New table pc recommendation

[djreiswig]

My Dell Optiplex that runs my table has been having issues booting up lately. I replaced the motherboard with a used one when it refused to boot. That worked for a while. Then I started getting memory errors so I replaced the ram. Sometimes it works great, other times it gives me a memory error, but if I fiddle with the ram it will boot.
I'm thinking I should get something different. Possibly a fan less computer. It seems like that is the latest and greatest. I think I need to stick with Windows 7 32 bit for my Mach 3 to work.
I've checked out ebay, but I'm not sure what I should look at. Any recommendations?

[acourtjester]

They have those fan less listed some with no operating systems and other with win 10 loaded. Do you have the original win 7 install CD, and I would also check to see if you can use that to put win 7 on a newer system (Microsoft may stop that). There has been a post here about the fan less but I don't think it had any follow through as to did it work. You can still get good buys for Refurb PC (dell small form type) from many vendors like Overstocked, Tiger direct, and others for about $150 with win 10 installed. But they do not have printer ports so you would need to change to a USB or Ether BOB. I am in the process of doing that myself. This is what I selected as you can keep the printer port BOB and stay with Mach 3, http://www.cncdrive.com/UC400ETH.html. The ether is to have less noise problems, I bought their operational software also to replace Mach. This gives me a little time to install the electronics before changing the software. This also give the option of adding a second BOB for more inputs if needed, I don't as of now.

[djreiswig]

My Ethercut has an Ethernet Smooth stepper so I don't need a parallel port. I'll have to see if I have a windows 7 disk. I think there might be a restore disk in the computer case. Not sure if that would work on a different computer. I've heard that Mach3 will work on a 32 bit Windows 10 machine, but I'm not positive. I don't think there is much benefit to switching.

[acourtjester]

Looks like windows is your only problem, and I agree with the different computer issue. I ran into that sometime back Microsoft may flag that restore to the other computer, it may start a boot up and then retry again and again with no completion ever. This was to stop people from cloning a Hard drive and using it on another computer.

[djreiswig]

I found another Optiplex 760 on eBay for $40. I think I'll give it a try for now and look at upgrading in the future. But I would still like to know more about the fan less PC's.