[Merfman]

I've read all I can find here but nothing to really answer my question so...

I have Mach3 installed on an XP machine here at work. Our IT guy doesn't like (to be put mildly) XP.
I have to buy a license to get full functionality so I thought it'd be a good time to upgrade the machine.
After reading up on the subject here I see issues with Win7 in general as used with Mach3. Our new
machine would likely be a 64 bit Win8 machine, which if I read correctly requires an external motion controller.
The intended use for the machine is PCB etching. Am I going to be better suited in staying with XP
or upgrading?

Or as an alternative, recommend a different controller software?

Any/all opinions are welcome!

[Kenny Duval]

Your IT is guy is correct. There is no need to be installing a 10+ year old operating system on new hardware. Upgrade it. The world moves on. Move with it.

[awerby]

Unless something has changed very recently, Mach3 won't work on a 64-bit system. You need something that will run in 32-bit mode. And Windows 8 isn't very good for this sort of thing either, unless you've got a Smoothstepper or another DSP device - see if the IT guy is okay with Windows 7. Here's a quote from the Mach3 FAQ:

"Mach3 will run on any Windows OS from Windows 2000 through Windows 8. The parallel port driver included with Mach3 will only work with 32-bit DESKTOP computers with versions of Windows 2000 through Windows 7, but will not work with any 64-bit version of Windows or with Windows 8. Windows 8 and 64 bit versions of windows require an external motion device which can be purchased very reasonably."

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com ? Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[Kenny Duval]

Mach 3 will run fine on a 64bit system. What won't work on a 64-bit system is the parallel port. He will need a motion controller interfaced via either USB or Ethernet to run on a 64bit system. Having said that I stand by my recommendation. Move to 7 or 8 but certainly not go back to XP.

[Merfman]

I should have been more clear, we wouldn't be installing XP on the new machine. I can simply buy a license for the old machine and be milling tomorrow. I just wanted to upgrade the machine, and OS, but it's not looking like it's as simple ax load a new OS, reinstall Mach3 and go to work. We don't have any 32 bit machines available so the 64 bit machines would require the external device, plugin, and from what I've read here has yielded sometimes sketchy performance. Thanks to everyonefor all the feedback! I'm really tempted to take the path of least resistance and buy a license for the existing machine...

[awerby]

I don't think you need to buy a new Mach3 license if you have one already. They don't limit it to a certain machine, or a certain installation; it's one per customer. Just copy the existing license file into the Mach3 folder of your new installation.

I've actually had pretty good luck with the Smoothstepper (I use the USB version.) While any added device will come with added technical difficulties, it does give better throughput than the parallel port, which comes in handy if you're doing large complicated 3D parts, which is most of what I do.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com ? Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[ger21]

I don't think you need to buy a new Mach3 license if you have one already.

If it's for a commercial application, you're supposed to have a license for each machine.