[That_onedude]

Hi,
my grandpa had an MAXNC 15 and when he passed away my dad gave it to me, it has all the original stuff for it but i cant get the old computer to turn on, i have seen a couple people on hear talk about using mach 3 and i cant get that to work, the 5 inch floppy disk set up will run but when i try to run pr.exe the file wont work with my computer or with compatibility trouble shoot, i have a windows 10 and i don't know what my next steps should be, i would really love to get this up and running, i know how to use mach 3 a little and i breath auto cad and fusion, but i don't know how to get my computer to talk with that mill. i have to manual and the floppy disks are the list of parts.

[cncuser1]

You might try to but an old computer, from the era of the broken PC, and load the software onto that. But nowadays people who have your type of problem replace everything between the stepper motors and the PC, and use a current PC. Is this a complete package made by MAXNC or a package added to a machine made by another company?

[awerby]

Like CNCuser1 says, you're better off getting rid of the old electronics and replacing them with something more current, which will run on a modern computer. I'd suggest a Geckodrives G-540 and a UC100 USB adapter. If you get or build a better machine, you can transfer the control system to that one.

[That_onedude]

i belive its the complete package, made by MAXNC

[cncuser1]

Dude, if the actual mill was made by MAXNC, a blue machine, then it by itself is not worth alot of money, or may not be worth the money you will spend getting it going. So maybe the first off recognize that it is a good started project but not put a lot of money into it, but put in time to learn. Try hard to get the old PC working or get another OLD PC and get that hooked up. May not be worth putting money into a Gecko G540 unless you reuse it for another project, unless you have that money just lying around.

[DICKEYBIRD]

You must have a PC that has a parallel port & will start in the DOS mode. Windows 98 is the latest OS that has the option to start in either mode. Just pick up an old 386 or 486 PC, load WIN 98 & have fun!!

The MAXNC stuff is outdated but I made a lot of parts back in the day with the router I built using their stuff.