Firmware Confusion - Help!

I built a Mendel in Spring 2010 - and had it up and running reasonably. Only reasonably because I was having Extruder problems but it was essentially printing.

Over the summer, work became busy and I'd not touched it until the Christmas break. I had lost the laptop which had the original version of the firmware (which I was using with the Host software) - but I can't remember which versions.

I have built a fresh copy of WinXP Pro on a Panasonic Toughbook laptop.

I am using MakerBot boards, Mother Board V1.2 and Extruder V2.2 with Adrian's Geared Stepper motor extruder - so nothing out of the ordinary!

When I tried the latest version of the Host software 20100806, it talked to the mother board (moved each of the axes OK), but would not talk to the extruder controller. I first of all downloaded the last version of the 5D firmware.

The Host software would then not talk to either the Motherboard or Extruder with 5D. I did notice on the download page that it said the firmware had been superseded.

Next, I downloaded the SanguinoMaster and ArduinoSlave versions of the firmware and after messing around with odd compile errors for a few hours, it compiled and uploaded.

Unfortunately, the host would still not talk to it.

Next I tried ReplicatorG (which had also worked in the past). It keeps saying that the serial port is not responding - although it seems to respond OK to loading new firmware. I've tried every combination of firmware I can think of - with no joy!

As a last ditch attempt, I uninstalled the Java Runtime version 6 and replaced it with V5 then tried lots of combinations again - still with no joy!

I'm back at work tomorrow & will be short of time again so I wondered if one of you could tell me:
Does the current firmware work with my hardware? (Mother Board V1.2 and Extruder V2.2 with Adrian's Geared Stepper motor extruder)

Is there an easy step by step what to do somewhere?

Is there something critical I have missed or misunderstood?

I seem to have hit a dead stop with this and have no idea what to try next.

Thanks in advance,

Si

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/03/2011 05:47PM by SimonRafferty.

if going the reprap host route... need to edit the config file of the firmware when you compile, the settings are specific to your system but are well commented.

if using replicator g (I use this one) make sure you deinf your machine in the machines files... you probably just need to set the baud rate.

Hi

I remember one of the steps I had to do was a driver for the USB port, an FTDI driver. That's probably the reason none of the apps recognize the motherboard.

Regards
Tayeb