Magma EB4-1U User manual

PCIe Expansion System
User's Manual
ExpressBox4
PCI Express® to PCI Express® Expansion
Model: EB4-1U

Copyright © 2007 Magma, Inc.
This publication is protected by Federal Copyright Law, with all rights
reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, photocopied,
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, translated, transmitted or
transcribed, in any form or by any means manual, electric, electronic,
electro-magnetic, mechanical, optical or otherwise, in whole or in part
without prior written consent from Magma, Inc.
Limitation of Liability
Information presented by Magma in this manual is believed to be
accurate and reliable. However, Magma assumes no responsibility for
its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise to any rights of
Magma.
Product specifications and prices are subject to change without notice.
Trademark References
Trademarks and registered trademarks are proprietary to their
respective manufacturers.

MAGMA
Table of Contents i
Table of Contents
PREFACE.............................................................................................III
Advisories ..............................................................................................iii
Safety Instructions..................................................................................iv
When Working Inside a Computer ......................................................... v
Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge ............................................vi
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................1
General Specifications ...........................................................................1
Pre-Installation Information ....................................................................2
Parts List................................................................................................2
Tools Required for Installation................................................................ 2
CHAPTER 2 HARDWARE INSTALLATION .....................................3
Before you Begin....................................................................................4
Install PCI Express Host Card................................................................ 4
Install Chassis in Rack...........................................................................6
Add Screws to Rack Post ............................................................................. 6
Attach Slide Rail to Rack .............................................................................. 7
Attach Chassis to Slide Rail.......................................................................... 7
Attach Power and Expansion Cables..................................................... 8
Recheck the Installation.........................................................................9
Applying Power Correctly.......................................................................9
Starting Up:................................................................................................... 9
Shutting Down:............................................................................................ 10
CHAPTER 3 VERIFY INSTALLATION............................................ 11
Windows ..............................................................................................11
Mac OS X.............................................................................................12
CHAPTER 4 INSTALL CARDS AND DRIVES................................ 14
Open PCIe Expansion Chassis...........................................................14
Install 3rd Party PCIe Cards..................................................................15
Installing 3rd Party PCIe Cards.................................................................... 15
System Should Be Up and Running.....................................................16
Configuring SNMP ............................................................................... 17
Configure Network Settings........................................................................ 18
Configure SNMP Settings........................................................................... 20
Change User Name and Password ............................................................ 22
Reset to Default Values.............................................................................. 23
Configure your SNMP Agent....................................................................... 23
Finishing Touches................................................................................23
CHAPTER 5 CHASSIS MAINTENANCE ........................................ 24
General Chassis Cleaning ...................................................................24
“Hot-Swappable” PCIe Cards...............................................................26
Procedure for hot-un-plugging a PCI-Express plug in card: ....................... 26

MAGMA
ii Table of Contents
“Hot-Swappable” Power Supply ...........................................................29
“Hot-Swappable” Fans .........................................................................30
CHAPTER 6 TROUBLESHOOTING................................................31
Locate the Problem ..............................................................................31
My Computer Can’t Find the PCIe Expansion System............................... 32
When Nothing Works.................................................................................. 33
My Computer Hangs During Power Up............................................... 33
Power Problems.................................................................................. 34
PCI Express Expansion Halted On Boot.............................................35
PCI Express Expansion not seen in Device Manager ........................35
My PCIe Card Doesn’t Work....................................................................... 36
Support for 3rd Party PCIe Cards........................................................37
SNMP Monitoring .................................................................................40
Audible Alarms............................................................................................40
CHAPTER 7 HOW TO GET MORE HELP.......................................41
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)......................................................41
Contacting Technical Support ..............................................................41
PCIScope Software Utility...........................................................................42
Returning Merchandise to MAGMA......................................................44
APPENDIX A NEED MORE SLOTS?................................................45
Multiple PCIe Expansion System Configurations .................................45
Daisy-Chaining............................................................................................47
Verify your configuration ..................................................................... 47
PCIe Card Conflicts..................................................................................... 48
Power-On Sequence for Advanced Configurations..............................48
Troubleshooting Advanced Configurations...........................................48
Finding the Problem Card...................................................................50
APPENDIX B COMPLIANCE ..........................................................51
FCC......................................................................................................51
Industry Canada...................................................................................51
CE ........................................................................................................51

