Black screen after trying to install PCI-E Parallel card

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19 Sep 2017 19:01 #99125 by denhen89
Hello guys,
slowly i lose my motivation to get LinuxCNC to run..

Today i got the PCI-E - Parallel port card, AM882 stepper drivers and 80v power supplys. Stepper motors and brakeout board are also here, so i have everything to wire all up and do some tests, but of course, first i wanted to install the Parallel port card.

That is the LPT card i have: www.unitek-products.com/search?view=product&id=24
It uses an Moschip 9901 chip and works on Linux or at least it should...

Got damned i dont even know with what i should start, but lets try:

I downloaded the Linux driver, put it on an usb stick and moved the "MCS99xx_LINUX_Driver_v3.1.0_Source.tar.gz" file on the Linux desktop. I dont remember anymore what i did to unpack that file, but i got the folder on my desktop where are the "drivers" and also the readme file include.
I opened the readme and didnt really knew what i should do. I wouldnt say i am a newbie, but when it comes to Linux then i have to say that somehow i understand almost nothing..

PLEASE SEE THE README IN ATTACHMENT

So, in the readme reads:

Building the Driver and application:

Run the following command in the driver source folder:
$ make

Once the driver is compliled, the loadable module 99xx.ko will be created in the same folder.

** '$' --this symbol represents the shell prompt on linux

To build driver on kernels from v3.1.0 till latest:
Since the device ID 99XX is included (as built-in) with kernel versions
starts from v3.1.0 and above, the following procedure is required to
follow to detect MCS99XX devices.

a) Go to the path,
"/usr/src/linux-x.y.z/drivers/tty/serial" in v3.1.0
$ cd /usr/src/linux-x.y.z/drivers/tty/serial/

"/usr/src/linux-x.y.z/drivers/tty/serial/8250" from v3.3.0 to latest
$ cd /usr/src/linux-x.y.z/drivers/tty/serial/8250/

After that i already didnt knew what i should do. Why? Because, there reads: To build driver on kernels from v3.1.0 till latest:
So, i thought i need to follow this steps, because i use kernel 3.4.9 if i remember right.
Unfortunately "/usr/src/linux-x.y.z/drivers/tty/serial/8250" does not exist. I mean the folder "/drivers".

Okay, i avoid this step and start with that what reads at first in the reads:
[Building the Driver and application:

Run the following command in the driver source folder:
$ make

Once the driver is compliled, the loadable module 99xx.ko will be created in the same folder.

** '$' --this symbol represents the shell prompt on linux


I went to the drive source folder and opened the terminal from there. Typed "$ make" in and something happend and everything looked good without Errors. Unfortunately i dont remember what messages it was..

Then i opened an terminal and typed in commands like: lspci -vv , lspci-v (again, dont remember which one it was), but i found the information where reads Parallel port etc.. etc..
Then there was some info like e.g. "I/O ports at c000 [acces denied] or so...

Then i follow some other steps from the readme:

Loading the Driver:


To load the driver use the following command:
$ insmod 99xx.ko

I got the message "insmod: unknow command"

Then i followed this step:

Installing the Driver:


To install the driver use the following command:

make install

I typed that in and something happend again, and without any error, but then after i typed lspci -v (or lspci -vv) in, it has show only 3 hardware informations, but above when i scrolled up there was everything just block. Before, it has shows so many hardware informations and now there was at least same much to scroll in the terminal, but only 3 hardware informations and everythign else was just black.

After that i deciced to reboot Linux, but unfortunately Linux does not anymore load. Everything works same like before, even after choosing Linux in GRUB, it also outputs the colored lines and then usually i should see the Login screen, but there is only a black screen and blincking cursor at top-left corner, but when typing something in i get no messages back. When doing CTRL + ALT + DEL, the PC reboots.

I am really really sorry for the bad info guys, but i do just follow steps, without even knowing what i really do...
Usually i like that kind of challenges, because its always great when it later works, but right now i know i will not get it done without help.
To be honest, i dont know how to fix it and get into Linux. Of course i tryed to find an way to get it. I googled at least for an hour before starting to write this thread. I could write more what i did, but this thread would get extremly long.

I wish someone could help me e.g. via Skype.

Of course i could now reinstall everything, but then i still wouldnt know what i have to do to install the PCI-E Parallet Card.
I really would like to use LinuxCNC, but currently i just hate Linux (not linuxcnc), and just wish i can use LinuxCNC and avoid to use Linux for any other things.

Br,
Denis
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19 Sep 2017 19:09 #99126 by PCW
I would back out the driver and try with the built in Linux one
In general I would avoid non stock drivers like the plague

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19 Sep 2017 19:16 - 19 Sep 2017 19:17 #99127 by denhen89
Thank you very much PCW for your quick reply.

I see you really like to help, but i am a totally newbie in Linux, so i dont know what i have to do and i dont even know how i get now into linux with that problem..

I tryed the live cd, but after some time loading and showing 1xx times timeout killing /sbin/modeprobe -b pci error it shows now an blank screen and i cant do anything.
Last edit: 19 Sep 2017 19:17 by denhen89.

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19 Sep 2017 19:35 #99129 by Todd Zuercher
Unfortunately PCIe parallel port cards have been rather hit or miss in Linux and especially with Linuxcnc. It is probably a safe bet that any card that requires you to install a driver to use it in Linux will likely be a problem for Linuxcnc (because odds are the driver will not be realtime compliant.) It will probably be simpler to just reinstall, rather than try to figure out how to undo what you did.

Wish I had better news for you.

Do you know what the main chip is on that card? (I suspect it is a common one that many other people also have difficulties with in Linux, it isn't just a Linuxcnc problem.)

