Originally Posted by
Kev Williams
I'm think part of the problem here is, you're trying to install something that requires no installation... ANY 'compatible' computer will run a demo version of EzCad from any EzCad program file. EzCad doesn't 'install', it just runs. (if the computer is not compatible, an error message will say so)
and this is important- the machine itself WILL NOT do anything except turn on without EzCad running. The machine itself requires no drivers, and does not show up in your 'devices'. When the machine's USB port is active between itself and the computer, it will show in the device manager as an active USB hub, nothing more. Disconnecting the machine in any way will drop that hub from the device manager list.
The only driver necessary at all, is the dog driver, and that's only if you have a USB dongle (looks like a flash drive).
--if you have a dongle, plug it in, then run the 'dog driver' loader I showed above.
--if you don't have a dongle, then hopefully your machine's controller doesn't need one...
--You should have gotten software with the machine, a disk or flash drive,
--if no, then you'll need some because the machine can't work without it--
--if YES, and you have more than one version (I believe you do), use the newest files/versions. Somewhere within will be a file called EzCad2.exe. Search for it-
If you can't find such a file, then? - wrong software or something, and will need addressed, the machine can't function without it
If you find it, WITH THE MACHINE OFF, double click it and EzCad should start, with a message such as 'cannot finded dog!' or 'unable to locate a valid device', hit 'ok' and the program will start. You can load graphics and work with it exactly as normal. The only difference is, you can't engrave (obviously), you can't save files, some buttons will be non-functional, and you can't make machine-specific adjustments...
So, if EzCad works, shut it down... Make sure the USB cord is connected between machine and computer, then turn on the machine-
Run EzCad again. If there are no dongle issues, the machine should be good to go, simple as that.
If you still get a dongle error, that will need to be addressed.
To find out if the machine is actually connecting to the computer, with the machine ON, go to the device manager, and expand all the USB hub entries, and count them. Now turn off the machine, and see if the device manager list reloads- if it does, count the entries, if you lost one, then you know the machine connection is good, and the issue will be dongle-to-EzCad compatibility...