Running a Pfaff 2144/70 with 3D File Assistant on Windows 7
I’ve been running my embroidery machine on Vista for a while, and it’s been fine. Six months ago, my husband bought me a new video card so I could have dual monitors for my desktop. Cool, right? Yep, except that means I need to upgrade that machine to Windows 7. And what didn’t want to play nice on Windows 7? My embroidery machine, of course. I have a Pfaff 2144 that’s updated to a 2170.
The trouble was, I’d plug in the USB cable from the machine to the computer and the computer would tell me that it recognized it as a Pfaff 2144 USB cable, but it didn’t have any drivers for it. I tried all the updates from the Pfaff website. Nothing worked. I tried running the programs in XP compatibility mode as an administrator since that had worked to get it running on Vista before Pfaff provided Vista drivers. No luck.
After fighting with this for the better part of a day, I finally realized that I could run a virtual machine in XP mode on Windows 7. So, I fired up Internet Explorer to go to Microsoft.com and get the Windows Virtual Machine and XP Mode downloads. (Yes, you have to use IE to download stuff from Microsoft. It’s the only purpose for IE on my computer.) I installed XP Mode and the Windows Virtual Machine. Once installed, go to Start/All Programs/Windows Virtual PC and right click and choose “expand.” Once you expand it, you can choose XP mode. It will go through a bunch of steps the first time to create the new virtual environment.
Once that’s done, you’ll need to load the VIP software so you can connect the embroidery machine. Pop in the cd and run it in the virtual XP window. When it gets to the part where you have to insert the dongle, insert it and then at the top of the XP window, click USB and tell it to attach the dongle. It will then run through the auto detection and setup for the dongle. After that finishes, you can finish the installation of the VIP software that was requesting the dongle in the first place.
Install the 3D software the same way. When you connect the USB for the embroidery machine to the computer, you’ll need to go to the USB tab at the top of the XP window again and tell it to attach. Then you’ll be able to get the drivers for the embroidery machine from the 3D software cd.
Thanks for the info on the 2170
Thanks for the info on Windows 7.
Wow, thanks! This will solve my problem. My computer crashed and the guy who restored it thought he was doing me a favor by installing Windows 7. I love 7 but my 2144 does not. I anxious to try this. Did it slow your computer down any?
I don’t notice it as being slower, but the machine I’m running on doesn’t run at light speed to begin with, so your experience may vary.
I posted on the yahoo forum, but my post didn’t show up. A Pfaff dealer just told me yesterday that I would need the 5D software (almost $400) in order for it to work with my Windows 7 now. I have your post above on How you did it by going to the Virtual Machine XP… I haven’t gone that route yet, but you also mention downloading VIP. I haven’t used my embroidery part of my machine for about 4 years, as we moved, things were in storage, then settling in and so forth. In the meantime my Windows XP computer died and had to get a new computer, which of course has Windows 7. I mainly used my embroidery for making my quilt labels, and recall it being a nightmare to learn how to use it in the beginning, which I’ve forgotten now, everything I knew! Bottom line, I have the 3D software which of course won’t work with the Windows 7, and several other CDs, but I have nothing that is VIP software. Is that something I NEED as well, to work with the virtual XP? When we were packing to move, I packed my Pfaff stuff altogether, or so I thought! I have the dongle, the 3D file assistant, some other CDs, the memory cards, the little docking station to move the cards to the machine, etc., but I have no VIP cd. If I can’t get this figured out, I’m going to be stuck buying the $400 5D file assistant software. Thanks for your help, if possible. Leslee
Wow! The things one can learn. Thank you. Your situation is almost the same as mine. I’m told that I need to get a USB cable/card. I’m having trouble finding anyone that carries it. Do you know where I might get this cable/card? My Pfaff is a 2144 graded up to a 2170 and my OS is Windows 7 64 bit.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I’m sorry, I’m really not sure – I did it as I posted here with the virtual machine.
Do you have a Pfaff dealer near you? I would think they would either have it or be able to order it for you. Good luck!