Here is a link to a card that someone on the forum was recently able to make work.
www.ebay.com/itm/322325620322?_trksid=p2...e=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

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19 Sep 2017 19:43 #99130 by PCW
As far as I know the MCS9901 should just work with Wheezy

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19 Sep 2017 19:45 #99131 by denhen89
Hi Todd,

thanks for your post.
I thought the same 15minutes ago and started the reinstall process and give it one more try, if i dont get it to work then it seems that i have to give up LinuxCNC and pay for Mach3 unfortunately..

The chip is an Moschip 9901 (on the chip reads: MCS 9901CV-CC)
I remember that in the output of lspci -v, i found 3 lines where was something with "Netmos" (in one of the lines i found "Parport or Parallel port", so i am not sure if the card was installed or not. Everything is so strange and not understable for an Linux newbie like me..

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19 Sep 2017 19:48 #99133 by denhen89
PCW, that are good news, but do i then dont need to install any drivers from the manufacturer ? (UNITEK, card name: Y-7507)
If so, what is the next step. Just connect the BOB to the Parallel port card and i do not need to do any settings in hal_parport or so ?

Could you tell me what i need to do to test if the lpt card works like it should ?

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19 Sep 2017 19:52 #99134 by Todd Zuercher
In a command prompt try this command and tell us what it says.
cat /proc/ioports | grep parport

If one or more parallel ports are properly installed it should list their addresses.
(However if your installation is messed up from your fiddling before, you might still have to start over and reinstall.)

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19 Sep 2017 19:59 #99135 by PCW
Unlike Windows you very rarely need or want to install manufacturers supplied
drivers with Linux (and they are very often trash)

For LinuxCNC, you should not need any lpt related settings other than selecting the first parallel port ( port 0 )

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19 Sep 2017 20:09 #99136 by denhen89
So, Linux is reinstalled and updated (include 2.8 pre).

i tryed this command: cat /proc/ioports | grep parport
no results

So, i tryed this: cat /proc/ioports:
Results:
0000-0cf7 : PCI Bus 0000:00
  0000-001f : dma1
  0020-0021 : pic1
  0040-0043 : timer0
  0050-0053 : timer1
  0060-0060 : keyboard
  0062-0062 : EC data
  0064-0064 : keyboard
  0066-0066 : EC cmd
  0070-0071 : rtc0
  0080-008f : dma page reg
  00a0-00a1 : pic2
  00c0-00df : dma2
  00f0-00ff : fpu
  0170-0177 : 0000:00:14.1
    0170-0177 : pata_atiixp
  01f0-01f7 : 0000:00:14.1
    01f0-01f7 : pata_atiixp
  0230-023f : pnp 00:09
  0290-029f : pnp 00:09
  0376-0376 : 0000:00:14.1
    0376-0376 : pata_atiixp
  03c0-03df : vga+
  03f6-03f6 : 0000:00:14.1
    03f6-03f6 : pata_atiixp
  03f8-03ff : serial
  040b-040b : pnp 00:08
  04d0-04d1 : pnp 00:08
  04d6-04d6 : pnp 00:08
  0800-089f : pnp 00:08
    0800-0803 : ACPI PM1a_EVT_BLK
    0804-0805 : ACPI PM1a_CNT_BLK
    0808-080b : ACPI PM_TMR
    0820-0827 : ACPI GPE0_BLK
  08ff-08ff : ACPI PM2_CNT_BLK
  0900-090f : pnp 00:08
  0910-091f : pnp 00:08
  0a30-0a3f : pnp 00:09
  0b00-0b1f : pnp 00:08
  0b20-0b3f : pnp 00:08
  0c00-0c01 : pnp 00:08
  0c14-0c14 : pnp 00:08
  0c50-0c51 : pnp 00:08
  0c52-0c52 : pnp 00:08
  0c6c-0c6c : pnp 00:08
  0c6f-0c6f : pnp 00:08
  0cd0-0cd1 : pnp 00:08
  0cd2-0cd3 : pnp 00:08
  0cd4-0cd5 : pnp 00:08
  0cd6-0cd7 : pnp 00:08
  0cd8-0cdf : pnp 00:08
0cf8-0cff : PCI conf1
0d00-ffff : PCI Bus 0000:00
  0f40-0f4f : pnp 00:09
  7000-700f : 0000:00:11.0
    7000-700f : ahci
  8000-8003 : 0000:00:11.0
    8000-8003 : ahci
  9000-9007 : 0000:00:11.0
    9000-9007 : ahci
  a000-a003 : 0000:00:11.0
    a000-a003 : ahci
  b000-b007 : 0000:00:11.0
    b000-b007 : ahci
  c000-cfff : PCI Bus 0000:01
    c800-c8ff : 0000:01:00.0
      c800-c8ff : r8169
  d000-dfff : PCI Bus 0000:04
    d400-d40f : 0000:04:00.0
      d400-d40f : pata_jmicron
    d480-d483 : 0000:04:00.0
      d480-d483 : pata_jmicron
    d800-d807 : 0000:04:00.0
      d800-d807 : pata_jmicron
    d880-d883 : 0000:04:00.0
      d880-d883 : pata_jmicron
    dc00-dc07 : 0000:04:00.0
      dc00-dc07 : pata_jmicron
  e000-efff : PCI Bus 0000:05
    ec00-ec7f : 0000:05:00.0
  fe00-fefe : pnp 00:08
  ff00-ff0f : 0000:00:14.1
    ff00-ff0f : pata_atiixp

It seems that there is no parallel port card detected or am i wrong?

PS: Thank you guys, youre always trying to help me out...

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