Magma EB7R-x8 User manual

PCIe Expansion System
User's Manual
ExpressBoxUniversal (EBU)
PCI Express® to PCI Express® Expansion
Model: EB7-x8
Model: EBU
Model: EB7R-x8

Copyright © 2009 Mission Technology Group, Inc. - DBA Magma
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.
Limitation of Liability
Information presented by Magma in this guide 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.

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Table of Contents
PREFACE..............................................................................................V
Advisories .............................................................................................. v
Safety Instructions..................................................................................vi
When Working Inside a Computer .........................................................vi
Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge ...........................................vii
Rack-Mount Instructions ......................................................................viii
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
Attach Power and Expansion Cables..................................................... 5
Laptop Installation (optional)......................................................................... 6
Recheck the Installation.........................................................................9
Applying Power Correctly.....................................................................10
Starting Up:................................................................................................. 10
Shutting Down:............................................................................................ 11
Rack Installations.................................................................................11
CHAPTER 3 VERIFY INSTALLATION............................................ 13
Windows ..............................................................................................13
Mac OS X............................................................................................. 14
Expansion Slot Utility.................................................................................. 14
Apple System Profiler...........................................................................15
RedHat 9 Linux ....................................................................................16
Mapping Physical Slot locations to port locations using lspci...............17
CHAPTER 4 INSTALL CARDS AND DRIVES................................ 20
Remove PCI Express Expansion Chassis Cover................................20
Install 3rd Party PCIe Cards or Hard Drives.......................................... 22
Installing 3rd Party PCIe Cards.................................................................... 22
Installing Hard Drives.................................................................................. 23
System Should Be Up and Running.....................................................24
Finishing Touches................................................................................24
“Hot-Swappable” PCIe Cards (optional)...............................................24
Procedure for hot-un-plugging a PCIe plug in card: ................................... 25
PCIe Expansion Solutions with the EB7-x8.......................................... 28
Digi Design Pro Tools® .............................................................................. 28
Video Card expansion solutions ................................................................. 29
High Throughput storage solutions............................................................. 30

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CHAPTER 5 MODULAR SOLUTIONS WITH EBU .........................33
Configuring a complete computer with EBU.........................................33
Configuring EBU for I/O Sharing between multiple Blades or Other
Servers.................................................................................................34
Virtualization, Clusters, and EBU .........................................................34
CHAPTER 6 CHASSIS MAINTENANCE.........................................36
General Chassis Cleaning....................................................................36
“Hot-Swappable” Power Supply (Optional)..........................................38
Cleaning the Air Filter...........................................................................39
CHAPTER 7 TROUBLESHOOTING................................................41
Locate the Problem ..............................................................................41
My Computer Can’t Find the PCIe Expansion System ...............................41
When Nothing Works.................................................................................. 44
My Computer Hangs During Power Up...............................................45
My PCIe Card Doesn’t Work.......................................................................46
Support for 3PrdPParty PCIe Cards ........................................................48
Windows Error Codes......................................................................... 48
CHAPTER 8 HOW TO GET MORE HELP.......................................50
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)......................................................50
Contacting Technical Support ..............................................................50
Magma Debug Utility...................................................................................51
PCIScope Software Utility........................................................................... 52
Returning Merchandise to MAGMA......................................................54
APPENDIX A NEED MORE PCIE SLOTS? .....................................55
Multiple PCIe Expansion System Configurations .................................55
Fan-Out.......................................................................................................57
Verify your configuration .....................................................................58
Daisy-Chaining............................................................................................ 59
Verify your configuration .....................................................................59
Combination Configurations........................................................................60
PCI e Card Conflicts.............................................................................61
Power-On Sequence for Advanced Configurations..............................61
Troubleshooting Advanced Configurations...........................................61
Finding the Problem Card...........................................................................63
APPENDIX B COMPLIANCE ..........................................................64
FCC /CE /UL ........................................................................................64
Industry Canada...................................................................................64
CE........................................................................................................64
UL.........................................................................................................64
500Watt Power Supply Specifications.................. 64

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500Watt Power Supply Specifications........................................................ 65

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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. does not claim to have covered all situations that might require
the use of a Caution, Warning, or Danger indicator.

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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 instructions in 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.
WhenWorking Inside a Computer
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.

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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.
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.

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♦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.
Rack-Mount Instructions
Elevated Operating Ambient - If installed in a closed or multi-unit rack
assembly, the operating ambient temperature of the rack environment
may be greater than room ambient. Therefore, consideration should be
given to installing the equipment compatible with the maximum ambient
temperature (Tma) Specified by the manufacturer.
Reduced Air Flow - Installation of the equipment in a rack should be
such that the amount of air flow required for safe operation of the
equipment is not compromised.
Mechanical Loading - Mounting of the equipment in the rack should be
such that a hazardous condition is not achieved due to uneven
mechanical loading.
Circuit Overloading - Consideration should be given to the connection
of the equipment to the supply circuit and the effect that overloading of
the circuits might have on overcurrent protection and supply writing.
Appropriate consideration of equipment nameplate ratings should be
used when addressing this concern.
Reliable Earthing - Reliable earthing of rack-mounted equipment
should be maintained. Particular attention should be given to supply
connections other than direct connections to the branch circuit (e.g. use
of power strips).