National Instruments NI PXIe-8840 User manual

PXIe-8840
Quad Core
2022-07-20

Contents
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Electromagnetic Compatibility Guidelines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Unpacking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Electrical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Preparing the Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Installing the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core into a PXI Express Chassis. . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
LabVIEW RT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Drivers and Soware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Data Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Removing the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core from a PXI Express Chassis. . . . . . . . . . 15
Cleaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Common Configuration Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
General Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Boot Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Cables and Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Soware Driver Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Upgrade Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
PXI Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
What if the Controller Does Not Boot?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
What If I Can’t See The Video?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
My system boots fine as long as a particular module is not in my chassis. How
do I boot the chassis with the module installed?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
My chassis or controller does not appear in MAX. How do I use MAX to identify
and configure my PXI system?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
My CMOS is corrupted. How do I set it back to default?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Worldwide Support and Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
ni.com
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PXIe-8840 Quad Core

This document includes instructions for installing and configuring your
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core PXI Express controller module.
For complete configuration information (including BIOS configuration, ExpressCard
installation, hard drive recovery, memory upgrade, and OS installation), full
specifications, and I/O information, refer to the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User
Manual.
Getting Started
This section includes instructions for unpacking and installing your
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller, including setting up your controller to run
LabVIEW Real-Time. It also describes the controller's front panel connectors.
Electromagnetic Compatibility Guidelines
This product was tested and complies with the regulatory requirements and limits
for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) stated in the product specifications. These
requirements and limits provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the product is operated in the intended operational electromagnetic
environment.
This product is intended for use in industrial locations. However, harmful
interference may occur in some installations, when the product is connected to a
peripheral device or test object, or if the product is used in residential or
commercial areas. To minimize interference with radio and television reception and
prevent unacceptable performance degradation, install and use this product in strict
accordance with the instructions in the product documentation.
Furthermore, any changes or modifications to the product not expressly approved
by National Instruments could void your authority to operate it under your local
regulatory rules.
Caution To ensure the specified EMC performance, operate this product
only with shielded cables and accessories.
© National Instruments 3
PXIe-8840 Quad Core

Caution To ensure the specified EMC performance, all I/O cables except
connected Ethernet, serial, USB 2.0, and GPIB cables must be no longer
than 3 m (10 .). Serial, USB 2.0, and GPIB cables must be no longer than
30 m (100 .). Ethernet cables can be longer than 30 m (100 .).
Unpacking
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core ships in an antistatic package to prevent electrostatic
discharge from damaging device components. To prevent such damage when
handling the device, ground yourself using a grounding strap or by holding a
grounded object, such as your computer chassis, and complete the following steps:
1. Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of the chassis before removing
the device from the package.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors.
2. Remove the device from the package and inspect the device for loose
components or any other sign of damage.
3. Notify National Instruments if the device appears damaged in any way. Do not
install a damaged device into your chassis.
Electrical
Note Does not include any attached USB devices or ExpressCard.
Voltage (V) Current (Amps) Typical Current (Amps) Maximum
+3.3 V 1.68 A 2.82 A
+5 V 1.99 A 3.63 A
+12 V 5.19 A 8.79 A
-12 V 0 A 0 A
+5 VAux 0.20 A 0.35 A
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PXIe-8840 Quad Core

Preparing the Environment
Ensure the environment you are using the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core in meets the
following specifications.
Caution The operating temperature must not be exceeded, even when
used in a chassis with a higher temperature range.
Ambient temperature
range[1], [2]
5 °C to 50 °C (Tested in accordance with IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2. Meets MIL-PRF-28800F Class 3 high temperature limit.)
Extended temperature
option
0 °C to 55 °C (Tested in accordance with IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2. Meets MIL-PRF-28800F low temperature limit and
MIL-PRF-28800F Class 2 high temperature limit.)
Relative humidity range 10 to 90%, noncondensing (Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-56.)
Maximum altitude 2,000 m (800 mbar) (at 25 °C ambient temperature)
Pollution Degree 2
Indoor use only.
Note Refer to the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual for full
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core specifications.
1 For chassis that are not available in the online catalog at ni.com, contact National
Instruments for supported operating temperatures.
2 Processor should not throttle CPU frequency under reasonable, worst case
processor work loads in high operating temperatures.
Installing the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core into a PXI Express Chassis
To install the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core into a PXI Express chassis, complete the
following steps.
© National Instruments 5
PXIe-8840 Quad Core

