"Error: printer halted. kill () called!" with RAMPS 1.4 shield

Hi everyone,
I'm building a Prusa I2, a by now almost ancient design, of which I had most parts already laying around. I'm using a RAMPS 1.4 shield on an Arduino mega, and a4988 stepper drivers on top. I have no heated bed, yet, installed.

The problem I have is after starting a print, the Z-axis moves up (for I think it's supposed to be 5 mm according to the G-code), than the X-axis moves during or directly after that Repetier Host (V2.1.3) gives me "Error: printer halted. kill () called!" and at the same time a window pops up saying something like "A fatal error on the printer side stopped the printer until the error is fixed. Printer message: Errorrinter halted.kill() called!". Clicking on the 'Problem fixed, continue' button resulted in nothing.
Than after that Repetier shows above the manual controls ''xx Commands expected" with "xx" going up to 14.


A few sidenotes:

- I've tried a 'dry-print' in an earlier stage, when I didn't have all the stepper motors and none of the endstops installed, which worked fine, considering how "fine" it could work in that stage with wrong stepper motor speeds and no endstops installed etc.

- After some searching on the internet I found on multiple threads that appearently this issue is associated with thermistors problems, either it not being connected or something related. So that's why I tried printing with a heated nozzle but to no succes. Also I think I never really had any problems with my thermistor (the thermistor being the thermistor on the hotend).


Has anyone got an idea what the problem could be?

Which version of Marlin Firmware are you using?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2018 01:40AM by MrAlvin.

Do you have a LCD screen connected?
Sometimes additional details are given on the LCD screen, so one could get a clue as to which safety function has called the kill() function.

-I have marlin version 1.1.x. I don't know where I can find the exact version, I've pretty much looked through all of the Marlin.ino tabs. Or is 1.1.x an actual version?

-I don't have a LCD display connected unfortunately.

I'm guessing it might be that the X-axis moving is actually the X-axis looking for it's X-max-endstop, which I don't have installed (I only have all the min-endstops installed, since that should be sufficient according to building tutorials of the Prusa I2). Maybe the current software combination isn't tuned for only min-endstops, so I'll try to install max-endstops as well in a couple of hours.

For an actual version number of version 1.1.x
see towards the top of Configuration.h file

the CONFIGURATION_H_VERSION might show the actual number, like:
#define CONFIGURATION_H_VERSION 010109

Well, in order to get Marlin to possibly give some more/better information, when the kill() function is called, I have added this modification to my local fork of Marlin 1.1.x
You could possibly try to run your printer with this version of Marlin 1.1.x - it is version 1.1.9, with this extra functionality in the kill() function.

This local fork is located here: [github.com]
Use the green "download" button to download this version as a zip file.

You can see differences between my local fork and the official Marlin 1.1.x, here: [github.com]


With this addition to kill(), you will however now need to look for the "Errorrinter halted. kill(xx) called!"
in the Log window at the bottom of the Repetier-Host program window,
as the Red Warning window will no longer show up in Repetier-Host.

And you will manually need to send the M999 command, in order to continue operations. Or push the reset button on your Arduino/RAMPS shield.


When the "Errorrinter halted. kill(xx) called!" line show in the Log window in Repetier-Host
then xx will be replaced with a number,
and this number gives indication as to which section/program file of the Marlin Firmware, has called the kill() function.


You will need to use your own configuration files, in order to get the best test environment.

Alright, so the problem has been solved: the issue was the fact that it failed at properly homing. When I manually press each endstop (twice directly after each other) the homing procedure is succesful and the print starts.

I'm sorry for being so ridiculously dumb.
Nevertheless thanks to everyone!

@MrAlvin, a special thanks to you, your solution might be extra helpful in the future.

i have the same issue, and for i did not find the to solve it. can you help ?

i really need for your help

thanks