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Operating Systems and PC Requirements

Q: What are the requirements for a PC to run Soft Servo Systems' products?

A: Click here for the complete requirements.

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Q: Are there any special requirements for computers with dual-core CPUs?

A: If you are running SMP or ServoWorks CNC software on a computer with a dual-core CPU, you must have the latest version of the real-time extension for the Windows operating system.

We do recommend you to use CPUs which have two or more cores for the EtherCAT interface system.

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Q: Are there any unsupported hardware configurations?

A: Yes, there are some hardware configurations that are not supported by RTX installations and therefore are not supported by ServoWorks CNC installations: Compaq AP400, Dell 7000 portables, HP Kayak and Alpha systems.

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Q: Do I need Administrator privileges on my PC?

A: Yes, Administrator privileges are required for installing, uninstalling, and using the real-time extension to the operating system.

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Q: Do I need an Ethernet connection to run a ServoWorks CNC or SMP product?

A: Yes, you need an active, enabled, properly configured Ethernet port with a properly configured network card device driver. THE ETHERNET CONNECTION MUST NOT BE DISABLED. However, you do not need an actual Ethernet cable plugged in or connected to a LAN or to the Internet.

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Q: What operating systems are supported?

A: Windows 7 (32-bit only), and Windows XP Professional (with Service Pack 3).

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Q: Is Linux supported?

A: No, not at this time.

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Q: Do Soft Servo Systems' products run on Windows Vista or Windows 7?

A: Yes, our products run on Windows 7 (32-bit), but we do not support Windows 7 (64-bit) or Vista at this time.

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Q: Do Soft Servo Systems' products run on Windows 98?

A: No.

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Q: Do Soft Servo Systems' products run on Windows NT?

A: Yes. However, Soft Servo Systems does not currently provide setup and installation documentation for Windows NT. Contact sales@softservo.com for more information.

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Q: Do Soft Servo Systems' products support both Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition?

A: Only Windows XP Professional version is supported for full versions of Soft Servo Systems products.

However, trial (simulation) versions of Soft Servo Systems products will run on Windows XP Home Edition.

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Q: What slots or connectors are needed in a PC for the EtherCAT interface system?

A: The EtherCAT interface system requires a real-time capable Ethernet device. Select a device from the supported NIC device list.

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Q: What slots are needed in a PC for the Panasonic RealTime Express™ (RTEX) Ethernet-based interface system?

A: There must be a PCI slot for the FPA-200/300 PCI RTEX adapter board. No other slot is required; both the RTEX Ethernet-based servo network and the optional VersioBus II fiber-optic I/O network connect to this single PCI adapter board.

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Q: What slots or connectors are needed in a PC for the VersioBus II interface system?

A: One PCI slot – there are VersioBus II adapter boards for PCI.

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Q: What slots are needed in a PC for the MECHATROLINK interface system?

A: For the MECHATROLINK II system, you need one PCI slot – there are MECHATROLINK II adapter boards for PCI.

For the MECHATROLINK III interface system, you need a PCI slot.

If you are including optional VersioBus I/O in a MECHATROLINK II or MECHATROLINK III system, there must be a dedicated PCI slot for the VersioBus adapter card that provides the I/O communication with the PC.

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Q: Do Soft Servo Systems' products support VGA?

A: ServoWorks CNC products and the SMP Console do not support VGA – the minimum system requirement for those products is 800 x 600.

However, those using the ServoWorks Development Kit (SDK) or the Motion Development Kit (MDK) can choose any screen resolution they prefer.

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Q: Will running a Soft Servo Systems product on my PC have any impact on my PC functions?


A: Depending upon which servo interface system you are using, the location of the PCI slot of your PC adapter card, the location of the motherboard slot, and the hardware and software configuration, there is the potential that some PC functions might have to be disabled due to IRQ conflicts. These functions include, but are not limited to: USB, Ethernet, sound, modem, and some hardware components.

Soft Servo Systems recommends consulting with our sales staff prior to purchasing a PC on which to run your Soft Servo Systems product.

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Q: Does Soft Servo Systems offer PCs?

A: No, not at this time.

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Q: Can I use a "low profile" PCI slot for my PCI adapter board?

A: No. PCI slots must be "regular" PCI slots; "low profile" PCI slots do not provide sufficient space for any of the PCI adapter boards used by Soft Servo Systems' products. [The height of a regular PCI slot is about 106.7 mm; the height of a "low profile" PCI slot is less than 64.4 mm.]

(Except when using the EtherCAT interface system, in which case your network card can be a low profile PCI card if it is one of the supported devices in the supported NIC device list.)

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Q: Soft Servo's product does not install successfully on Windows 7. What is the issue?

A: Our product currently supports only Windows 7 (32-bit), not 64-bit.
Click here for steps to see which version you have installed.

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Soft Servo Systems, Inc.