Running Shopbot Control Computer on Win XP

[David Iannone]

I have a 2001 PRT. Just recently upgraded to the 4G board. Other than that there has really been no changes to the tool since I bought it. With the CNC I try to not fix it if it isn't broke. My question is with my control computer. It is the same Win XP Dell Desktop that I have used since I got the shopbot. I realize Windows has stopped supporting XP, but I have never had this computer connected to the internet, no win updates, no antivirus, no programs except SB control. I do my design and toolpaths on office computer and transfer the file with a usb thumb drive.

Do I need to consider a computer upgrade? I have no issues except the occational machine pause for a moment in the middle of a large line file, in the "status" window at the bottom of the control screen it has to "think" for about 10 seconds at various times. Is this the old PC showing its age and just needing to be replaced?

My wife just got a new laptop, I ordered a factory restore CD from HP for old laptop which has an intel Core I3 proccessor and Win 7 home edition. When the restore CD comes in I could wipe it clean, uninstall EVERYTHING off it and use it? I am OK with computers, but I dont know all the super technical stuff.

Dave

[David Iannone]

The main reason I ask it I am running the most current version of SB Control now that I have the 4G board and I have read of some people having problems hit or miss with the newest SB Control, while others do not have the same issue. I'm afraid if I change the PC I might open up a can of worms. HOWEVER, if it is time to send this old PC to the computer graveyard, I guess I will role the dice. Don't get me wrong.....I can use my wife's old laptop in a different application, it won't go to waste.

[bleeth]

I ran an older xp computer with 4G board on PRT and also then upgraded gantry and rails to PRS style. Only issue was that "reload" happening on long files. The original controller did it every 50K lines and the 4G went 150K lines. I did need to add a powered hub between controller and computer when I went to the PRS construction, and this was on control software 3.6xx. I have yet to run 3.8 anything and can't help you there. The latest 3.6 still available as a download (3.6.46 I think) is a good stable platform for a 4G/PRT. Not sure if anything about 3.8 will improve that or not. Some say it runs smoother. Others that it is a pain in the butt.
I didn't go to a later computer until my old one gave up the ghost.

[Brady Watson]

It's not a bad idea to have a spare - however, if you clone your drive via Acronis, Ghost et al, you can pop in a new hard drive and be back where you left off. You would of course want to deliberately back it up from time to time.

It seems that the hard drive is the thing that goes most often (or cooling fan on better GPX cards or ATX PS) - so if it at least has a SATA controller you can run a solid state drive. Otherwise, you can pick up another platter drive pretty cheap these days. Backups are a good thing...

-B

[chiloquinruss]

My bot puter is on xp also with a usb hub to connect to the bot. No issues. My design stuff is all done on another machine. I have never had an issue with the generated toolpaths. The toolpaths are the only things I copy from the modern machines to the dino-bot machine. Russ

[David Iannone]

So it sounds like either way I go.....keep the old Xp desktop, or use the newer laptop I should get a powered USB hub. Is there any particular brand that is bot approved?