MAGMA
Preface iii
Preface
Advisories
Five types of advisories are used throughout this manual to provide
helpful information, or to alert you to the potential for hardware damage
or personal injury. They are Note, Important, Caution, Warning, and
Danger. The following is an example of each type of advisory.
NOTE
Used to amplify or explain a comment related to procedural steps
or text.
IMPORTANT
Used to indicate an important piece of information or special “tip”
to help you
CAUTION
Used to indicate and prevent the following procedure or step from
causing damage to the equipment.
WARNING
Used to indicate and prevent the following step from causing
injury.
DANGER or STOP
Used to indicate and prevent the following step from causing
serious injury or significant data loss.
Disclaimer: We have attempted to identify most situations that may
pose a danger, warning, or caution condition in this manual. However,
Magma, Inc. does not claim to have covered all situations that might
require the use of a Caution, Warning, or Danger indicator.

MAGMA
iv Preface
SafetyInstructions
Always use caution when servicing any electrical component. Before
handling the MAGMA PCI-Express Expansion chassis, read the
following instructions and safety guidelines to prevent damage to the
product and to ensure your own personal safety. Refer to the
“Advisories” section for advisory conventions used in this manual,
including the distinction between Danger, Warning, Caution, Important,
and Note.
♦Always use caution when handling/operating the computer.
Only qualified, experienced, authorized electronics personnel
should access the interior of the computer. The power supplies
produce high voltages and energy hazards, which can cause
bodily harm.
♦Use extreme caution when installing or removing components.
Refer to the installation instructionsin this manual for
precautions and procedures. If you have any questions, please
contact Magma Technical Support.
WARNING
High voltages are present inside the expansion chassis when the
unit’s power cord is plugged into an electrical outlet. Disconnect the
power cord from its source before removing the system cover.
Never modify or remove the radio frequency interference shielding from
your workstation or expansion unit. To do so may cause your installation
to produce emissions that could interfere with other electronic
equipment in the area of your system.

MAGMA
Preface v
WhenWorkingInside aComputer
Before taking covers off a computer, perform the following steps:
1. Turn off the computer and any peripheral devices.
2. Disconnect the computer and peripherals from their power
sources to prevent electric shock or system board damage.
3. Disconnect any telephone or telecommunications lines from
the computer.
In addition, take note of these safety guidelines when appropriate:
♦To help avoid possible damage to systems boards, wait five
seconds after turning off the computer before removing a
component, removing a system board, or disconnecting a
peripheral device from the computer.
♦When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its
strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself. Some cables have a
connector with locking tabs. If you are disconnecting this type
of cable, press in on the locking tabs before disconnecting the
cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned
to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before connecting a
cable, make sure both connectors are correctly oriented and
aligned.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to service the system yourself except as explained in
this manual. Follow installation instructions closely.

MAGMA
vi Preface
Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Warning
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is the enemy of semiconductor
devices. You should always take precautions to eliminate any
electrostatic charge from your body and clothing before touching any
semiconductor device or card by using an electrostatic wrist strap
and/or rubber mat.
Static electricity can harm system boards. Perform service at an ESD
workstation and follow proper ESD procedures to reduce the risk of
damage to components. Magma strongly encourages you to follow
proper ESD procedures, which can include wrist straps and smocks,
when servicing equipment.
You can also take the following steps to prevent damage from
electrostatic discharge (ESD):
♦When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping
carton, do not remove the component’s anti-static packaging
material until you are ready to install the component in a
computer. Just before unwrapping the anti-static packaging, be
sure you are at an ESD workstation or are grounded.
♦When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an
anti-static container or packaging.
♦Handle all sensitive components at an ESD workstation. If
possible, use anti-static floor pads and workbench pads.
♦Handle components and boards with care. Don’t touch the
components or contacts on a board. Hold a board by its edges
or by its metal mounting bracket.

