Sign in to follow this  
PBC2007

USB-AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG

Recommended Posts

ok i just got my pcut yesterday and it looks like fun but everytime i go to hook up the usb from the plotter to my computer, my comp freezes and if i just unplug it the comp works fine. it like locks my mouse from moving. i can not use the serial hook-up because i don't have the connections on my laptop.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Terry

You have a connection issue, I see it a lot on laptops with USB. I know a few people use it with no problems, but not my first choice thats for sure. Serial is the way to go. I see people with old 500 meg. computers running fine with no problems. I built my own big computer for just cutting. And once I hit cut I don't even touch the mouse. And screen savers are a NO NO. Not much help but do a search under advanced with your problem because I seen your issue on here ALOT with laptops. You are connecting first then starting your computer up afterwards? correct? and with the correct driver?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

well i just asked a computer guy at my work and stupid me i was in such a rush to play with this thing i didn't even install the driver on my computer. and second i had my computer on already so i am going to install the driver and then hook up the cables and then turn the computer on. hopefully this works..I WANT TO MAKE STEEKERS ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

ok so i put the disc that came with the pcut to install the drivers but no wizard comes up to install anything?;) what do i do. everytime i hook up the pcut the mouse and typing is disabled and once i disconnect the usb everything is ok...WHAT AM I DOING WRONG

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It could be the laptop.....here is what another user found:

"   

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have both a refine 721 and pcut 630 cutter, I was having the same problem with the cutters not completing the cuts, freezing and locking up, loosing communication with the cutter etc.....

I was using both cutters on usb and tried the usb to serial converters with no luck. When the cutters did complete the cuts they worked great so I was pretty sure that there was no problems with the cutters...

Here is what I did to solve the problem, both of the computers I was using the cutters on were laptops with only usb connections, no serial or parallel ports......One had both a PCMCIA slot and expresscard slot the other one only had an expresscard slot, one is running XP and the other Vista.....I installed a PCMCIA to serial port card and an expresscard to serial port card to give me a db9 serial port on both computers and connected the cutters to the serial ports on both computers and to date both cutters have worked flawlessly.....

Most laptops are going to have some type of expansion slot either PCMCIA or expresscard, just be sure to get the correct card for your machine so it fits and works correctly.

I think what was causing my problems is that I was overloading the usb bus and just didnt have enough power to run everything at the same time (even using powered usb hubs).

Cant guarantee that this will solve all problems but it sure took care of mine.....

I got both cards from newegg.com.....

Best of Luck..

Dale  "

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

well i am at work now and i found out that when i hook up the usb to the plotter first and then to the back of the laptop, everything works fine. i can cut a test rectangle and works great. i went to send something from signblazer, just some test letters and it said error, so i just was going to load the software, so i put the disck and nothing starts a wizard, i open the contents manually and there is no install, just a bunch of readme files???

then i go to restart the computer to start from scratch and the comp. never turns on again? now i have a dead computer and when i push the power button the blue power light comes on and the fan kicks on but then just shuts off, it won't even power on..WHAT THE HECK??

what do i do now?;)??

PLEASE HELP

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

unplug the cutter,remove the disc,and power up the computer. It SHOULD work. I've had a computer fail to boot when something was attached via usb that had a problem.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

no i can't. everything is disconnected and the disc is inside the comp. i can't power up the computer. the computer is toast i believe. i have no computer.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've been doing computer repair for 8 years and never heard of anything like that.

In MOST cases,on the CD rom (or whatever) drive there is a TINY hole in the front somewhere. This is for opening the drive without power. Get a paper clip,straighten it, and stick it into the hole until the drawer opens.

Of course,the computer problem could have nothing to do with the cutter ,it just could be a coincidence. Sometimes,cause and effect are not what the appear. If the computer shuts OFF (as opposed to just not booting..that is usually a bad power supply. In which case,it's about a $50 repair. There are also safeguards on some computer motherboards that will automatically shut down the computer to PREVENT damage,if something is amiss.

Anyway, I think this is a computer problem. If I was there,I could have a look and tell you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In no way shape or form am i blaming the cutter. i know the cutter works fine and it did the test cuts fine. i just didn't know if anyone knew where to start with diag. where should i bring it and is there anyway that i could just get what is on my hd and put it on a external hd so when i buy a new computer i can put most of my pics and music back on it?? if i end up getting a mac, will the cutter still work with it?? ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

well,shoot. If it had been a desktop, probably an easy fix. What I suspect MIGHT have happened is that the USB on the laptop was beginning to go bad and the cutter was the last straw. In this case..more to fix than it is worth unless it's fairly new.

You can get a Mac BUT unless something has changed, SignBlazer doesn't work on a Mac. Coming soon,maybe.

Dollar for dollar,unless you just want a Mac, you'll get more for your money by sticking with a windows PC.

