Hi I just uploaded mach 3 and lazy cam on my computer.
 and when I did the port test the pulse was normal until I was half way through the test.
 Then the pulse jumped up untill the tops were one line below the 64 they were even and It was holding steady at 25000 per sec. they were not just one or two pulses they were steady all the way across the screen.
 That is the first time I ever saw that usually they just give a few pulses that when up one point.
This machine is a pentium 4 with a dual core processor. 2.5 gig speed. Does the duo core processor do somthing weird or is this okay.
 the message said test okay. The reason for the duo core processor is I will be using this machine to do all my design work  twice as fast as the old machine or so they tell me. please let me know befor I load everything on this machine in case I have to take it back.

Hi so I guess that this was Okay. Like I said in all the time I have been using mach I have never seen the spikes reach this hight before.

If you want to do your design in the same time you use your computer to run the CNC machine, this is not a good idea.

If you do your design and after that, use it to run Mach3, I thing they're no problem.

I think the dual core CPU will not makes much difference unless the software you'll use is programmed to use dual core.

To utilize a dual core processor, the operating system must be able to recognize multi-threading and the software must have simultaneous multi-threading technology (SMT) written into its code. SMT enables parallel multi-threading wherein the cores are served multi-threaded instructions in parallel. Without SMT the software will only recognize one core. Adobe® Photoshop® is an example of SMT-aware software. SMT is also used with multi-processor systems common to servers.

Jeff

Yes I use photo shop,  corel draw and other programs.
 This machine will be used for designing and doing tests of the programs. Also I use it to work on doing cad drawings. for machine designs.
I am also doing  some software work. setting up a post processer for other machines.
 I was using a pentium 4 before but I am having trouble with it jaming up and stoping.
That is the reason I whent to a bigger machine . Plus the cost was so cheap I couldnt turn it down.
 The fellow built the machine and told me if I wanted it it was only $ 200 I just couldnt turn it down at that price.
The only problem was with the mach3 test . As I have never saw the spikes so big or high what ever it is called. But it seems to work. I was just wondering if the spikes was the other core trying to talk to the machine or somthing like that.
Just somthing I havent seen until now and thought someone on the forum might have.