Dell Optiplex 960

I'm trying to use the built in parallel port on a Dell Optiplex 960 with LinuxCNC and a G540.

I have used the G540 with an Ethernet Smoothstepper and Mach3, so I know my hardware setup works.

I installed from the LinuxCNC live CD with no problems.

Running stepconf, when I get to the point of testing an axis, nothing at all happens on the machine. My pin assignments are the same as I use in Mach3

I have turned off the charge pump requirement on the G540.

Should I expect the built in parallel port to work? (I intend to get a Mesa board later, but first I want to see if I like LinuxCNC better than Mach3)
What's the next step to troubleshoot?

Thanks,
Tom

Hi

I have never managed to get an axis moving under stepconf on my machines with charge pumps, whether I disable it or not.

I think you will need the parport set to EPP mode for a 540 and ensure that any enables beside the charge pump are powered.

If you get problems being unable to get out of estop and activate the charge pump see the links in this
www.linuxcnc.org/index.php/english/forum...ard-ch352-chip#44068

Basically forget about the test and try running the config stepconf gives you.

regards

Thanks -- changing to EPP and getting my enable signal right did the trick -- in fact with the charge pump off stepconf did move my axes.

Now I need to modify the UI to be more to my liking/what I'm accustomed to -- but that's a topic for another thread.

Thanks again,
Tom