Communication troubles with to Azteeg board with Repetier-Host

[lornetw]

  My e-mail: lor...@yahoo.com                   

TROUBLESHOOTING COMMUNICATIONS FROM R-HOST TO AZTEEG X5 MINI V1.0

Description of the problem: My 3D printer had worked really well for over a year, but after a Perfect Storm of events (see that paragraph) I can't get R-Host to remain in reliable communication with my Azteeg board. After plugging in the USB cable into the Azteeg and my laptop’s USB port, the 4 LED lights on the board flash and then settle down to: all on, the middle ones are flashing about twice a second and the 2 end ones are on, steady (as they have always done). After clicking on “Connect” to connect to my Azteeg Smoothie board with R-Host, I have exactly 22 seconds before R-Host advises me that I have a number of "commands waiting". During the 22 seconds, I can see temperatures displayed for the 2 thermistors and I can jog the X or Axis. But, after the 22 seconds, nothing moves (lost communication).

Is this a communication problem? I would appreciate any help or ideas on this. I am having withdrawal symptoms because of not being able to use my 3D printer for over 4 months! Help!

Here is what I have tried to do to debug the problem:

The date of my Firmware.cur is 2022/3/5 for my Smoothie board.

On the communication side, I have tried every possible combination of: Connector (Serial port/Repetier Server), Port (COM3/Auto), Baudrate (I tried every single one!), Transfer Protocol (AutoDetect/ASCII/Repetier Protocol), RTS (Low to high, High to Low, Low, High), DTR (Low to high, High to Low, Low, High), Receive cache size (127, 63), Communication Timeout (left it at 40 sec), Use Ping-Pong communications (on/off) and nothing improves. I have tried using 4 different USB cables (even though the one I was using worked fine for over a year).

Perfect storm: (1) At the end of June I stopped using my 3d printer because of kitchen renovations. Sometime in September my computer Internet access jammed and I had to use the MyAsus reset the computer function to get back my Internet. But it didn't dawn on me that all the programs I had installed (including, but not limited to PrusaSlicer and Repetier-Host) would be uninstalled and I would lose all their parameters. So I am now reinstalling all the programs needed for 3D printing. I had backed up some of my parameters but not all.

(2) Contibuting to the perfect storm, I also changed my hotend from an E3D v6 to an E3D Revo 6. This means I had to change the name of the thermistor from "semitec" to "Semitec-104NT4" (is capitalization important? Should there be spaces in the thermistor name, as in: Semitec – 104NT4?). Could this naming problem be a contributing factor in my communication problem? What would the controller do if the name was incorrect or misspelled? Could it be that the changed name is just simply unknown? If the new thermistor name was not acceptable, would I see an error message? Would the controller then shut down communications? I was wanting to do a PID autotune for my new E3D Revo 6, but I can’t if I can’t communicate longer than 22 seconds. When I enter a temperature of, say 210ºC, the temperature is displayed as 0.00ºC and does not heat up. However, if I turn on the bed heater, R-Host displays a message “Heating Bed”, the bed physically heats up but does not display an increasing temperature. Yesterday, I tried changing the way of identifying the thermistor of my hotend: instead of saying: “ temperature_control.hotend.thermistor Semitec-104NT4”, I commented out that line and added the line: “: temperature_control.hotend.rt_curve 25.0,100.0,160,1.074,260,0.1507” so as to use the RT curve method (I hope I did that correctly). Alas, R-Host does not communicate any differently. I even tried changing the name of the thermistor back to “semitec” – didn’t work either.

Just for information for someone, The section for my hotend now is:

temperature_control.hotend.thermistor_pin 0.24 # Pin for the thermistor to read

temperature_control.hotend.heater_pin 2.5 # Pin that controls the heater

#temperature_control.hotend.thermistor Semitec-104NT4 # see http://smoothieware.org/temperaturecontrol#toc5 - DISABLED BY LORNE 2022/12/08

#temperature_control.hotend.beta 4300 # or set the beta value

temperature_control.hotend.rt_curve 25.0,100.0,160,1.074,260,0.1507 #ADDED BY LORNE 2022/12/08

# SEE: http://smoothieware.org/steinharthart, ALSO: https://www.mouser.ca/datasheet/2/362/P18_NT_Thermistor-1535133.pdf, ADDED BY LORNE 2022/12/08

After doing a lot of searches, I even tried playing around with Windows' powering down the USB ports, and disabled the USB power down option. This did nothing. Anyway, after rebooting my laptop the next day, all the power down options were reset by Windows back to enabled (BTW, would I be better off installing Windows 11? has anyone had particular problems with their 3D printer after migrating to Windows 11?).