1. Plug in your chassis before installing the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. The power
cord grounds the chassis and protects it from electrical damage while you
install the module.
Caution In some National Instruments chassis, you must ensure
that the power LED is o. For more information about chassis power
behavior, refer to the user manual for the specific chassis.
Caution To protect both yourself and the chassis from electrical
hazards, leave the chassis o until you finish installing the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core.
2. Remove any panels blocking access to the system controller slot (Slot 1) in the
chassis.
3. Touch the metal part of the chassis case to discharge any static electricity that
might be on your clothes or body.
4. Remove the protective plastic covers from the four bracket-retaining screws as
shown in the following figure.
Figure 1. Removing Protective Plastic Covers
1
1. Protective Screw Cap (4x)
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5. Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position. Align the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core with the card guides on the top and bottom of the
system controller slot.
Caution Do not raise the injector/ejector handle as you insert the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. The module will not insert properly unless
the handle is in its downward position so that it does not interfere
with the injector rail on the chassis.
6. Hold the handle as you slowly slide the module into the chassis until the
handle catches on the injector/ejector rail.
7. Raise the injector/ejector handle until the module firmly seats into the
backplane receptacle connectors. The front panel of the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core should be even with the front panel of the chassis.
8. Tighten the four bracket-retaining screws on the top and bottom of the front
panel to secure the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core to the chassis.
9. Check the installation.
10. Connect the keyboard and mouse to the appropriate connectors. If you are
using a PS/2 keyboard and a PS/2 mouse, a Y-splitter adapter is available to
connect both to a single USB connector. National Instruments oers a Y-
splitter adapter cable, part number 778713-02, available through the online
catalog at ni.com/products.
11. Connect the DisplayPort monitor video cable to the DisplayPort connector, or
use the DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter included with your controller to connect a
VGA monitor to the DisplayPort connector.
12. Connect devices to ports as required by your system configuration.
13. Power on the display. Refer to the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual for
details.
14. Power on the chassis.
15. Verify that the controller boots. If it does not boot, refer to the
Troubleshooting section.
The following figure shows an NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller installed in
the system controller slot of an NI PXIe-1082 chassis.
© National Instruments 7
PXIe-8840 Quad Core

Figure 2. NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core Installed in a PXI Express Chassis
1
3
2
1. PXI Express Chassis
2. PXI Express Controller
3. Injector/Ejector Rail
LabVIEW RT
This section explains soware installation and switch configuration for LabVIEW RT
on your PXI Express controller.
LabVIEW RT Soware Installation
The following section describes the necessary steps to get your PXI Express
embedded controller set up to run LabVIEW Real-Time. In this section you will
configure the controller boot mode, verify or change IP settings, and install LabVIEW
Real-Time soware.
Complete the following steps to install the LabVIEW RT soware.
1. Boot the NI PXI Express embedded controller into the real-time operating
system. Refer to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches section or the
LabVIEW RT Setup Menu section in this document to configure the controller
for booting into LabVIEW RT. The PXI Express controller automatically boots
into LabVIEW RT Safe Mode when no soware is installed. LabVIEW RT Safe
Mode loads with the basic real-time operating system and automatically
attempts to connect to the network using DHCP. If DHCP is not available, it
then connects to the network with a link-local IP address.
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Tip You can connect a monitor to the desktop PC to display startup
messages such as the IP address.
2. Open Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) on another computer in the
same subnet and expand the Remote Systems branch. MAX lists the PXI
Express controller as the controller model name followed by the MAC address
(for example, NI-PXIe-8840 Quad-Core).
Note The other computer must have LabVIEW, LabVIEW RT, and any
desired drivers installed.
Tip Record the PXI Express controller MAC address, located on the
side of the controller, for use in identifying the controller. You also
can remove the label and place it on the front of the controller for
easier access.
3. Click the appropriate PXI Express controller entry to access the Network
Settings tab in the right pane view.
4. (Optional) Enter a name for the RT target in the Name text box.
5. (Optional) Set the network configuration options of the RT target in the IP
Settings section and click the Apply button. For information about
configuring network settings, refer to the Configuring Network Settings
book, accessible by browsing to MAX Remote Systems Help»LabVIEW
Real-Time Target Con󽘀guration»Con󽘀guring Network Settings from
the Contents tab of MAX Help.
Note When any IP or identification settings are changed, you are
prompted to reboot the controller for the changes to take eect.
Click Yes to reboot the RT target automatically. You may also reboot
the controller by right-clicking the target name under Remote
Systems and selecting Reboot.
© National Instruments 9
PXIe-8840 Quad Core

