Frant, I would stop relying on this old pc, its gonna die again, I would get this moved to a virtual image. While its still running. I like vmware and virtual pc, here is a how to www.online-tech-tips.com/free-software-downloads/convert-pc-into-virtual-machine/
But also check out vmware.
Once you have turned your old win95 into a virtuial pc, you will then be able to run it on any new pc from mac to linux to win7. So you will never have to worry about hardware again.
How does your Spectrometer actually connect to your PC, is it by serial port or lpt If so this will be the pain in the backside bit, getting the passthrough to work. If its usb you should be sweet.
If you have a good internet connection I could remote in and get it all done for you, all I ask is that you then help me with my Death Ray of doom!!!!! Maohaha
USB -> Serial converters are quite common, very cheap, and should interface easily to a virtual machine.
I've got one that I interface to my virtual machine and it works quite well 
As the man says a usb serial port adaptor normally does the trick. But 1st follow the instructions I pasted and get the VM up and running. Then you can worry about the usb serial interface. I was kidding about the death ray. I could most prob do it for ya remotely but it would be a pain, i would need somink to make it worth my while. To be fair ya should be able to sort it yourself, or at the very least find some computer savvy chap locally to do it for you. If you really get stuck PM me.
Hey guys i was wondering if anyone has much to do with 3 dimentional cnc models.
I have found some hardware but not sure what software to run etc anyone built one?
And if i purchased one of there cards would it pug into a normal destop computer or would you require to build a new specific computer/.
hobbycnc.com/
Any help would be appreciated!
Why do computer programmers confuse Halloween and Christmas?
Because OCT 31 = DEC 25.
Sorry, just to confirm, you have a Spectrometer. In a boat. And you sailed across to Tasmania with it. And you're running Windows 95. In a boat. Sailing. With a spectrometer.
I'm confused
If I can use old files on my computer (like new school Word recognises old school Word docs, and so it fkn should)...
and if people can use some emulator thingo to play sucky old green screen games on new PC's....
why the hell is it so hard to run some Win95 program now, or use XP etc to run an older spectrometer?
Please excuse my ignorance I am genuinely interested.
Seeing as though a virtual machine sounds like something that doesn't exist - a bit "emporor's new clothes" really, I may start selling virtual machines on eBay and make a fortune!!! Maybe a cereal carton with some buttons and stuff glued on?
This sounds a bit like NASA trying to find some old IC chip that is obsolete to repair the space shuttle and they were paying top dollar for buggered old Atari consoles or C64's or 1980's microwave ovens or somehting.
Trippy ...... but probably urban legend debunked by that Snope fellow on Mythbusters...
Its happen mark !!!
No wind your better of writing it down on paper and faxing it to china. This would be a cheaper alternative fpr parts than than setting up an cnc machine in your kitchen.
I was thinking about it myself but dont have the knowledge or training to run and import into gcode. If you have the time to start writing codes etc do it but if it is once of parts i can smash them out quicker with a manual lathe and milling machine.
I thin cnc machines are used for mass scale production they are very accurate but take time to setup. Being a mechanical fitter our main objectives are to keep production lines running i have high machining skills and can knock stuff up quickly.
If you are chancing spares (non production down) find a good cnc shop and give them the drawings.
The problem is now with parts manufacture is there industry specific to cnc alot of the parts now are expensive because the manufacturer has the gcode and machines for them .
They are starting 3 dimensional scanning an duplication .You will one day go to a shop drop your part on a duplicating machine and 15 min later pick it up .
here is an example of where its heading !
Select to expand quote
Hi frant. I might be showing my ignorance here but if you can make an image of the drive why cant you just image it and then restore on a new computer? Apart from driver problems assciated with the new hardware, which can be resolved using a hardware independant restore, (software I mentioned earlier - shadowprotect) and then installing the new drivers I cant see the problem? If I have it wrong I would appreciate someone letting me know because I need to do stuff like this from time to time.
My sentiments exactly. Why can't I just restore an image onto a new computer? It just doesn't seem to work like that!!
A funny thing has just happened. Last Friday I took all the guff home to do a virtual PC installation on my home computer as my work computer has a "raid" hardrive setup (2 hardisks operating in parallel for greater speed) which seemed to be adding complications. Fortunately home pc doesn't have a floppy drive so I could not get to proceed as the W95 relies on a boot floppy before you can see the CD drive.
In my frustration I thought that I would just burn a backup to the spectrometer software original CD cause with all the trial installations it was bound to become corrupted. When inserted into the CD drive of my Windows XP home machine the installation wizard popped up and did his thing resulting in an apparent working version of the software. Today I have downloaded the calibration data and results file from the backup hardrive and transferred these to my home pc from a USB stick. I have just plugged the spectrometer into this pc and performed an instrument diagnostic test and a test Analysis.
Now that I recall previous attempts to upload the software have been onto Windows 98 or Windows ME or my bodgy work computer.
Thanks to all who offered help, now I am off to tinker with a real machine. Will post pics for Mark.
The original fix Win95 computer started becoming unstable over the last couple of days and has finally crashed proper. Just as well I had my home pc ready to go.