Details on my setup and equipment:

3D PRINTER TYPE: COREXY

CONTROLLER: AZTEEG X5 MINI V1.0 (a subset of the smoothie board). I know this is an old board but up until now has been working flawlessly for over a year. (Bought from panucatt.com - good board, terrible customer support (i.e. no support at all) - no answer after over 13 e-mails last year. My next board will not be from them). I will now stop ranting.

I am using an AC heated 120v heated bed with an SSR.

INSTALLED VERSION OF R-HOST:

Repetier-Host V2.2.4

MY ASUS VIVOBOOK LAPTOP:

(ALL XXXXX... IS REDACTED INFO)

Device name    LAPTOP-XXXXXXXX

Processor    Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10210U CPU @ 1.60GHz 2.11 GHz

Installed RAM    8.00 GB (7.85 GB usable)

Device ID    XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX

Product ID    XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

System type    64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Pen and touch    No pen or touch input is available for this display

Edition    Windows 10 Home

Version    21H2

Installed on    ‎2022-‎09-‎11

OS build    19044.2251

Experience    Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4180.0

My efforts to communicate so far:

Things that have partially worked (I have to click on Disconnect, then press the Reset button on the Azteeg for each thing I want to try):

- I can turn the part fan & off (R-Host sends the proper GCode)(while communications last)

- Before clicking on Connect, R-Host shows the temperatures of the heated bed & the hotend @ 100°C (I presume because R-Host is not yet communicating with the board).

- After clicking Connect, R-Host shows both @ room temperature (can I presume that R-Host is communicating properly with the controller (at least temporarily?))

- If I click on the icon for the bed heater, R-Host does not show the temperature rising and the bed heater gets hotter to the touch.

- However, when I try to do the same for the hotend, I cannot get the icon to change (and remove the red bar) and R-Host does not show feedback of a rising temperature (it displays 0°C). I would then presume that R-Host is not able to control the hotend.

Opening r-host:

10:21:06.005 : OpenGL version:4.6.0 - Build 27.20.100.9268

10:21:06.005 : OpenGL extensions:GL_3DFX_........ removed the big paragraph of info-didn't think it was useful

10:21:06.005 : OpenGL renderer:Intel(R) UHD Graphics

10:21:06.005 : Using fast VBOs for rendering is possible

After clicking on Connect the first time:

10:26:08.899 : No start signal detected - forcing start

10:26:08.932 : N1 M110*34

After pressing reset button on Azteeg board and clicking on Connect a 2nd time: (with Ping-Pong on)

10:27:04.882 : No start signal detected - forcing start

10:27:04.883 : N1 M110*34

10:27:04.889 : ok

10:27:04.893 : N2 M115*36

10:27:04.898 : FIRMWARE_NAME:Smoothieware, FIRMWARE_URL:http%3A//smoothieware.org, X-SOURCE_CODE_URL:https://github.com/Smoothieware/Smoothieware, FIRMWARE_VERSION:edge-0565b13, PROTOCOL_VERSION:1.0, X-FIRMWARE_BUILD_DATE:Jun 19 2021 16:12:18, X-SYSTEM_CLOCK:120MHz, X-AXES:5, X-GRBL_MODE:0, X-ARCS:1, X-CNC:0, X-MSD:1

