(superseeded) Linuxcnc on Linux Mint 19.3 quick and easy installation

Just a single line:
awalde@WoodShop:~$ dmesg | grep parall
[ 10.334464] ppdev: user-space parallel port driver
awalde@WoodShop:~$

I also 'grepped' for Error and Warning to see if anything 'popped' but obviously nothing for the parallel port as there was just one line returned.

Standing by - ready for the next check

Ok that grep command is a little too specfiic, you might need a wider net
The -i switch ignores case.

Another thing either of these could be the base address of the parallel port
I/O ports at e030
I/O ports at e020
I/O ports at e000

Or you have one of those dicky boards that is set up by the manufacturer's driver.

I reran the query with '-i' and got back TONS of lines - none of which really appeared to have anything to do with the parallel port. So then I reran it with ... | grep -i " par" (to ensure the word retrieved started with 'par' - and that produced nothing of interest either:

awalde@WoodShop:~$ dmesg | grep -i " par"
[ 0.034056] Booting paravirtualized kernel on bare hardware
[ 0.885062] Asymmetric key parser 'x509' registered
[ 1.101515] xhci_hcd 0000:00:14.0: hcc params 0x200077c1 hci version 0x100 quirks 0x0000000000009810
[ 1.239572] ahci 0000:00:1f.2: flags: 64bit ncq pm led clo pio slum part ems apst
[ 10.334464] ppdev: user-space parallel port driver

After I post this response - I'm going to take the system apart and pull the board to see if there is anything 'identifiable' about it... maybe even some configuration jumpers.

I do wonder if there is perhaps another approach... the 'wheezy' instance of LinuxCNC has no trouble with this board. I know that the LinuxCNC version is changed from what I was running in wheezy, but is there anything I can maybe 'pull' from the wheezy installation that will provide more information on why it's not working Mint? As I've said - I have dual boot- so I can pop over to Wheezy and work there (I just have to use my network cable because my WiFi subsystem seems to have disappeared - even with my new WiFi dongle)

Boot up clean.
Then try loading linuxcnc with the same parport line that works with Wheezy.

BAHHH!!! back to the 2 parallel port error messages now... but I noticed that the 'power' button for LinuxCNC was no longer greyed out - so I thought... "if it smokes, I'll probably be able to figure it out!".

Hit the power button and the I can manually move the system around. Normally - I use the arrow keys to move it - but only the left/right keys work and they move the head diagonally. To change the diagonal direction (+y|+/-x to -y|+/-x) I have to tap either the up or down arrow key. When using the homing function - it also moves diagonally and not in one direction.

I appreciate your time and quick responses - the question is... are these errors causing the diagonal movement (somehow I don't think so?) or is that a different configuration issue I need to resolve?

Arden

Wahoo!! it works (I think). At least the manual motion around the surface is now correct - I had a configuration error in my stepconf file. I corrected that and it now moves and homes correctly.

I'm going to try a test cut to see and then I am off to the races (I hope).

Thanks Beaglebrainz for your work in developing this LinuxCNC/Linux Mint marriage and thanks so much for working to help me get going. I'm still not sure about the errors I experience on loading - I hope the don't rear their ugly head half-way through one of my 4+ hour cuts...

Arden