# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > MakerBot Forum >  Printer Freezing Within Minutes of Starting Print

## Txjeeptj

I have a FlashForge Creator, which is the same thing as the original MakerBot Replicator (Wooden Box).

I have been printin via SD card for the past few months with no problems at all. All of a sudden, I cannot finish a print.

Each time, using the same Gcode, the printer will freeze at different points. To me, this rules out Gcode, since the printer stops at certain points. I've even re-generated the Gcode multiple (5+ times) and the problem still exists.

The printer used to freeze 1 out of every 10 prints, and usually when the print was over 40% done. Recently, the printer stops halfway through the first layer everytime, but at slightly different points and it does this every single time now. Then all the heaters turn off, sometimes the display screen will freeze, showing % complete and temperatures and other times it will go back to the homescreen/play the "completed" tune.

I have tried printing via USB, same results. I tried a different SD card, same result. When I ran it using USB, the code it threw when it froze was:

Read timed out.
Packet timed out!
Serial error:
Input/output error in writeArray

I also added a UPS/battery/Surge Protector between the outlet and the printer. I Even turned off everything in my apartment to see if electrical "noise" was causing the printer to freeze. The problem still exists.

I'm using ReplicatorG (Sailfish) to generate the code. All fans are working underneath the printer, so it shouldn't be an overheating issue, unless there is an issue with the motherboard itself.

Any advice?????

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## Txjeeptj

I just tried to print something from Thingiverse and it froze just after laying the first layer of skirt down. It seems to be freezing sooner and sooner each time I try a print. 

This time it froze, but the heaters stayed on.

I re-checked all wiring connections under the printer before this print. I also made sure the power/motherboard fans were working whenever the freeze happened. Everything looks good. I'm completely clueless.

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## RedSox2013

Hmm.  I know this may sound dumb, but does your computer you are sending the file from happen to go to sleep?  That would do it....

Do you have any way to look at the logs and see what it says?  Also could it be over heating?

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## Txjeeptj

I always run the code via SD Card, I tried running it through USB/Computer to see if the SD Card slot was screwed up - but the USB/Computer froze also. The computer did not go to sleep or anything, as I was watching it closely, and especially because the print froze just a few seconds after the print started - it had my full attention. 

When using the USB/Computer, the coding that popped up in the log is as follows:

Read timed out.
Packet timed out!
Serial error:
Input/output error in writeArray

It kept repeating this, in between this message it would say "Retrying to connect in 10..9...8..7...6..etc." the USB never came disconnected from the computer, so it is something from the printer's side.

Overheating - maybe. This is my next guess - but all fans are working (motherboard, power supply, extruder). So something might be going wrong that those fans cannot cool down, which means a serious problem.

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## RedSox2013

I would guess overheating, but I'm no expert.  I assume the printer has a lot of milege on it.   Wish you the best of luck.  maybe someone else will have a better answer then I do.  I am rather amateurish.

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## Txjeeptj

I updated the firmware and also ReplicatorG sailfish. Tried to print again, this time it got to the second layer (an improvement..) and then froze - heaters turned off, printer reset/played the tune it plays when it turns on.

Of course this happens after I finally design something that I have people lined up to buy.............

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## Txjeeptj

Contacted FlashForge, they are sending me a new motherboard. Will update w/ results.

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## Txjeeptj

> Contacted FlashForge, they are sending me a new motherboard. Will update w/ results.


Annndd the new motherboard didn't do anything.... Problem still exists.

Ruled out the print file, as they printed the same x3g that I am trying to print (except they printed it successfully).

Any ideas???????????????????????? I'm about to give up. Could a bad stepper motor cause a freeze up? - the printer automatically reboots 80% of the time it freezes. The other 20% it will freeze and all heaters will stay on (dangerous if left unattended).

I put a thermo gun on the Y-axis stepper motor, it got to about 110 degrees F until print froze. Not sure if that is ok or not.

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## Txjeeptj

> Annndd the new motherboard didn't do anything.... Problem still exists.
> 
> Ruled out the print file, as they printed the same x3g that I am trying to print (except they printed it successfully).
> 
> Any ideas???????????????????????? I'm about to give up. Could a bad stepper motor cause a freeze up? - the printer automatically reboots 80% of the time it freezes. The other 20% it will freeze and all heaters will stay on (dangerous if left unattended).
> 
> I put a thermo gun on the Y-axis stepper motor, it got to about 110 degrees F until print froze. Not sure if that is ok or not.



