Mach3 arclight problems

[Banjobend]

Hello, I have an Arclight table and we are having some troubles. I believe its something in Mach but im not sure. Our old computer crashed and had to be replaced, I got a clone from arclight. Seems to be an identical clone, but has some minor differences. Up until the old computer crashed, everything worked perfectly and had been working for over 5 years. Now the motors will randomly pause in the middle of a cut. The programing doesn't know it so the torch is not where computer thinks it is, which of coarse is just ruining parts. If I run the same exact G code again and again, i get different results every time. Its acting like the computer cant keep up. Arclight has done everything they could but they don't know what is going on. All they can do is sell me an upgrade for $4k, but I don't think that's necessary.

I am ok with computers but its definitely not my strong suit, so I could sure use some help. I've attached some picture of my system specs and a picture of the weird down button in mach that makes be curious.

[acourtjester]

I cannot say for sure but the screenset may be different than the one you had before, things like the button are part of the screenset. Do you still have the crashed computer, 2 main things that go bad are the motherboard or the hard drive. If the hard drive is still usable you may be able to get the XML file with your old info and copy it to the newer computer's Mach 3 folder, it will need to be renamed so Mach sees it as the XML file for the Screenset. Your older XML file will be in the old hard drives Mach3/XMLbackups folder.
The XML files have all the info (driver setting, pin setting, ect) you need.

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[Banjobend]

I cannot say for sure but the screenset may be different than the one you had before, things like the button are part of the screenset. Do you still have the crashed computer, 2 main things that go bad are the motherboard or the hard drive. If the hard drive is still usable you may be able to get the XML file with your old info and copy it to the newer computer's Mach 3 folder, it will need to be renamed so Mach sees it as the XML file for the Screenset. Your older XML file will be in the old hard drives Mach3/XMLbackups folder.
The XML files have all the info (driver setting, pin setting, ect) you need.

I do have the crashed computer and I was able to load a new copy of windows onto it and get it booted up. I should still be able to get to that file. Im not in the shop today but I will definitely try that later.

Thank you for the info, Ill let you know.

[acourtjester]

So you understand the important thing is being able to read the old Mach 3 folder to get the XML file to copy to your new system.
Lets say Arclight calls their screenset Arclight, in the XMLbackups folder you will find files with names like Arclight.xb45. Look for the one with the highest xb number that is the last change you made that Mach backed up. rename it arclight.xml, now go to the Mach3 main folder and find that file with the .XML extension, either erase it or change its name to arclight.xmback. Now copy the renamed file from the xmlbackups folder you renamed arclight.xml to the main Mach3 folder. It should work as it did before the crash.

[Banjobend]

So I was able to get the backup file off the old hard drive. Renamed it (arclight plasma profile.xlm), and placed it in the mach3 folder replacing the original. It shows a modified day off 11/30/2020 which was the last day everything worked.

The problem is still there. Any other suggestions?

So you understand the important thing is being able to read the old Mach 3 folder to get the XML file to copy to your new system.
Lets say Arclight calls their screenset Arclight, in the XMLbackups folder you will find files with names like Arclight.xb45. Look for the one with the highest xb number that is the last change you made that Mach backed up. rename it arclight.xml, now go to the Mach3 main folder and find that file with the .XML extension, either erase it or change its name to arclight.xmback. Now copy the renamed file from the xmlbackups folder you renamed arclight.xml to the main Mach3 folder. It should work as it did before the crash.

[Banjobend]

On the old computer I had to reinstall windows. All the old files are still on it in a folder windows created, (windows.old) is there a way to "resurrect" all that on the old computer?

[Banjobend]

Another thing I forgot to mention. When I first starting using the new computer, I kept getting a "driver watchdog error". I think Arclight disabled that though, because it's not happening any longer.

[acourtjester]

The only other thing is if you are using Path rules and they are not on the newer computer. When you started using the computer Arclight sent you does that have SheetCam on it ( and the toolset) and are you using that for generation new G-codes.
there are 2 things that can cause problems, the setup of Mach 3 and the G-code (sheetCam setup and operations).
This is why bringing in the old XML file to the newer Mach 3 to insure the setting are the same. This also applies to SheetCam, like using the same post processor and toolsets. I am a experienced user and have built a few table using different software packages, but I am no expert, remote troubleshooting is difficult. Maybe another member will chime in with other suggestions of what to try. You are doing the best you can on your end, and it may come down to some small thing that may need another set of eyes to find it.

[Banjobend]

I did have my path rules backed up on a thumb drive so I was able to load them into sheetcam without issue.

Im starting to fear that Im gonna have to buy the upgrade from arclight. We normally run this table all day long and cant afford to have it down much longer. But putting $4,000 into a $9,000 dollar table just doesnt seem worth it.

I appreciate the help, ill give it a couple more days.

[acourtjester]

Thats a bummer, if you think the controller electronics is Ok (BOB. Drivers power supplies you may look into switching over to the UCCNC software and USB or either you are looking at about $300. to do that. I converted the last table controller I built from Mach 3 to that setup. No change in the G-codes used I went with the UC400eth board, you can hook 2 printer type BOBs to it I only used one. I have home/limits 3 input from my THC and a Ohmic sensor with the one BOB.
https://cncdrive.com/UCCNC.html