Updating from LINUXCNC - 2.8.4-23, Mint 20.3

I haven't used my gmoccapy lathe installation for perhaps 18 months due to working on other machines. At last use I was having problems with Andy Pugh's macros (something to do with needing Python 3?) and I'd struggled to finally get it to the point of working as it was (some problem with the RT kernal, which I had to change).

Although I haven't changed anything in the meantime, when I try to run gmoccapy, I now get errors and it bombs out. It seems to be something to do with the 5i25 possibly not loading if I understand the error message.

I'm planning to install the latest version of Linuxcnc and gmoccapy, so I'm not actually focusing on trying to rectify the above problem but the report file lists some of the components installed in the current system.

My question is - if I create a fresh Linux / Linuxcnc installation, what else would I need to port across to get it running? I'm thinking the hal and ini files for starters but is there anything else? Furthermore, are there any additional entries I'd need to put in the files? I think I saw a post mentioning some graphics-related additions to the ini or hal files when I was trawling through the forum yesterday but obvs I can't find it again. It's possible it was actually in the Probe Basic area of the forum - a version I previously set up but decided to stick with gmoccapy.

I'd be very grateful for any guidance to point me in the right direction!


 

If you happen have an extra spare hard drive/SSD, install your new system to that, so you can always revert to your old install if needed.

Don't count on your HAL and INI files to work on your new system, especially as they don't even work on the old one.

After looking at the error message it seems that this would be an issue for PCW to advise on. Maybe corrupted firmware, just a blind guess.

I know its generally frowned upon but the issue seems to be with the 5i25 card so.........
Maybe starting a new thread under driver boards referencing hm2/hm2_5i25.0: Module Descriptor 1 (at 0x044c) has invalid ClockTag 255, may yield a better answer, as it would seem to be more of an issue with the hardware rather than the UI. So it might be best to put off upgrading until this issue is resolved.

For the interim, if not all ready attempted, it may be worth cleaning the contacts of the card and reseating the card. I can't say whether or not this would resolve the issue.

unknown wrote:

After looking at the error message it seems that this would be an issue for PCW to advise on. Maybe corrupted firmware, just a blind guess.

Could be.

Randomly not working after not being used for 18 months without any clear reason is pretty odd.

If firmware is indeed the culprit, perhaps running sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade would install a new linux-firmware package and overwrite the existing (and potentially broken) firmware, which could fix the issue.


Hardware weirdly breaks all the time!

The fan in my mom's iMac decided to run at full speed one day, and it remains at full speed without the aid of a 3rd-party fan control app.
I had an old PC that I installed LinuxCNC on; one day I powered it off and it never turned on again (stupid HP).
Then I moved the HDD to a new computer and then one day the PSU fan of that computer decided to break!
But why?

Really all you need to port across is your ~/linuxcnc folder

Many thanks for the helpful suggestions! Notwithstanding the ever present Domestic Manager and her task list, I will have a go at those suggestions.

• Cleaning and reseating the connectors sounds like a good plan. As you say, software doesn't simply evolve of its own accord. My mobo has only one ISA slot.
• I have a spare SSD, so will do the install on that, leaving the existing system untouched.
• "Really all you need to port across is your ~/linuxcnc folder" - I will look into this. Presumably that folder contains config data rather than executables etc.
• If I'm still struggling with the 5i25 bit, I'll post a more focused query and perhaps PCW will be able to point me in the right direction.

Thanks again.

Until the issue with the 5i25 is sorted no amount of reinstalling Linuxcnc is going to fix the issue.
It's quite apparent that the config was working before. What is stopping it now from working is the error with 5i25.
It's akin to trying to get a car going by replacing the engine when the ROM in the ecu is bad.

Progress has been made. I opened up the mini ITX PC and examined the 5i25 assembly. This is a Jetway mobo with a single PCI-E slot. I had fitted an adaptor (PCI-E to full size PCI) and a PCI extension ribbon cable to connect the 5i25 which sits parallel to the mobo. This was the root of the problem, as the adaptor board wasn't seated properly. The mechanical assembly isn't ideal, so I will need to address that to avoid a repetition in the future.

gmoccapy now works as it did previously, so I can now move on to installing a new SSD with the current version of Mint and LCNC. I will then tackle the config files etc. Watch this space.....

Also consider installing from the official LinuxCNC ISO, if you can tolerate XFCE.