I have ruled out "overheating" of the stepper motors. I designed a large rectangle that covers the entire platform and started the print. It printed it successfully in 2hrs without freezing. The stepper motors both were at 145 degrees F for over an hour. 

After thinking that maybe it was a random glitch and that my printer was now working- I tried I print a more complex part immediately after the successful 2hr print.

After 23 minutes of the complex part, the printer froze.


Is there any link to the complexity of the part and printing from SD card? Could the memory of the printer be corrupt? 

I am able to print very simple items, but beyond that, the printer freezes/crashes.

Today I will unplug the SD slot/LCD screen/buttons from the motherboard and do a print straight for the laptop via USB. I'm wondering if something within those components are triggering a crash.

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## alpha

Hi there,
I have exactly the same problem as you. and I'm still stuck with it, I've tried everything that may come to mind, nothing useless.. Simple small designs (cubes) print with no problem. bigger more complex designs will stop at a random point, and most of the times the print will shift in a random z level. if I try with USB, I get the "Packet timed out" error.. !!
Have you solved your problem or still suffering as I am ??
Thank you in advance

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## KPZ

Good morning!!!

I have same problem!! Anything new??

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## KPZ

Combines two problem:

Read time out
Packet timed out
Serial error:
Input/Output error in WriteArray

And

platorm se binary has stopped working

 :Frown:

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## jolaine

Mine is doing the same thing.  Was printing great and now i cannot get past the rafting to print anything. I am using replicator g.  gonna try sailfish

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## RobH2

Sounds like an epidemic or printer ebola. I have the problem too. I have a Makerfarm with RAMPS and Marlin. I can heat the bed and heads and it will sit there heated all day long. I replaced the power supply just to eliminate it as a cause and that didn't help. 

What happens to me is that it will print for about 45 seconds and then it slows down and just halts. You can hear it slow down over about 3 seconds time. After it's stopped, if I try to raise the head with slicer controls it makes a buzzing noise in both Z-axis motors. I doubt both motors have gone bad. I'm guessing my RAMPS board has failed in some way. I've ordered a new one. An earlier post said a new board didn't solve the issue. If it solves mine I'll let you know. I too could print a 20mm cube just fine. But, anything much larger or complex would not complete.

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## Stigern

I had these issues sometimes, but I think my problem was that I detached the SD card from my computer too early. Making the gcode file corrup or not complete. Tried a different brand SD card?

And, if my laptop which was attached to the RAMPS USB boots up it will make the printer stop.

Not sure if this helps you, but worth the try.

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## RobH2

Stigern, thanks. I mostly print using USB. I thought maybe my cable or the port was bad so I wrote the gcode to an SD card to try it. That way I'd eliminate the whole USB connection path. It failed the same way, so, I know my cable is probably OK. 

I have everything taken apart. Today I'm going to totally rewire the whole machine. I'm going to also switch the stepper driver boards around and see if I can get a failure on a different axis. That might help me diagnose what component is bad. Finally, I have a new RAMPS coming via Amazon tomorrow. If my tasks today fail, I'll have a new board. If the new board fails, then I'll have a whole RAMPS board that I can then use to build a new printer one day. I wish I knew how to test stepper motors and have also been looking for info on testing/diagnosing the Mega 2560. So far I haven't found anything useful.

EDIT: I found a simple way to test stepper motors. Pretty handy:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27pplRj_384

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## RobH2

Here is some insight into the problem, at least from my perspective. 

My new RAMPS won't be here till tomorrow so today I completely dismantled the machine's wiring and rewired it. I didn't find anything suspect. So, I fired it up and amazingly, it printed a good sized print for the first time in 8 starts. The motors of the x-carriage were noisier than usual and I immediately suspected that my liner bearings were going bad or something. I lubed everything nicely and tried again. Still noisy. 

