USB Communicator HIbitual Problem

[evan]

Me too!

[mikejohn]

and me.

..........Mike

[don]

waves.... me four...


Don

[gerald_d]

The Mach guys also have a document/checklist for getting a computer to run clean. When I'm home I'll find a link to it.

[stickman]

Brady,

The brand of communicator I have is: IOGEAR.

Jay

[paco]

Until, keyword to keep in mind are CLEAN and LEAN.

PC vendor and/or a lot of Web sites teach how to do a clean re-install... you'll need either the genuine Windows install CD(s) or recovery system (usually CDs or hard drive partition and software) AND the latest hardware drivers.

This is the most important step to have a stable CNC control PC. Other tweaks will prevent unwanted behaviors (screen saver, power options, background process) and take back some resources (RAM, CPU usage) that your control software can use (instead of background process, update checkers, automatic services and maintenance).

Would it be more interesting to discuss those aspect here on a dedicated thread? Debating on each and explaining 'em in detail so one can choose what relevant for himself... computer geek could join in and bring some more interesting points.

[mikejohn]

Paco
I think yes to your last point.
I needed leading by the hand with this type of thing!
............Mike

[paco]

Mike,

do you have any specific problem right now?

As for clean and lean install, it may not be mandatory but it can only help... as long as you know what you're doing. That is that you know how to (re-)install Windows along with all the required hardware drivers for you PC. Whenever you go into such process, MAKE BACKUP(s) of anything that may be important to you even if you're not sure... better be too safe than loose something valuable. Your PC vendor will (should) help you with re-installation if you need it. Let him know the reason for the re-install so he help you making the cleanest and leanest install. Recovery system usually recover bundled packages too. Google some and you'll find plenty of help on re-installing Windows and making it clean and lean.

As wrote before, most PCs are sold with bundled software trials such as Internet toys and utilities, "safety" softwares (anti-virus, firewall, anti-spyware), games and media programs and so on... all you need for CNC control PCs is Windows, hardware drivers, CNC control and maybe PDF reader for documents. Not all do harm and steal resources but if you don't need it, better not have it installed. Just uninstalling a program generally is not removing it completely in that even if you can't use it anymore and look to be removed, code is left behind the uninstallation which Windows read and care too much about.

More later...

[mikejohn]

Paco
I have been using an old lap top to date, running in DOS (I must add with few problemsm other than the CD has packed up, and I have to transfer via floppies, which isnt always succesful)
Now someone has given me a pentium III computer, and I would like to use this
I have XP discs, so guess I am able to try a clean up.
But I certainly have no idea what I am doing!!

.........Mike

[gerald_d]

Here is the doc that I was thinking of. Might not be exactly right, but could give some ideas.