MAGMA
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Chapter 1 Introduction
GeneralSpecifications
The MAGMA 4-Slot PCI Express to PCI Express Expansion System is a
general-purpose bus expansion chassis for the Peripheral Component
Interconnect Express (PCIe) local bus. The expansion chassis is fully
compliant with the PCI Express Local Bus Specification. This system
consists of a PCI Express host card, a 1–meter iPass cables, a rack-
mount enclosure containing a 4 slot PCIe backplane, a redundant power
supply, and cooling fans.
Item Description
Host Card: Low Profile PCI Express x8 (8 lane)
Backplane: 4 PCIe slots, expandable to (8) or (12)
Enclosure: 1U Rack-mount (All Steel)
Dimensions: 19" W x 1.75" H x 28" D
Weight: 27 lb
Standard Cable Length: 1-meter iPass
PCI Express Bus Specification Revision 1.1
PCI Local Bus Specification: Revision 2.3
PCI Bridge Architecture Spec: Revision 1.2
Interconnect Bandwidth: 2000 MB/sec or 2 GB/sec or 20 Gbps
Cooling: Three 15.8 CFM fans
One fan in each power supply module
Power Supply: 250W, 90-264VAC/5 A, 47-63HZ,
250W Redundant, Hot Swap power supply
MTBF: 30,000 hours
Monitoring SNMP via Ethernet
Audible Alarm
Operating Environment: 0ºto 70ºC Operating Temperature
-55ºto 125ºC Storage Temperature
0% to 90% Relative Humidity, Non-condensing
Operating Systems: Windows XP/2000/Server 2003
Mac OS X version 10.4.x +
Red Hat Linux 9
Warranty: 30 day money back
1 Year Return to Factory
Available Options: 3-meter or 7-meter cable

MAGMA
2 Chapter 1 Introduction
Pre-Installation Information
Before using the MAGMA expansion chassis you should perform the
following steps:
•Inventory the shipping carton contents for all of the required parts
•Gather all of the necessary tools required for installation
•Read this manual
Parts List
The following parts are provided:
Item Qty Item
1 1U 4-slot rack-mount PCIe to PCIe expansion chassis
1 Half-height PCI Express host card
1 1-meter shielded cable
2 U.S. Standard 115V power cord
Tools Required for Installation
In order to complete the installation of the MAGMA
expansion system you will need a Phillips-head
screwdriver.

MAGMA
Chapter 2 Hardware Installation 3
Chapter 2 Hardware Installation
The following steps will guide you through the installation of your
MAGMA PCI Express to PCI Express Expansion chassis.
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Warning
All PCIe cards are susceptible to electrostatic discharge. When
moving PCIe cards, it is best to carry the cards in anti-static
packaging. If you need to set a PCIe card down, be sure to place it
inside or on top of an anti-static surface. For more information, see
“Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge” in the Preface.
WARNING
High voltages are present inside the expansion chassis when the
unit’s power cord is plugged into an electrical outlet. Disconnect the
power cord from its source before removing the enclosure cover.
Turning the system power off at the power on/off switch does not
remove power to components. High voltage is still present.
CAUTION
Before touching anything inside the enclosure, move to an ESD
station and follow proper ESD procedures. Failure to do so may
result in electrostatic discharge, damaging the computer or its
components. For more information, see “Protecting Against
Electrostatic Discharge” in the Preface.
STOP
If your MAGMA expansion chassis was not purchased directly from
Magma, Inc., you must check to ensure that it doesn’t contain any
pre-installed PCIe cards.
Check the rear side of the chassis to see if any PCIe cards are visible
in the slots. If you see a PCIe card, you should continue installation
using instructions provided by your dealer. If no separate instructions
are available, remove the cover by using instructions in Chapter 4
Install Cards and Drives. Then remove the card(s) as normal. If no
PCIe card is visible, then continue with the cable installation.

