I am using a uno with a seeed studio motor shield. I have a 5 wire stepper that when connected will only cog. I have switched the wires several ways.
I did not connect the coil common. do I need a different motor or put + to the common lead from the motor.
You have a 5 wire unipolar motor.
It is my understanding your shield drives bipolar motors.
I was able to run a 5 wire stepper with the standard arduino motor shield. I connected the 5th wire to the ground screw terminal. I believe it would work with the 5th connected to the + too, but in the opposite direction.
I am not an expert with the Arduino so I don't know if it is potentially bad for the board, but I have not had any problems with it yet.
It will not harm the controllerif you stay within its current limits. You are not powering the motor as intended. It may turn but not reach full torque or speed or power efficiency.
Normally one uses the ULN2003 or ULN28003 darlington to control small unipolar steppers. The motor shield is at best overkill.