Aer rebooting the PXI Express controller, it appears in the Remote Systems
category with the assigned name.
6. Expand the PXI Express controller view in the Remote Systems branch and
select Software.
7. Click the Add/Remove Software button in the toolbar to launch the
LabVIEW Real-Time Soware Wizard.
8. Install the LabVIEW Real-Time soware and device drivers that you require on
the RT target. Refer to the NI Web site at ni.com/info and enter the Info Code
etspc for the latest information about supported soware.
Aer soware installation, the controller automatically reboots, and you now can
program it using LabVIEW Real-Time.
Note Refer to the RT Getting Started Guide on your host computer for
more information about setting up your RT target.
LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches
Use the LabVIEW RT configuration switches to configure LabVIEW RT if it is installed
on the controller. If you are not using LabVIEW RT, these switches should remain in
the OFF position. The controller reads these switches only aer a system reset.
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller includes the following LabVIEW RT
configuration switches:
■Switch 1—Boot LabVIEW RT: Set this switch to ON to boot LabVIEW RT.
■Switch 2—Boot Safe Mode: Set this switch to ON to boot LabVIEW RT into
safe mode to reconfigure TCP/IP settings and to download or update soware
from a host computer. This switch overrides the behavior of Switch 1. Booting
the controller into safe mode does not start the embedded LabVIEW RT
engine. Aer changing the settings or soware, reboot the controller with this
switch OFF to resume normal operation.
■Switch 3—Disable Startup VI: Set this switch to ON to prevent VIs from
automatically running at startup if the controller becomes inaccessible
because of a startup VI.
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■Switch 4—Reset IP Address: Set this switch to ON to reset the IP address
and other TCP/IP settings to their factory defaults. Use this switch if moving
the controller to a dierent subnet or if the current TCP/IP settings are invalid.
Note By default, the target automatically attempts to connect to the
network using DHCP. If the target cannot initiate a DHCP connection, the
target connects to the network with a link-local IP address or 169.254.x.x.
The following figure shows the location of the LabVIEW RT configuration switches.
The switches are shown in the OFF position.
Figure 3. LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches
3
2
1
4
1. Switch 1—Boot LabVIEW RT
2. Switch 2—Boot Safe Mode
3. Switch 3—Disable Startup VI
4. Switch 4—Reset IP Address
© National Instruments 11
PXIe-8840 Quad Core

Drivers and Soware
Your hard drive includes a directory called images in its root that contains soware
and so copies of manuals for the peripherals. The directory structure under the
images directory is logically organized into several levels.
In the images directory are drivers and NIDRIVERS directories. The drivers directory
contains driver installers for the system peripherals. These files and directories are
copied exactly from the manufacturer distribution disks, so the naming conventions
vary from peripheral to peripheral. The NIDRIVERS directory contains the GPIB and
PXI Platform Services drivers preinstalled on the controller.
Data Storage
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core has the following data storage features:
■2.5 in. SATA notebook internal hard drive
■USB storage support—USB CD/DVD-ROM, mass storage device, or floppy
drive
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core Front Panel
The following figure shows the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core front panel layout.
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PXIe-8840 Quad Core

Figure 4. NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core Front Panel Layout
10
1
7
6
9
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1. USB 2.0
2. LEDs
3. Trigger
4. COM1
5. USB 3.0
6. DisplayPort
7. Ethernet
8. Reset Button
9. GPIB
10. ExpressCard/34 (on ExpressCard Variant Only)
Front Panel Connectors
The following table lists various peripherals and their corresponding
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core external connectors, bus interfaces, and functions.
Peripheral External Connector Description
Video DisplayPort Intel® HD Graphics controller
Serial COM1 (9-pin DSUB) 16550 RS-232 serial port
Ethernet LAN (RJ45) 10/100/1000 Ethernet connection
© National Instruments 13
PXIe-8840 Quad Core