MAGMA
4 Chapter 2 Hardware Installation
Before you Begin
The dual 250W AC power supplies are auto-switching. This means that
it will automatically switch to match whatever source power you are
using. Since all products ship with a US/Canadian Standard 125V
power cord, you will need to use a locally available power cord for non-
US Standard power sources.
Install PCIExpress Host Card
Begin the installation of your PCI Express (PCIe) host card by first
powering down your computer. Use the procedures for shutting down
your operating system and shutting off power to your system provided in
your owner’s manual or system documentation.
After the host computer is off and all power cords disconnected, remove
the cover and insert the PCI Express host card into a vacant x8+ PCIe
slot by gently pushing the card until it is firmly seated. Notice that the
PCI Express slots are located at a greater distance from the edge of the
computer’s mother-board than are the standard PCI slots. Then secure
the card to the slot with a mounting screw.

MAGMA
Chapter 2 Hardware Installation 5
The PCIe host card is a “half-height” x8 PCIe card mounted to a “full-
height” bracket for convenient mounting in most desktop computer
systems. It is also shipped with a low profile card bracket to allow
mounting on low profile computer systems.
For low profile case applications, you may need to change the mounting
bracket to the low profile bracket that shipped with your system. This is
done by removing the screws that hold the card to the bracket. Be sure
you are using proper ESD procedures when completing this action.
STOP
YOU MUST ONLY INSTALL THE PCIe HOST CARD INTO A PCI
EXPRESS SLOT.
Only use cards WITH brackets. This will ensure that your PCIe host
card can only be inserted into a PCIe slot. Although PCI Express
cards without brackets may fit into conventional PCI slots, you run
the risk of damaging the PCI Express host card if you insert it into a
PCI slot. Please ensure that your host computer has PCI Express
slots and install the host card only into a PCI Express slot.
For more information on using PCIe cards, please refer to your
computer’s user manual or system documentation.

MAGMA
6 Chapter 2 Hardware Installation
Install Chassis in Rack
Locate a vacant 1U slot in your rack that is within the reach of the one-
meter cable that came with your EB4-1U Expansion System. Install the
rails in the rack as shown below:
Measure the rack from front to
back so you can confirm how
long the rail must be to fit
properly.
Next, assemble the Slide
piece with the end bracket as shown and secure with 2 Panhead screws
and locking nut. Ensure the Phillips screw head is located on the “open”
side of the Slide pieces as shown.
Tighten finger tight only to allow for minor
adjustment during assembly.
Depending on the depth of your rack you
may select either the long or the short end
bracket.
Add Screws to Rack Post
Attach 2 Panhead screws into the rack post where you want the chassis
mounted. Be sure you have measured accurately to ensure that
everything fits in the rack correctly. Leave the screws untightened until
after you place the slide rail’s fingers between the screws as shown.
If your rack has holes too large for the screws, you
can use the Bar Nut to secure your mounting by
inserting the Panhead screw through the rack hole
and screwing it into the Bar Nut on the reverse
side of the rack post, as shown.
NOTE
Notice that the holes on the Bar Nut are spaced unevenly to
accommodate different racks.

MAGMA
Chapter 2 Hardware Installation 7
Attach Slide Rail to Rack
Attach to inside of rack with “fingers” pointing “out” and the end bracket
to the rear. Secure each Slide Mount with 4 screws as shown below.
Secure the slide rail to the
rack with 2 screws to both
front and rear posts. After
you have secured the slide
rail fingers to the rack posts,
tighten the 2 screws used to
attach the slide rail to the end
bracket.
Attach Chassis to Slide Rail
The chassis mounts into the rack
from the rear. Before you can
attempt to insert the chassis’s rack
slide into the half of the rack slide
you just mounted to the rack, you
must first fold the hinged mounting
brackets to a forward position as
shown.
Next, insert the chassis into the rack slide and press it forward until the
chassis stops. When the chassis is completely inserted into the rack,
fold the hinged mounting brackets back against the rack post and
secure with 2 screws on each side.

MAGMA
8 Chapter 2 Hardware Installation
Attach Power and Expansion Cables
Carefully position the expansion chassis so that the supplied expansion
cables will conveniently reach from the host computer to the bottom
connector on the back of the chassis.
CAUTION
All cables attached to the expansion chassis must be securely
fastened. When you hear a “click,” it is properly secured. If not
securely connected, the connectors may cause intermittent or lost
connections.
Connect the power cords to the
power-in receptacles located at
the rear of the enclosure.
NOTE
If at all possible, plug all power cords from the expansion chassis
and your host computer into a shared power strip, preferably one
that has surge and noise suppression circuitry built into it.

