shared...

It worked.

So... I am now 95% sure it's the shared graphic card in the IBM that's causing the problem.

errrr... i guess now I need to buy a cheepo graphic card.

[Fastest1]

Doesnt Mach always recommend a dedicated graphics card?

[jimmyaz]

Well... my friend let me borrow a PCIe 256mb graphic card and try it out.... it wouldn't turn on display... So I went out and bought a new 1gb geforce today... wouldn't work either... So I spend hours searching online finally modify some pin on the card and got it to work perfect.

Guess what? Didn't help one bit... son of aaaaaa..... gez. Anyway. I am going nut. Here's the funny part... NOW even in Motor Tunning, it jitter and studder just as much? What the fffff???

Only think I can think of is the 225watts power supply... Anyone think this could be a issue? More powerful graphic card pull more power and made it worse?

[CarveOne]

Well... my friend let me borrow a PCIe 256mb graphic card and try it out.... it wouldn't turn on display... So I went out and bought a new 1gb geforce today... wouldn't work either... So I spend hours searching online finally modify some pin on the card and got it to work perfect.

Guess what? Didn't help one bit... son of aaaaaa..... gez. Anyway. I am going nut. Here's the funny part... NOW even in Motor Tunning, it jitter and studder just as much? What the fffff???

Only think I can think of is the 225watts power supply... Anyone think this could be a issue? More powerful graphic card pull more power and made it worse?

225w is rather weak. 400-500w would be better. Borrow one and try it, if you can, before buying one.

CarveOne

[ger21]

You can buy 400w power supplies for $25.

I'd say 225w is much to low for a modern video card.

Is the CPU dual core?