First Time Builder - Stuck

Hello,
I'm relatively new to the CNC world. I've dabbled a bit with a MaslowCNC but other than that I have no experience with them. However, I have a decent background in computers, some of which is with Linux systems.

I came across an old Dahlgren engraver at a price too good to pass on. The plan is to control the existing motors with DM542 drivers, a Mesa 7i96, and LinuxCNC.

All that being said, I'm absolutely baffled as to what I'm supposed to be doing to get this thing up and running. I'm now aware that the 7i96 complicates the issue, but I didn't do enough research before I bought the thing.

So far, I've installed a handful of different flavors of Linux and each of which has their own problems. Ultimately, I'd like to stick with a build of LinuxCNC, upgrade it to 2.8 (as I understand the 7i96 doesn't work on 2.7). Through reading many different posts on somewhat related situations, I've deduced the following:

• Install LinuxCNC Uspace 2.7.0 Debian 9 Stretch
• Upgrade 2.7 to 2.8 using the instructions here: buildbot.linuxcnc.org/
• Install the 7i96 Configuration Tool discussed at length in this thread: forum.linuxcnc.org/27-driver-boards/3504...6-configuration-tool
• Configure and play!

When I follow the instructions on the buildbot page for upgrading to 2.8, I get to the final step and I'm told I already have the latest version.

Additionally, throughout my testing, I've tried skipping the upgrade to 2.8 and just installing the 7i96 Configuration Tool on a fresh install of 2.7 using these instructions: jethornton.github.io/7i96/install.html , but running the first command in the console, I get a "python3-pyqt5 not found" error and am unable to proceed.

I've been futzing with this on and off for a few weeks and I'm at the point where I know something is wrong, I just do not know what and where to find the solution. So if any of you wonderful people are able to point me in the right direction, it is much appreciated.

Upgrade 2.7 to 2.8 using the instructions here: buildbot.linuxcnc.org/

No where can I see 2.8 mentioned on that page, 2.8 is not officially been released though it's very usable.
There are buldbot testing debs to install 2.8 so I bet it would work - what did you do to get linuxcnc to download?
using the line:
deb buildbot.linuxcnc.org/ stretch 2.8-rtpreempt
should actually work...

If you get linuxcnc 2.8 you can use pncconf to build a 7i96 config (then you don't need to debug the 7i96 config tool missing libraries).

Chris

Yeah, I was wondering if what I was doing was correct because I was expecting to see something indicate 2.8.

A little more background on where I gathered my info from:

• This post is where I got the indication that I should be using the Debian 9 version: forum.linuxcnc.org/27-driver-boards/3504...rror?start=90#145050
  Which is why I downloaded the "linuxcnc-stretch-uspace-i386-r13.iso" from here: www.linuxcnc.org/testing-stretch-rtpreempt/


• This post in no uncertain terms suggested I needed 2.8: forum.linuxcnc.org/27-driver-boards/3504...rror?start=50#136192

To confirm, this command should be run in the terminal: If so, I'll give that a go this evening.

7i96 should work with 2.7, although i never tested it.
To upgrade you need to add the entries in the menu>system>software sources as per:
buildbot.linuxcnc.org
then
sudo update
then install linuxcnc

Tommy, those instructions are what I was following originally and getting the message that I was already running the most recent version, even though I was working with a fresh install of 2.7

did you change the source line to from '....2.7-rtpreempt to '....2.8-rtpreempt' ?

Chris