MAGMA
Chapter 2 Hardware Installation 9
Recheck theInstallation
Check your installation before powering up the MAGMA expansion
chassis for the first time. Although the power supply has an over voltage
protection device built into it, it may not "trip" in time to fully protect a
device that has been improperly connected, or whose power cable has
been damaged.
CAUTION
This product is provided with a power supply that automatically
adjusts to input voltages between 100 to 240 Vac. A U.S. and
Canadian 125 V power supply cord is provided with this product. If
using this product outside of the U.S. or Canada, please use locally
available power supply cords
Applying Power Correctly
Starting Up:
You must apply power to the MAGMA expansion chassis BEFORE you
power up your computer. This will allow the higher numbered PCIe
buses in the PCIe bus hierarchy to be at a stable state when the host
system issues its master power-on bus reset. In systems that perform
automatic PCIe bus configuration, this will allow the configuration code
to recognize the PCIe bus hierarchy and any attached devices.
There are three On/Off switches on the front
of the chassis, directly behind the front
panel, as well as LED indicators to indicate
power status. The master power switch is
located on the far left and individual power
switches are located on each power supply.
Turn on the power using the master switch
and verify that the green power indicator for
each power supply is ON. Turn on individual switches as necessary.

MAGMA
10 Chapter 2 Hardware Installation
IMPORTANT
These redundant power supplies are hot swappable.
Windows Start Up
As your Windows computer starts up, you
will see a small message box pop-up in the
lower-right corner of the screen to alert you
that Windows has found new hardware.
You are now ready to go. No drivers are needed. Now go to Chapter 3
Verify Installation.
MAC Start Up
Apple MAC OS computers will boot up without any visible indicators that
the Expansion System is connected. Go to Chapter 3 Verify Installation.
Shutting Down:
STOP
DO NOT TURN OFF THE MAGMA EXPANSION CHASSIS UNTIL
YOU HAVE SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTER COMPLETELY! It
can cause a system lockup and loss of any unsaved data.
When shutting your system down, it is recommended that you first shut
down the computer correctly, and then power down the MAGMA
expansion chassis to avoid ‘computer lock-up’ and potential data loss.

MAGMA
Chapter 3 Verify Installation 11
CHAPTER 3 Verify Installation
Windows
To verify a successful installation on Windows, find the ‘My Computer’
icon and “right-click” on it. Then select ‘Manage’ from the pop-up menu.
Next, click on ‘Device Manager’ in the leftmost Computer Management
window. Finally, click on the View Menu and select View Devices by
Connection.
Open ACPI (BIOS) ÆOpen PCIe BusÆClick the ‘+’ sign several times
until your reach a PCI Express Root Port with a PCI Standard PCI-to-
PCI Bridge beneath it.
When installed correctly, you will see a Standard PCI-to-PCI bridge “PCI
to PCI Bridges” below your system’s PCIe Controller followed by 5 more
PCI-to-PCI bridges. The first bridge of the five is not used. Any 3rd
Party PCIe cards installed in the chassis will appear below one of the
four PCI-to-PCI bridges.

MAGMA
12 Chapter 3 Verify Installation
If everything is OK, then the MAGMA expansion system installation is
complete. You can now proceed to Chapter 4 and install your 3rd Party
PCIe Cards.
If, however, the installation was unsuccessful, you may not see the
PCIe to PCIe Bridge, or it will have a small yellow in front of it.
Proceed to Chapter 6 for Troubleshooting installation problems.
MacOS X
When using Mac OS X no additional software or drivers are needed. As
long as you are using Mac OS X Version 10.4 or newer, the operating
system should automatically recognize the MAGMA expansion chassis.
Select “About This Mac” under the Apple Icon
Then click the “More Info” button Æclick on the Devices tabÆyou
should see a pci-bridge device listed under PCIe as shown below: