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I have a Graphtec CE5000-120 with Gerber Omega 3.0 that has stopped working. Error message in GQ manager says Communication Error. The plotter will work from Corel using the ROBO bridge that came with the plotter.
I have tried the plotter on 3 different computers (2 on win 7, and 1 on XP) with the same results.
Gerber tech support says it is the plotter. Graphtec tech support says it is the software. After a few hours and a LOT of $ Hyatt's tech support says it's the plotter.
So I borrowed a CE5000-120 from a friend that also has Gerber and still have the same problem.
I am completely out of ideas, but hoping someone here has had the same problem at some point, and found a solution.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2273 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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(OMEGA 3.0 will not load on Windows 2000, 98 or ME) got that from the sales place spandex.com. so it has to have XP, WIN 7 i gather. from that. now i dont know if its 16 or 32 bit program. if it is running a 64 bit OS.....i think would be a problem. and my knowledge of gerber.......is they like to keep you UPGRADING..... and i see there is a OMEGA 6.0......
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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My Omega 3.0 and 5.0 both work fine on XP 32 bit and Win7 64 bit and on my laptop Win 10 64 bit. They have all worked with this plotter until a few days ago. Actually I have only used this plotter on the Win 7 machines a few times as it typically stays on the XP machine. I do most of my cutting on my Mimaki plotter on Omega 5.0 on a Win 7 machine. I use the 48" Graphtec for large patterns. I needed to make a pattern about a week ago and received the "Communication Error". I made the pattern on 24" paper with the Mimaki. Just took a little longer to make and to use, but I would like to get the Graphtec working again just in case.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2273 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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Hi Don. As I recall, you can send a file to the plotter in 2 different modes from Gerber...pounce or cut. As a test, try sending with the cut mode, but with no knife blade in the holder. If your plotter accepts the file in that mode, then the communications error is that your pounce feature is inoperable. You mentioned that this just happened recently. You might try a system restore back-dated to a date when you know you weren't having this problem. If it's a software issue, that might correct it. Hope this helps, but it's an amateur attempt, at best.
-------------------- Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail: kjmlhenry@rogers.com
Why do I get all those on-line offers to sell me Viagara, when the only thing hardening is my arteries ? Posts: 2684 | From: London,Ontario, Canada | Registered: Feb 1999
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I use a pen to draw the patterns, then an electro-pounce, but I have tried in cut mode and pen mode. I have also tried restore with no luck. Tomorrow I plan to try installing Gerber on a computer that has never had it and see what that does.
I have also uninstalled and reinstalled Gerber.
The fact that is does not work with any of the 3 computers led me to think it was the plotter. I borrowed a friends plotter(identical to mine) and it did the same thing.
I am going to connect his plotter first in case mine sent something that confused the software. I'm not sure that can happen, but I am about out of ideas.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2273 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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posted
Hi again Don. The biggest clue you have is that the same error code is appearing on separate plotters. That leads me to believe that your problem might be a driver issue. If you know how ( I don't ) you might check if there's been an automatic driver update that's occurred recently...just about the time you began having this issue. New drivers are sometimes incompatable with plotters, and if you go back to that older driver, that might be a solution.
Hope this suggestion helps.
-------------------- Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail: kjmlhenry@rogers.com
Why do I get all those on-line offers to sell me Viagara, when the only thing hardening is my arteries ? Posts: 2684 | From: London,Ontario, Canada | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
I would check the software comm settings in the working program. These being the Data/parity/stop bit/flow control. Make sure gerber match with the other program.
Then confirm the setting on the computer port itself within device manager of windows.
I seem to think Gerber defaults to 8/even/1/no flow control
I had a similar problem with a gerber router recently when sending from EnRoute and it took time to get the settings correct.
-------------------- Bruce Evans Crown Graphics Chino, CA graphics@westcoach.net Posts: 910 | From: Chino, CA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Ken I think you might be onto something. My computer guy wants me to try reformatting and reinstalling windows on the older machine and then reinstall the driver. I downloaded a new driver, uninstalled the old one and tried to reinstall the new one, but received an error message that it failed to install. That is why he wants me to start by reinstalling windows.
I did try using a serial cable and made sure the comm settings matched. That did not work. I have also tried a couple of different USB cables
When I could not get the new driver to install, that really made me think the problem is with the driver.
I may have to put the reformat on hold for a few days as Spring seems to be here and I am way to busy to take a day off to play with it.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2273 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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