10:27:04.898 : ok

10:27:04.898 : N3 M105*36

10:27:04.922 : ok T:18.6 /0.0 @0 B:18.7 /0.0 @0

10:27:04.922 : N4 M114*35

10:27:04.925 : ok C: X:0.0000 Y:0.0000 Z:0.0000 E:0.0000

10:27:04.925 : N5 M111 S6*98

10:27:04.926 : ok

10:27:04.926 : N6 T0*60

10:27:04.927 : ok

10:27:04.927 : N7 M80*28

10:27:04.927 : ok

10:27:04.927 : N8 M111 S6*111

10:27:04.928 : ok

10:27:04.928 : N9 T0*51

10:27:04.930 : ok

10:27:07.999 : N10 M105*22

10:27:08.003 : ok T:18.6 /0.0 @0 B:18.8 /0.0 @0

10:27:11.017 : N11 M105*23

10:27:11.020 : ok T:18.6 /0.0 @0 B:18.8 /0.0 @0

10:27:14.025 : N12 M105*20

10:27:14.031 : ok T:18.7 /0.0 @0 B:18.8 /0.0 @0

10:27:17.100 : N13 M105*21

10:27:17.107 : ok T:18.8 /0.0 @0 B:18.6 /0.0 @0

10:27:20.216 : N14 M105*18

10:27:20.220 : ok T:18.7 /0.0 @0 B:18.7 /0.0 @0

10:27:23.319 : N15 M105*19

10:28:03.437 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

10:28:03.437 : N16 M105*16

After pressing reset button on azteeg, clicking on connect and trying to move x&y axes: (the steppers actually move correctly)

10:54:59.679 : No start signal detected - forcing start

10:54:59.687 : N1 M110*34

10:54:59.692 : ok

10:54:59.692 : N2 M115*36

10:54:59.694 : FIRMWARE_NAME:Smoothieware, FIRMWARE_URL:http%3A//smoothieware.org, X-SOURCE_CODE_URL:https://github.com/Smoothieware/Smoothieware, FIRMWARE_VERSION:edge-0565b13, PROTOCOL_VERSION:1.0, X-FIRMWARE_BUILD_DATE:Jun 19 2021 16:12:18, X-SYSTEM_CLOCK:120MHz, X-AXES:5, X-GRBL_MODE:0, X-ARCS:1, X-CNC:0, X-MSD:1

10:54:59.694 : ok

10:54:59.694 : N3 M105*36

10:54:59.697 : ok T:19.7 /0.0 @0 B:19.6 /0.0 @0

10:54:59.697 : N4 M114*35

10:54:59.698 : ok C: X:0.0000 Y:0.0000 Z:0.0000 E:0.0000

10:54:59.698 : N5 M111 S6*98

10:54:59.699 : ok

10:54:59.700 : N6 T0*60

10:54:59.700 : ok

10:54:59.701 : N7 M80*28

10:54:59.701 : ok

10:54:59.701 : N8 M111 S6*111

10:54:59.702 : ok

10:54:59.702 : N9 T0*51

10:54:59.702 : ok

10:55:02.763 : N10 M105*22

10:55:02.768 : ok T:19.8 /0.0 @0 B:19.7 /0.0 @0

10:55:05.779 : N11 M105*23

10:55:05.785 : ok T:19.8 /0.0 @0 B:19.5 /0.0 @0

10:55:07.093 : N12 G1 X-10 F4800*37

10:55:07.098 : ok

10:55:07.795 : N13 G1 X-20 F4800*39

10:55:07.801 : ok

10:55:08.396 : N14 G1 X-30 F4800*33

10:55:08.403 : ok

10:55:08.846 : N15 M105*19

10:55:08.850 : ok T:19.6 /0.0 @0 B:19.6 /0.0 @0

10:55:09.028 : N16 G1 X-40 F4800*36

10:55:09.034 : ok

10:55:11.095 : N17 G1 X-30 F4800*34

10:55:11.101 : ok

10:55:11.752 : N18 G1 X-20 F4800*44

10:55:11.757 : ok

10:55:11.912 : N19 M105*31

10:55:11.917 : ok T:19.9 /0.0 @0 B:19.7 /0.0 @0

10:55:12.362 : N20 G1 X-10 F4800*36

10:55:52.432 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

10:55:52.432 : N21 M105*20

10:56:32.484 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

10:56:32.485 : N22 G1 Y-10 F4800*39

10:57:12.604 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

10:57:12.604 : N23 G1 Y-10 F4800*38

10:57:52.657 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

10:57:52.659 : N24 G1 Y-10 F4800*33

10:58:32.690 : Communication timeout - reset send buffer block

10:58:32.691 : N25 M105*16

(Interesting Note: after about 1 minute of getting communication timeout, the machine moved in the direction of one of the commands in the buffer, but still had one command waiting and then never moved after that).

