I have not fired up my mini mill for a couple weeks, but I need to engrave some replacement number chips for a club I help run.  Anyway, turned on the PC and started my controller the other day, and I have been dinking with it off and on for about a week now. 

Nothing seems to be wrong with the PC.  All other software works.  AVAST says it has a clean bill of health.  Memory tests are ok, but when I start Mach 3 the PC reboots.  Not always instantly, but everytime. 

Following diagnostics were done.

Memory test
Re-install Mach 3
Install latest version of Mach 3
Unplug controller from LPT port
Start Mach 3 with different setup file. 

Still crashes.  I can run multiple other aps... no crash. 

HELP!!!

Try uninstalling Mach 3 and uninstalling the parallel port driver. Then reinstall.

Will give that a try as soon as I figure out how to un-install the parrallel port driver. 

My machine has been working fine for quite some time, but I had not used it in a  couple months.  I started it up a few days ago to make some replacement parts, and whenever I start Mach 3 the computer reboots. 
 
I have:
 Virus scanned
 Memory tested
 Drive surface scanned
 Re-installed a clean copy of Windows
 Installed the newest version of Mach 3

I can start Mach 3 with any profile file, and it still causes the machine to reboot within a minute even if the program is just idling. 
 
Also, I was wondering if there was some particular LPT configuration I should use? 

Anyway... it was working, and now its not. 

Well, it looks like my next to last resort is to try another PC since nobody has any suggestions.  Fortunately I have one I can try. 

I'll just copy my registration files and controller profile, and try them after after I get it all setup.

Hey, maybe that will help... I actually registered the software.  I'm not one of those guys who are just using 500 lines at a time to use the free version. 

I have one question.  What is the best pulse time for the deepgroove1 controller and the 280oz motors? 

I shut down everything except critical services necessary to keep Windows running, and the darn thing still reboots.  Its not as bad at 25000, but I was running 35000 before.  I can sometimes load a small file and execute it before it boots, but I started noticing glitches in the file loads now too. 

I was able to run the software and controller just fine, using my accounting machine (exact same computer) without disabling anything. 

I think this PC has established itself in a new mammaries elevated dispostion. 

The Taig1 profile seems to work better than the deepgroove1 profile or maybe its just that I finally isolated it to the PC itself.  I think its having processor issues.  The LPT port diagnostics show no errors. 

I guess I need to buy a new computer to run this.  Maybe from one of those guys who provides them ready to go for CNC stuff, and then just plug in my license files and machine profile. 

Bob, can you simulate on the troubled PC without having the machine hooked up to it?

Brett

No.  The machine reboots even with the controller disconnected and the LPT port turned off in the bios. 

Is the pc in the control cabinet? Can you take it to another room and simulate? Any chance your running a wireless network adapter on the troubled PC?

Brett

No.   

I guess I could try that. 

No.  Definitely not.