7i43 on EPP strange behavior I can't understand

I tried testing a MESA Electronics 7i43-U-4 board I just got, but I get a strange behavior I can't understand ..

probe_parport, hostmot2 and hm2_7i43 modules load ok, on board LEDs DONE & INIT shut off and everything seems fine. I connect an oscilloscope to one of the pins and give some "setp" commands that I think should change the state of the pin but nothing happens. All pins are always in ON (3.3V) state, no matter what I do. I also tried enabling some of the PWM pins and give them a 0.5 value, but with no results.

Tested it in two different computers, same behavior. Tried with USB power as well as an external 5V power supply.

hm2_7i43 module gets loaded like this:

"loadrt hm2_7i43 config="firmware=hm2/7i43/SVST4_4B.BIT" debug_epp=1"

I tried debug_epp=1 thinking I would see something useful in the logs, but nothing happens after firmware loading. Last lines I see are these:

...
...
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792492] hm2_7i43: selected address 0x9000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792504] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792515] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792523] hm2_7i43: read status 0xFE
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792533] hm2_7i43: selected address 0xC000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792544] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792555] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792567] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792578] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792585] hm2_7i43: read status 0xFE
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792595] hm2_7i43: selected address 0xA000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792607] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792618] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792629] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792640] hm2_7i43: wrote data 0x00000000
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792648] hm2_7i43: read status 0xFE
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792656] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: 48 I/O Pins used:
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792669] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 000 (P4-01): Encoder #1, pin B (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792682] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 001 (P4-03): Encoder #1, pin A (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792694] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 002 (P4-05): Encoder #0, pin B (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792707] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 003 (P4-07): Encoder #0, pin A (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792720] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 004 (P4-09): Encoder #1, pin Index (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792733] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 005 (P4-11): Encoder #0, pin Index (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792746] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 006 (P4-13): PWMGen #1, pin Out0 (PWM or Up) (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792760] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 007 (P4-15): PWMGen #0, pin Out0 (PWM or Up) (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792774] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 008 (P4-17): PWMGen #1, pin Out1 (Dir or Down) (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792787] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 009 (P4-19): PWMGen #0, pin Out1 (Dir or Down) (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792801] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 010 (P4-21): PWMGen #1, pin Not-Enable (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792814] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 011 (P4-23): PWMGen #0, pin Not-Enable (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792827] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 012 (P4-25): Encoder #3, pin B (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792840] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 013 (P4-27): Encoder #3, pin A (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792853] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 014 (P4-29): Encoder #2, pin B (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792865] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 015 (P4-31): Encoder #2, pin A (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792878] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 016 (P4-33): Encoder #3, pin Index (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792891] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 017 (P4-35): Encoder #2, pin Index (Input)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792904] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 018 (P4-37): PWMGen #3, pin Out0 (PWM or Up) (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792918] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 019 (P4-39): PWMGen #2, pin Out0 (PWM or Up) (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792932] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 020 (P4-41): PWMGen #3, pin Out1 (Dir or Down) (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792946] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 021 (P4-43): PWMGen #2, pin Out1 (Dir or Down) (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792959] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 022 (P4-45): PWMGen #3, pin Not-Enable (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792973] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 023 (P4-47): PWMGen #2, pin Not-Enable (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792986] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 024 (P3-01): StepGen #0, pin Step (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.792999] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 025 (P3-03): StepGen #0, pin Direction (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793010] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 026 (P3-05): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793020] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 027 (P3-07): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793030] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 028 (P3-09): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793040] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 029 (P3-11): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793052] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 030 (P3-13): StepGen #1, pin Step (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793065] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 031 (P3-15): StepGen #1, pin Direction (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793076] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 032 (P3-17): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793086] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 033 (P3-19): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793096] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 034 (P3-21): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793106] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 035 (P3-23): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793118] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 036 (P3-25): StepGen #2, pin Step (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793131] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 037 (P3-27): StepGen #2, pin Direction (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793142] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 038 (P3-29): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793152] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 039 (P3-31): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793162] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 040 (P3-33): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793172] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 041 (P3-35): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793184] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 042 (P3-37): StepGen #3, pin Step (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793197] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 043 (P3-39): StepGen #3, pin Direction (Output)
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793208] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 044 (P3-41): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793218] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 045 (P3-43): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793228] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 046 (P3-45): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793238] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: IO Pin 047 (P3-47): IOPort
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793319] hm2/hm2_7i43.0: registered
Apr 3 12:57:44 emc2small kernel: [ 1377.793329] hm2_7i43.0: board at (ioaddr=0x0378, ioaddr_hi=0x0778, epp_wide ON) found

I guess I should see more of the debug_epp lines after changing pins states?

Versions are Ubuntu 10.04 with EMC 2.4.6 from the latest live CD and I have all the latest packages.

board jumper positions are:

W1: up
W2: up
W3: down (tried setting it up and all that changed was that all pins go to ON state before firmware upload, after that nothing changes)
W4, W5: down
W6: up or down, depending on the 5V supply source.
W7: up

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Kostas

Do the standard 7I43 HM2 sample hal/ini files work? It may be something as simple as improper watchdog setup/feeding (this will result in all pins being inputs, pulled up to 3.3V)

Also the debug addresses look a little weird, but I'm not sure what the A000, C000 etc mean. They certainly dont match the EPP port address (0x378)

Ok, now I'm feeling very stupid. You're right! I didn't add read and write functions to any threads! I don't think I'll ever forget this from now on!

Thanks!