YOu can remove the Hard drive from the laptop and use an external drive enclosure to access your data,it shouldn't be a problem. (be sure and get the one for 2.5 drives...). If the Hard Drive was bad,it would still turn on,just not boot.

If it was me (and in fact,this is what I do) I would look for a cheap older desktop at pawn shops or on ebay to JUST run the cutter software. Anything over 800mhz with 256 megs of Ram should do the trick and this is often a $50 computer. I have some that I have gotten for as little as $10 at yard sales. Come to that,you probably know someone with an old computer sitting in the closet.

You can of course take the laptop to a repair shop but it's gonna cost a bench fee JUST to get an estimate. Minimum repair cost would be over $100  most likely.

Just my advice..there might be someone who knows more about laptops out there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

ok that is kind of what i was thinking. i actually have an old computer in my garage now that u say that. I REMEMBER. i forget stuff all the time. do i have to be on a certain OS. i think the one in my garage is a windows 98.

i was only thinking of getting a mac because i do alot of music stuff and make a lot of little movies. i heard a lot of good things about macs for stuff like that. i also do a lot of photoshop stuff and i think running all of that on a mac would do pretty good.

well when i get home i am going to try the old computer dealll;l;l..

I JUST WANT TO MAKE A FREAKINNNNN STICKKKER../

i have had the damn cutter for almost a week and all i can do is the stupid test rectangle. sometimes i just sit in front of the cutter and tell it to cut the rectangle just so i can see it cut something.. ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Unless you're going to use Final Cut Pro to edit your movies you could get a decent pc plus all your software for the price of a mac.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok so i found a computer in my garage that was an old computer of my dads and i cleaned everything inside of the cpu and plugged everything in and suprisingly worked. now i don't want to install the software for the cutter if it is not going to work. the os is windows 95, And i don't know if that will work.

on a side note i was reading in the manual for the cutter and it said that it was not compatable with macs, is this true?  if i get a mac i can't use the cutter i just bought?;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I can't fina a thing on the signblazer site about system requirements so I have no idea iof it will work on 95. I seem to remember people saying it would on 98.

There is also a plug-in for mac but you design in AI and cut with signblazer

at any rate,you can download a fully functional demo of elements Here:

http://www.colorchromefirst.com/SBE.htm

and SEE if it will run on the old computer.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Terry

If it has 95 - then you can bet it does not have enough power or ram. Just go on ebay and buy a nice used computer. You are wasting your time with that junk, and asking for problems.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

OK now i am trying the whole thing on a brand new computer and everything is still not working. i have had the cutter for about 2 weeks i believe and it is very upsetting to me that i can not get this to work. i am not the computer dumb. i think i know a pretty good amount of computer stuff but this has me stumped. i have tried everything. first, when i put the disc in for the driver now new hardware deal pops up. i go into the d drive to see what is on the disc and there are files but none of them are to install anything. second, every time i connect the cutter to the computer it locks up my mouse, STILL. the only way to get the cutter plugged in and the mouse to work is to shut down the computer and then plug the cutter in and start the computer. but when i go into signblazer without installing the driver i put some test letters and try to cut and it says error in communication. and it won't cut.  i did the instructions on the signblazer website to set usb communications and i can't open the device manager and see the usb comm port. i don't know what the hell i am doing and need someone to help PLEASE....

pm me for my phone number or something i just want to be able to use this cutter and if i can't then i just need to return it...

PLEASE HELP ME...////

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

ok so i tried to connect the cutter to a different usb and now i don't have to restart the computer to have the usb plugged in. i did get a little window that says error initialization when i try to cut something in signblazer

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

PM your phone # to Ken. He will call you. The error initializing cutter when you try and cut means your settings are wrong. Make sure the baud rate in SignBlazer setup matches the baud rate on the cutter. If Blazer com2 doesn't work,try another one,and another one,til one does.

If you don't have a setting in SB setup that says USB serial port,then the USB drivers are not installed.

I don't think (could be wrong) that the USB drivers disc actually has any .exe files,just the driver files...so when you are asked for the driver..you just point it to the disc and it will load the right one.

I'm guessing on this because I never had any of these problems.

Right now...do this:

I'm not sure how you do it in Vista if that's what you have,but get to your device manager. Look under ports. You should have listed in there USB SERIAL PORT...if you do,then forget about the blue disc. You already have the drivers installed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am running XP and when i go into device manager there isn't one that says usb serial port but there is one that says unknown device. i am pretty sure that the drivers are not installed. i don't know what you mean when it asks for the driver just take it to the d drive or the disc.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

in device manager..remove the unknown device...then plug the cutter in. It should pick it up again. This is when you need to install the drivers. You should get a box saying if you have a CD insert it now,before you continue. Give the computer time to read the CD.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ya i tried that yesterday, when i plug it in it just says unknown again and when i put the disc in it jsut asks me if i want want to look at the pictures and thats it. Theres never a box that says that you should enter a disc or anything.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this