I don't know if this is the correct category to post this so please move it to the correct one if its not and sorry. I am new to the cnc world and want to learn more about it. I recently purchase a cnc router/mill/engraver online, I'm using the mach3 pre-purchase from the site and cannot get it to work. I have all the cables installed correctly, the address is correct for the parallel port and still nothing. I've tried using the keyboard to jog the machine around and get no movement. I was sent over a sample g-code from the machine supplier and it will run mach3 with now problem but there is no movement on my machine. I don't know if this forum is for this kind of support, I've just exhausted all other research trying to figure out the problem is with my setup. Thanks for any help that is given!

I just went thru this myself.
mach3 pre-purchase will work, just limited to 500 line of code.
Someone will ask that you post Mach3Mill.xlm file so they can see what you have config.

What I over looked was the output signals. There are 3 enable signal that have to be set. It is the 3rd tab over from the motor outputs.

Are the motor readout display number moving on the main screen when you try to move?

I am new to this, but once I found all the little boxes to check it work great.

The only thing I changed on input signals was the estop (port 1 pin 10) only thing selected on output signals tab is output#1 and its checked but now value (0)

I hope I get this right.
You need 3 signal per stepper motor from the computer.
Direction, Step, and Enable.
Step and Dir are set in the Config, port and pins, Motor outputs.
set for X Axis, Y Axis, and Z Axis.
Enable is set in the Config, port and pins, Output Signals.
Set Enable 1 for X axis port and pin number.
Set Enable 2 for Y axis port and pin number.
Set Enable 3 for Z axis port and pin number.
I do not think you need any input signal to get the motor to run.

Which pin number do I put in for the enable value? I know port is 1 but do I use step or dir for the pin number on the output signal screen

The pin numbers can be different.
You have a computer that is interfacing to your machine thru a parallel port, the parallel port normal go to a BOB (Break Out Board) I am guessing that you have at least 3 wires from there that goes to each drive assy for each stepper motor.
The 3 wires would be.
One is the Direction
another is Step
and Enable.
You need a wiring diagram to figure out what parallel port number pin goes where.
If you don't have a wiring diagram you will have to trace it out, and hope a connector is label to tell which is which.

the cnc I have has a 3 axis controller box, the parallel port comes from the pc into it and from there to the stepper motors. I have all the correct pins locations on the motor output right. I have been reading through the forum though and read that windows 7 64bit will not work without a smooth something external driver. I have another machine that runs windows xp 64 bit and Am now using that. I loaded the software onto it but the pc dosnt have a parallel port (im going to get a card here shortly). But I will tell you there is a noticeable difference running the software in XP versus 7, I don't get the "failure to start motor" in the status bar when I start up the software, and I got a "driver successfully installed" when I started it for the first time which I didn't get with windows 7. So I'm running to get a parallel pci card and put it in and see if it work, if it does....problem solved, if not.......keep trying other things

Hi Chris,

Mach3 will not run the parallel port on any 64 bit operating system.
You either need a 32 bit OS or an external motion controller (SS etc.) for 64 bit.

Hope this helps.

Tweakie.

Well lol, my old machine is windows xp 64 bit. I guess Im done there too, time to find 32bit