I will try to attach screengrabs of my R-Host setup.

Thanks, Lorne Wilkins

  My e-mail: lor...@yahoo.com  

[wolfmanjm]

Try using something other than repetier host. It sounds like that is the problem not smoothie.

Try connecting direct with a terminal program, or try using Octoprint or pronterface both are known to work well with smoothie.

Also you can try Smoopi which will run on a PC (although designed for pi), it is written specifically to talk correctly and efficiently to smoothie.

Also if connected via USB turn off line numbers and checksums, they are not needed and slow everything down over USB (only needed when talking over a UART).

[lornetw]

Ok, thanks for your reply. I just found it strange that R-Host worked fine for over a year and now it doesn't. I tried something to be able to troubleshoot: I disconnected the 2 wires to the controller from the hotend thermistor and measured the resistance of the thermistor: it measured 133.2 Kohm @ 19 deg. C., Which is correct. 

I will give your suggestions a try. Thanks.

Lorne Wilkins

[lornetw]

I downloaded PronterFace but got the same results - after clicking on Connect, PronterFace reported that the printer was online (and I was able to move the X & Y axies) but after about 20 seconds (same as R-Host), I got an error message : "Error can't write to printer (disconnected?) (Serial Exception: Write timeout)". I can't help but think this is a Windows communication issue. I even stopped R-Host Server because it was tying up my COM3 port, but communications still timedout after about 20 seconds. 

I then went into Windows Settings, in the Device Manager. I found under the Events tab a message "Device . . .  requires further installation". I uninstalled the COM3 port, rebooted my computer to make Windows reinstall the driver, but the message "Device . . .  requires further installation" reappeared.  I don't get it.

Lorne Wilkins

[Arthur Wolf]

Which version of Windows are you using? Did you read the docs related to drivers?

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[lornetw]

I am using Windows 10 (also, please see below after the description of my laptop):

MY ASUS VIVOBOOK LAPTOP:

(ALL XXXXX... IS REDACTED INFO)

Device name    LAPTOP-XXXXXXXX

Processor    Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10210U CPU @ 1.60GHz 2.11 GHz

Installed RAM    8.00 GB (7.85 GB usable)

Device ID    XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX

Product ID    XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

System type    64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Pen and touch    No pen or touch input is available for this display

Edition    Windows 10 Home

Version    21H2

Installed on    ‎2022-‎09-‎11

OS build    19044.2251

Experience    Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4180.0

======================================================

I also have tried the following:

- downloaded the latest firmware.bin copied it to the SDcard, rebooted - no difference.

- tried a USB hub - no difference.

R-Host seems able to communicate for about 20-ish seconds (I can move the X or Y axes, etc) but then goes into a communications timeout. If I try to move the X or Y axis while in the timeout, R-Host says Commands waiting, but after a few seconds, the axis will move (i.e. it executes one of the waiting X or Y commands, but not any of the remaining after that) and then goes back into timeout. But if I try to move the X or Y axis again, it doesn't work, It's almost like the buffer on the Smoothie board is full. Or is this a Windows USB problem? If R-Host was not able to communicate at all, I might think there was something wrong with my Smoothie board, but it communicates for a short while before getting stuck.

I am out of ideas

Thanks, Lorne Wilkins

[Arthur Wolf]

Can you try a different computer?

Are the smoothieboard and the computer plugged into the same power strip?

Does this happen right as/20 seconds after you boot, or does it happen "after 20 seconds of streaming a gcode file to the board" ?

Can you try using a shorter USB cable?

Can you boot your computer on a Ubuntu live CD / Live thumb drive, and try pronterface on that?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/smoothieware-support/635efdf0-dd18-4477-a161-1605f9b26384n%40googlegroups.com.

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[lornetw]

Thanks for all your effort. 