Part of my rewire was to pull all the stepper motor driver boards and put them back in a different order. I went on the internet and found an article about adjusting stepper motors. It suggested turning the pots down to the very minimum, manually set a travel in gcode and start turning the pots up until the motor started to run. They also said to overdrive the motors until they shutdown due to thermal overload and mark that spot on the board. I couldn't get them to shutdown though. So, all of my motors ran fine at the lowest amp setting. The Y-carriage was a bit weak. I could stop it easily by holding the bed. So, I turned it's put up the tiniest bit. Now when I grabbed it, it couldn't stop it. 

Next I set up a print and the printer is much quieter. It was never loud, but it was sometimes noisy. Now it purrs. It appears I was overdriving all of my stepper motors even though they were set at 1/4 of the range by default. I'd say at 1/8 on them right now. However, this print failed and the printer just stopped after about 5 minutes. Drat. 

I went back to the RAMPS to adjust pots and felt it. It was pretty warm. I've never had it warm before. I think the dual head rig that I just finished this week is causing it to run hotter. I put a 60mm fan on it and started a new print. So far so good. I think my stopping issues were a combination of overdriven steppers and an overheating RAMPS. 

I'll post more as things progress.

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## 3dHack

I was having the same issue with CTC printer. Soon after I noticed a little shock when i touched the USB plug and the computer. I checked my voltage off of the ground in reference to V- and sure enough I had about 7 volts AC leaking from my ground. I figure data coming from the USB was referencing ground and added to much noise to the signal. My receptacle did not have a ground. I ended up adding a ground and she was happy again. Funny thing is that it operated for months with no issue. Perhaps the power supply isn't of the best quality.

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## Dark_L1nk

i've been having this issue with a brand new BTT SKR 1.1 board. the issue is somethings overheating. 
i've tried cheap chinese SD cards, new legit much faster Samsung SD cards thinking the read error had to do with that. But when i moved my control board fan just a bit it suddenly works fine again. 
i didnt feel anything hot but i didn't completely finger the board. TMC drivers and STM32F4 ARM chip were warm but not (ouch that's friggen hot). maybe the problem cooled down within the 30 or so seconds it took me to probe it.
all my electronics have been upgraded from the original crap except for the steppers and switches, but i dont see them as a problem. 
the control board however i've never used before. i always bought the same MKS base 1.4 board when one inevitably died on me. never have i had an issue with cooling on then.  After the switch i've had more problems than its worth. 
next board i get will likely be a duet because of their expand ability. 


holly crap your steppers were 110-145F ? in my 6 years of 3d printing that's NOT normal. mine are always Luke-warm never hot even after 12 hour prints.. your drivers are feeding too much power to the steppers and need adjusting.

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## ben_john7

The problem was solved after I hanged the ferrite rings on the loop connecting the display and the board. The hang-up situation became less frequent, but still sometimes the printer hangs when printing, but after I put in a second power supply, the hang-ups are gone.

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## Roberts_Clif

I found a similar problem hanging ferrite rings on the ribbon cables did not solve problem. 
I removed the LED from the top of the 3D Printer an extended it as far away i it would possible be placed.
I found that at this location the problem never occurred.
After hours of testing found that the best place on my 3D Printer was the Front 2020 T-Slot.
I further adjusted my power supplies voltage to 12V not anything else 12.8v - 13.6v and the problem lessened.
This problem also occurred on my 24v 3D Printer of the same make, made the same changes only adjusted the supply voltage to 24V.

I covered the LCD ribbon cables with the non-sticky blue tape, then cover this with aluminum foil Duct tape and grounded both ends.
3 years now and I have never experienced this freezing problem.

Though my 3D Printers problem extended to other things,
It would pause for an undetermined time then continue like nothing happened.
It would home left pause for an undetermined time return and continue where it left off.
It would shoot up or right to max shutter, try to return to where it was, but could not being off step shutter again until turned off.

Crazy thing is they worked perfectly until I flashed a newer version of Marlin, this could be a coincidence though.
This last part does not matter though because I found what was causing the problems and the newer version of marlin were well worth it.

Oh almost forgot, do not let the LCD ribbon cables get too close to the Stepper motor drivers this can cause similar problems.

p.s every 3D Printer does not experience problems like these, this could merely be from subpar parts in our power supplies or Controllers.

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