[CNCEST]

Hi,

I installed mach3 to 64 bit PC before i was aware that it has to be 32bit. I set all the conf. and it works perfect. What`s the deal withe the 32 and 64? Are there going to be like someday working someday not or unexpected bugs etc?

Wanted to do right today and got an 32bit PC. Installed mach3 but it does not work. On diagnostic page some of the input pins don`t lit. There are two rows of green leds under Port 1 pins current state. On the upper row first three leds don`t lit. Anybody has a idea?

brgd
Taniel

[ger21]

Mach3 itself will run on a 64bit OS, but the parallel port driver won't work. With an external motion controller, you can use Mach3 on a 64 bit OS.

[CNCEST]

thanks Gerry

Sorry i am a bit green in mach soft. External motion controller - you mean the external mach board with parallel port?

[ger21]

An external motion controller like a Smoothstepper or KFlop, (there are many others too) that take the place of a parallel port.

[ihavenofish]

thanks Gerry

Sorry i am a bit green in mach soft. External motion controller - you mean the external mach board with parallel port?

he means an external controller, like a usb system such as smoothstepper or kflop etc. there people write their own drivers for mach3, and often have 64 bit versions.

for the pc parallel port, you require a 32 bit OS.


wdit: DOH!, too late

[CNCEST]

Ok, i think i got it. Means out from PC to external controller you still use parallel port, right?

[LeeWay]

No. Parallel port won't work in 64 bit, so the external controllers are in place of and sometimes a lot better than a parallel port. Parallel ports are still fairly easy to find, but I foresee a day when they won't be. An extrenal controller also gives you a much wider array of PC's that can be used because they use USB or ethernet connections. No parallel port involved.

[CNCEST]

Dam.n i must be a real dumb...

My pc is 64 bit. Via parallel port connected to mach3 board. Mach board connected to the router. Is that a externally controled or by parallel port?

[CNCEST]

Ok i must be a real dumb...

Heres my setup
I got pc 64bit. Mach 3 board is connected to pc via parallel port and Cnc tool connected to mach board.
It is then parallel port set up iguess. But it works perfect. That is why i don' t get it

[ger21]

Mach3 will run, but you won't be able to control a machine with the parallel port.

[CNCEST]

Thanks for being patient with me.

I was saying the machine works perfect, not just running mach in pc. Thats confusing, and thats why i dont get the 32 and 64 issue.

Just checked today and the pc is really 64 bit.

[ger21]

If you're running a machine from the parallel port, then you're not using a 64 bit OS.

Or, you're using a motion controller and don't know that you are.

[LeeWay]

I'm not sure, but Virtual Machine installed on a 64 bit system might run Mach 3 and the PP okay, however I would not even consider using it that way.