(Here's my answers to your questions)

Can you try a different computer? Not really, my 3d printer is a bit heavy to lug upstairs to my kid's desktop computer

Are the smoothieboard and the computer plugged into the same power strip? Yes, they're powered on the same power strip

Does this happen right as/20 seconds after you boot, or does it happen "after 20 seconds of streaming a gcode file to the board" ? I haven't tried sending gcode - the communications jam about 20 seconds after clicking on Connect - I don't even have time to home the machine. It will jam even if I don't do anything at all.

Can you try using a shorter USB cable? I have tried 4 USB cables, 3 short and 1 long, with and without ferrite beads

Can you boot your computer on a Ubuntu live CD / Live thumb drive, and try pronterface on that? I wouldn't know how to do that.

What is weird is that my printer worked fine for over a year - the only thing I have changed is the hotend (E3D v6 to Revo 6). 

I wonder if there is something like the old breakout boxes that we used to use for debugging serial communications to check every signal on a USB cable, to monitor every wire in real time. Maybe I should buy a signal analyzer. What I don't know is: is the Smoothie board jamming and  does not want to receive any more data (maybe because of a full buffer) or does the laptop jamming, not wanting to send any more data. 

It would be really sad if I spent all the time, effort and money to build my printer and never be able to use it again because of stupid communications.

Thanks

[Arthur Wolf]

On Sat, Dec 17, 2022 at 3:14 AM 'lornetw' via Smoothieware Support <smoothiewa...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Thanks for all your effort. 

(Here's my answers to your questions)

Can you try a different computer? Not really, my 3d printer is a bit heavy to lug upstairs to my kid's desktop computer

Are the smoothieboard and the computer plugged into the same power strip? Yes, they're powered on the same power strip

Does this happen right as/20 seconds after you boot, or does it happen "after 20 seconds of streaming a gcode file to the board" ? I haven't tried sending gcode - the communications jam about 20 seconds after clicking on Connect - I don't even have time to home the machine. It will jam even if I don't do anything at all.

Can you try using a shorter USB cable? I have tried 4 USB cables, 3 short and 1 long, with and without ferrite beads

Can you boot your computer on a Ubuntu live CD / Live thumb drive, and try pronterface on that? I wouldn't know how to do that.

There are a lot of tutorials online, including lots of Youtube content etc, this is an extremely documented procedure.

What is weird is that my printer worked fine for over a year - the only thing I have changed is the hotend (E3D v6 to Revo 6). 

Then I'd extremely strongly suspect there is some kind of short somewhere. Try rewiring everything, re-doing your connectors, inspecting everything in detail etc. Any part you can replace/try an alternative for, do it, same for swapping parts around.

I wonder if there is something like the old breakout boxes that we used to use for debugging serial communications to check every signal on a USB cable, to monitor every wire in real time. Maybe I should buy a signal analyzer.

A USB analyzer is extremely expensive, difficult to use, and unlikely to help here.

 

What I don't know is: is the Smoothie board jamming and  does not want to receive any more data (maybe because of a full buffer) or does the laptop jamming, not wanting to send any more data. 

 

It would be really sad if I spent all the time, effort and money to build my printer and never be able to use it again because of stupid communications.

Try the Ethernet port.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/smoothieware-support/44019425-efa2-4951-824e-c50dff94db75n%40googlegroups.com.

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[lornetw]

Thanks again. I will give your suggestions a try. One thing you mentioned: Try the Ethernet port. How would that work? My Azteeg X5 mini v1.0 doesn't have an Ethernet port.

[Arthur Wolf]

Ah sorry, didn't realize you didn't have a Smoothieboard.

Unfortunately, Azteeg doesn't keep their documentation/firmware/config examples up to date (despite asking them so many times...), so it can be quite difficult for their users, they're pretty much working with a many-years-old smoothie, or they're on their own solving issues...

one thing you could try is using a UART/USB adapter ( http://smoothieware.org/serial ) as an alternative to the USB port.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/smoothieware-support/c14a7291-afe9-4c99-ab4f-4d6dec78eb94n%40googlegroups.com.

