Roland CNC engraving / milling machine and 32-bit driver

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

I have acquired a very nice Roland CNC engraving / milling machine that is in mint condition and works without fault. It is maybe 15 years old. I have the CAD/CAM software and a 32 bit driver but am currently limited to using Windows XP only. The driver is Win XP / Vista / Windows 7 compatible and I have instructions from the reseller to install on a 64 bit operating system (the instructions, unfortunately, do not work at present). Elsewhere on the internet I have found instructions to perform a firmware update to a fully 64-bit system but the update appears to require Windows 7.

I am presently stuck using Windows XP (because I have a copy) and cannot progress to using Windows 10 (which I have running and licenced on more than one machine). Windows 7 is available to download from Microsoft with a suitable product / licence code which I do not have. There is no option to purchase a code from Microsoft.

Basically, I need to install Windows 7 (32 bit), perform the firmware update, and then remove Windows 7. I'd rather not purchase some fake codes from eBay. Any suggestions?

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

[DomParticipant @dominicwatson41373]

I have a similar Roland (TS400 I believe) for which I ran a ‘virtual machine’ with xp or 2000 or something running on a more modern operating system (Apples OSX interestingly). So you could run windows 7 on your newer OS (within a virtual machine) and install the firmware that way. I think the virtual machine software I used was either VirtualBox or Parallels but this is going back a little while so I can’t quite remember.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Run it off a cheap recon XP machine from Ebay as quite a few Mach3 users do. Just do your CAD & CAM on an up to date machine and transfer the file to the XP with a USB stick.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by AJAX on 12/04/2021 13:30:24:…

Windows 7 is available to download from Microsoft with a suitable product / licence code which I do not have. There is no option to purchase a code from Microsoft.

Basically, I need to install Windows 7 (32 bit), perform the firmware update, and then remove Windows 7. I'd rather not purchase some fake codes from eBay. Any suggestions?

You might try the keys from this website. They appear to be free and the site isn't on any of my blacklists, but approach with caution. Nothing guaranteed. The website is also informative about the other ways keys can be obtained.

Interesting that Microsoft allow W7 to be downloaded but not activated as a new product even though that might be profitable. I guess it's because they don't want to get into arguments: 'I bought this new yesterday and it doesn't work'. The support is contractually limited to whatever the original key came with, which today might be none.

Dave

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

Posted by Dominic Watson on 12/04/2021 13:47:21:

I have a similar Roland (TS400 I believe) for which I ran a ‘virtual machine’ with xp or 2000 or something running on a more modern operating system (Apples OSX interestingly). So you could run windows 7 on your newer OS (within a virtual machine) and install the firmware that way. I think the virtual machine software I used was either VirtualBox or Parallels but this is going back a little while so I can’t quite remember.

That's an idea. Something I should have thought about myself. I wonder if the virtual xp will have access to the USB port for printing. I may give it a try.

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

Posted by JasonB on 12/04/2021 13:51:55:

Run it off a cheap recon XP machine from Ebay as quite a few Mach3 users do. Just do your CAD & CAM on an up to date machine and transfer the file to the XP with a USB stick.

I already have a cheap machine running XP, but I was hoping to use something more up to date. I'm also interested in seeing if I can run a firmware update, but to do that it seems that I need Windows 7, maybe.

[AJAXParticipant @ajax]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 12/04/2021 16:00:07:

Posted by AJAX on 12/04/2021 13:30:24:…

Windows 7 is available to download from Microsoft with a suitable product / licence code which I do not have. There is no option to purchase a code from Microsoft.

Basically, I need to install Windows 7 (32 bit), perform the firmware update, and then remove Windows 7. I'd rather not purchase some fake codes from eBay. Any suggestions?

You might try the keys from this website. They appear to be free and the site isn't on any of my blacklists, but approach with caution. Nothing guaranteed. The website is also informative about the other ways keys can be obtained.

Interesting that Microsoft allow W7 to be downloaded but not activated as a new product even though that might be profitable. I guess it's because they don't want to get into arguments: 'I bought this new yesterday and it doesn't work'. The support is contractually limited to whatever the original key came with, which today might be none.

Dave

I'd rather not use one of those dodgy websites. I'll see if I can find someone with an old licence code they are no longer using. If it works, I'll only use it once then delete the o/s anyway.

[PETER ROACHParticipant @peterroach92938]

I have a older PNC2200, which I annually think about modernising. However there is no support past Xp and given the noise/dust, running it with it’s own older Xp computer not an issue. Newer W10 machines are without serial or parallel ports, which is another issue. There is a piece of software to translate DXF to the plotter format used by these machines, but the free version comes with water mark and the full version expensive for hobby use.

Peter

[Author]

Posts