[dustenca]

I know the whole thing is super simple and usually either works or doesn't but I am having an issue my parallel port. I dloaded(downloaded) parmon(The parallel port checker program for windows) and checked the voltages to all the pin outs to make sure what they were and to make sure I can turn them hi and low. And I can. The computer only pumps out 3.5v (Volts) to my port but my bob(break-out board) is externally powered so it bring them up to 5v(Volts). I did the voltage test with the bob(break-out board) powered and non-powered. Everything seemed fine. At the beginning of troubleshooting i suspected wiring, checked, port settings, checked, both with m3(MACH3) and with the bios(basic input/output system), the port appears to work normal. However when i start MACH 3 it no longer works. The kicker is, I had the steppers wired up and could control them all. Forward and backward. That was when I first bought them(I had to hook it all up to make sure it all worked and it did). I moved(residence's) since then and re-set everything up. I reused all the wiring harnesses I had used before and even took pics of how everything was wired. So I hook it up and start MACH3 and could only control one axis and only in one direction. So ... started reading posts and tried everything. Different computer different cables, reinstall software, tried a new pci(Peripheral Component Interconnect card), which is a separate issue, shows up in windows as a SCSI(Small Computer System Interface) controller and don't know how to make it an LPT port). And yes I quite literally spent about fifteen hours over the last three days reading post and searching the net before I asked the wizards for advice. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[ger21]

Use the jog keys in Mach3 to jog an axis back and forth. While doing this, measure the voltage of that axis' direction pin. It should be 0V in one direction, and 5V in another.
If you're not seeing a change, then most likely you have the wrong port address, or a bad cable.
Make sure the DRO's on the screen show movement. If they don't, you don't have Mach3 setup correctly, in the ports and pins page.

[dustenca]

i am using nema 34 steppers from longs motors and thier dm860a microstep driver . bob is standard opto isolated style

[dustenca]

i did push tab to put it into jog mode to try to move the axis . also went into motor tuning aswell because u can move the motor from there aswell . performed continuity test on all cords/wires . checked the phisical pins on the cord teerminations to make sure none were bent over . performed voltage chech while jogging. no change . just to make sure i checked acrros the ground 0r 25 on my bob to the pins set in the m 3 pinout settings. diagnostics shows no change on "leds" for n e pin

[dustenca]

k went into control panel to system to device manager and found my lpt port to check address agains what m 3 said . its the same . m 3 is set for port one .motor outputs step and dir set to one . triple checked printer cable .fine . no motors or drivers r hooked up becasue i have just been checking for voltage .and evern when i did still have the motors al hooked up i changed the pulse timing and all that good stuff . i really did read just about every post pertaining to this matter and its all pretty redundant .incorrect port addresses , bad program setting , bad bios setting , bad bob, bad cord ,bad ps ect .

[ger21]

Have you run Drivertest.exe from the Mach3 folder?

You're not using a 64bit OS, are you?

[dustenca]

i hadnt till u mentioned it but i just did and i assume it passed. it ended up saying mach 1 test complete. also not a 64 bit os. its xp pro though . and come to think about it , it did do an update to sp3 around the time i started having problems . like i said i got one motor to spin but only in one direction . so i looked around at the forums and tried some of the suggestions and ended up now with what seems like a block on the port when m3 is running

[neilw20]

dustenca.
Is your shift key broken? It is really hard to read.
No spaces BEFORE punctuation marks either please.

[dustenca]

hi nielw20.

I checked my shift key to see if it works and it does. Turns out there was actually two of them on my keyboard. I also fixed my grammer and corrected the puntuation errors in my original post but my system still will not work.
After re-reading my original post I have come to the conclusion it must be a software issue. Probably incorrect settings.

[neilw20]

Must be keyboard. It transposes the letters in my name. LOL hahaha.:cheers:
Msut be kyeaobrd. It trnasopses the letetrs in my nmae. As long as they are all there ti si OK. Can still be raed by a human.