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[wolfmanjm]

TBH this sounds like a windows 10 usb issue.m You can try to use a serial terminal and connect to the com port, I think you will get the same issue, where the connection drops after 20 seconds. Win10 has builtin USB serial drivers, if you tried to install a serial USB driver it will hose win10 as Win10 MUST use its builtin driver only.

I do not know how to fully uninstall a driver you may have tried to install on Win10, however I suspect it requires some registry hacking, and you can probably find instructions on Google.

I have had many azteeg boards running for years, and this does not sound like a smoothieware problem, unless you are getting some kind of error, I would hook up an ftdi to the uart port and see if there are any errors being printed out (like maybe a thermistor issue forcing the system into a HALT state).

If you have a UART hooked up then you would see that error being reported.

[lornetw]

Hi. I have been experimenting with Realterm, a serial communication program. I have been able to communicate with my Azteeg (and it NEVER times out! !) I have been able to move the X, Y and Z axes, home the printer, ask for the current temp M105, control the temp of the hotend and Bed, turn the part fan on and off. Therefore, I don't think it's a problem with either Windows or my Azteeg. I have tried to apply the same communications parameters that worked for Realterm to R-Host: (half duplex, Baud=115200 (which is in my config.txt file), Port3, Parity=none, Databits=8, Stop bits=1, Hardware flow control=none, etc). In R-Host I have tried both the Serial Connection and Repetier Server. I have no idea what is wrong. Any ideas?

[Arthur Wolf]

Try both octoprint and pronterface. Doesn't azteeg support have any ideas?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/smoothieware-support/1cf09219-1694-4e7b-a86f-a34a46a9f142n%40googlegroups.com.

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[lornetw]

Like I said in one of my posts, Azteeg's support is worse than bad - it's nonexistent ! ! (ask me how I know). I will try pronterface again, though it didn't when I tried it a week ago. I don't have octoprint.

Thanks for your quick reply.

Lorne Wilkins

[wolfmanjm]

R-Host is written to talk to repetier not smoothie. So it is not surprising it has issues.

The issue sounds like it is not getting an 'ok' to a command and times out. Pronterface should work, and if you get the same issue turn on debug mode to see where and what command is not getting an 'ok'.

Also you can try Smoopi (https://github.com/wolfmanjm/kivy-smoothie-host) it is written specifically for Smoothie and will run on most desktops, I have not tried it on Windows but it is written in Python so should work.

[lornetw]

ok, will try that. 

Today I disconnected everything from my Azteeg except for 12VDC and the USB cable - still no luck.

Thanks

[lornetw]

Hi. Still no luck. (is there an icon for pulling out hair? I'm bald.). Even tried to use Octo4a - no luck, many people are having problems with "Corrupted installation" errors. 

I retried using Pronterface with Debug Communications on and for a while everything communicates well with the Azteeg executing commands and replying with OK. Then communications just halt:

Example:

Printer is now online.
>>> M115
SENT: M115
RECV: FIRMWARE_NAME:Smoothieware, FIRMWARE_URL:http%3A//smoothieware.org, X-SOURCE_CODE_URL:https://github.com/Smoothieware/Smoothieware, FIRMWARE_VERSION:edge-6a3b837, X-FIRMWARE_BUILD_DATE:Aug 28 2020 22:01:51, X-SYSTEM_CLOCK:120MHz, X-AXES:5, X-GRBL_MODE:0, X-CNC:0, X-MSD:1
RECV: ok
SENT: M105
RECV: ok T:inf /0.0 @0 B:inf /0.0 @0
SENT: M105
SENT: M105
SENT: M105
SENT: M105
SENT: M105
SENT: M105

Just had a thought. Do you think doing the following could work? - right-click on the R-Host executable, Run as Administrator, then change the compatibility to run as a Windows 7 program and download and install the appropriate Windows 7 drivers?

I am also contacting ASUS (my laptop is an ASUS) to try a debug this.

At this point, I am willing to try almost anything.

Regards, Lorne Wilkins

[lornetw]

No joy - just updated BIOS & new drivers ASUS gave me but no difference. Should I try to run in compatabilty mode?

[lornetw]

By the way, I tried plugging the USB cable into another USB port on my laptop and Device Manager didn't change the port number. Is this normal?

[Roland Exler]

At least at windows this depends on the chip in use and the ini file provided for the driver. FTDI chips have a unique ID, so they keep the port number and settings independent of the usb path in between (e.g. even including an usb hub). 

Some other chips create a registry setting based on physical connection which I find is a bad idea, because I want to access a device with the configured name independent of how I connect it to my machine.

Roland

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/smoothieware-support/1478c877-5574-4921-a5ad-48bfbe1bc412n%40googlegroups.com.

[wolfmanjm]

Windows 10 does not require any drivers they are built in, in fact running an ini for serial on Win10 can cause issues.

[wolfmanjm]

Ok so the temps are showing inf, this means there is an error and the thermistors are not connected or shorted. That must be fixed as I suspect when pronterface gets inf instead of a nice decimal number it gets upset. (probably the same for repetier) (Smoopi will be OK with getting INF there)

[wolfmanjm]

you also appear to be running an older firmware, try the latest build https://github.com/Smoothieware/Smoothieware/blob/edge/FirmwareBin/firmware-latest.bin

unlikely to help but worth a try.
The fact that a terminal program works ok, but not the hosts, makes me think it is not a computer or windows error at all.

You could also try an ftdi to the uart (as suggested before) and see what happens. Also look for errors being reported on that uart port.

[wolfmanjm]

I fixed the latest bins so they do not send inf when there is no thermistor but sends -100 instead. This will keep pronterface happy.

You will need to flash the latest bin https://github.com/Smoothieware/Smoothieware/blob/edge/FirmwareBin/firmware-latest.bin

There is one other thing I know that could cause this issue. When a smoothie is connected to windows it tries to mount the sdcard. It can take a while to do this, and sometimes when it fails (due to a corrupt sdcard or other MSD error) it turns off the USB port or resets it, this disrupts the serial communication as it is a composite device.

If this is happening then you need to flash the no msd firmware and turn off MSD in config (or fix whatever is causing the MSD to not mount the sdcard).

[lornetw]

Hello, everyone. Your responses are much appreciated. 

Just to clear up a couple of points: 1) M105 is showing a result of "inf" because I unplugged ALL wiring from my Azteeg except for 12VDC main power, the USB cable and the SD card and therefore the Azteeg cannot read or report the current temperature. When the thermistor was still wired up, M105 returned a temperature of 18 deg. C (which is the temperature of my basement workshop).  2) I think the SD card is probably OK because I can get a list of the files on the SD card with M20 (and it shows the full list correctly).

In an effort to find out if the serial comms are working properly, on the weekend I will hook up an Arduino I have hanging around and see if it times out (I will use the Arduino IDE comms debugging tool). I will see how long I can stay in communication. 

Many thanks and have a good weekend.

Lorne Wilkins

[lornetw]

I hooked up a Sparkfun Arduino Pro Micro in the Arduino IDE 1.8 (because I had trouble using IDE 2.0) and was able to communicate to and from the Pro Micro with out any problems (I ran the program for over 1/2 an hour) - communications never stopped or paused. I will continue troubleshooting.

Lorne Wilkins

[lornetw]

I've given up on my Azteeg X5 Mini V1.0. I throw in the towel and raise the white flag. I'm done. I have tried everything I could find since December but nothing ever cleared up the USB communication problem. And my supplier, Panaucatt.com does not believe in Customer Support. (over the space of months I have sent over 20 emails with NO response)

So, I took the the plunge and I bought a BTT 3 SKR EZ board with a TFT35 V3 graphic display. I'm going to miss Smoothieware! I would have bought another Smoothie board but 1) they don't seem to be available in Canada, 2) they're rather expensive and I REFUSE to buy anything from Panucatt.

Long story short, I did the configuration of Marlin on the BTT board and guess what? With Pronterface is DOESN'T cut communications after 20 seconds! ! Amazing. I left it plugged in for over 3 hours this morning, every once in a while I would send some command like: M20, M115, M119, M205, M503, etc and got back a full response each time. 

So, I'm gone. I just want to thank everyone who patiently answered my (sometimes) dumb questions. Your help was much appreciated.

Regards to everyone,

Lorne Wilkins

P.S. you can probably close this post.