Peripheral External Connector Description
USB USB 4-pin Series A stacked
receptacle (4 ports)
Hi-Speed USB
USB 9-pin Series A stacked
receptacle (2 ports)
SuperSpeed USB, backwards
compatible with USB 2.0
PXI trigger Trigger (SMB) Routing PXI triggers to or from the
backplane trigger bus
GPIB device GPIB (25-pin Micro D) General-Purpose Interface Bus, IEEE
488.1
ExpressCard/34
module
ExpressCard/34 slot ExpressCard/34 Expansion
PXI Express Trigger Connectivity
The SMB connector on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core front panel can connect to or
from any PXI Express backplane trigger line. A trigger allocation process is needed to
prevent two resources from connecting to the same trigger line, resulting in the
trigger being double-driven and possibly damaging the hardware. At the time of this
manual’s publication, this soware is not yet available for Windows. Contact
National Instruments for more information.
Front Panel Features
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core has the following front-panel features:
■A controller reset push button (press the button to generate a reset to the
controller)
■Two front panel LEDs that show PC status:
■ DRIVE LED— Indicates when an access to the internal hard disk is
occurring.
■PWR OK/FAULT LED—Indicates the controller status. The LED indicates
one of the following states:
■Green ON steady—PXI and onboard power is on and within
regulation limits.
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PXIe-8840 Quad Core

■Green BLINKING—One of the onboard power supplies is operating
outside the normal limits or the system power supply is out of
regulation.
■Green FADING—The controller has entered the standby (S3) state.
■OFF—The controller is powered o.
■Red BLINKING—The controller detected a power rail fault when
trying to boot.
■Red SOLID—The controller detected a thermal fault and has shut
down to protect the system.
■USER LEDs — Two bi-color green/yellow LEDs (USER1 and USER2) that
you can define to meet the needs of your LabVIEW application.
Removing the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core from a PXI Express Chassis
To remove the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core from a PXI Express chassis, complete the
following steps.
1. Power o the chassis.
2. Remove any cables that may be attached to the controller front panel.
3. Unscrew the four bracket-retaining screws in the front panel.
4. Press the injector/ejector handle down.
5. Slide the unit out of the chassis.
Cleaning
Use a dry, low-velocity stream of air to clean the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller.
If needed, use a so, nonmetallic brush for cleaning around components.
Make sure that the device is completely dry and free from contaminants before
returning it to service.
Common Configuration Questions
This section answers common configuration questions you may have when using an
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core embedded controller.
© National Instruments 15
PXIe-8840 Quad Core

What do the LEDs on the front panel mean?
Refer to the LED status descriptions in the Front Panel Features section.
How do I check the configuration of the memory, hard drive, time/date, and
so on?
You can view these parameters in the BIOS setup. Complete the following steps to
enter the BIOS setup:
1. Reboot the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core.
2. Press <Delete> during the memory tests.
Refer to the Accessing BIOS Setup Utility section of the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual for more information.
Can I use the internal Serial ATA drive and an external hard drive at the same
time?
Yes. Refer to the BIOS Setup Utility section of the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User
Manual for more information.
What devices can I boot from?
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core can boot from the following devices:
■The internal Serial ATA solid-state drive.
■An external SCSI hard drive or SCSI CD/DVD-ROM if a SCSI adapter, such as
the PXI-8214, is used.
■A network PXE server on the same subnet.
■An external USB mass storage device such as a USB hard drive, USB CD/DVD-
ROM, or USB flash drive.
■An external USB floppy drive.
■Most PCI or PCI Express-based devices that provide an Option ROM.
Note There are limitations when booting from a USB device. You can
install Windows 7 and later from a USB CD/DVD-ROM, but not earlier
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versions of Windows. The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core BIOS configures the USB
devices so that they work in a DOS environment.
How do I configure the controller to boot from these devices?
You can configure the controller to permanently or temporarily change the boot
order.
There are two methods.
■Enter Setup and select the Boot menu. You will see a list of all bootable
devices, ordered by device type. You can set the boot order using <+> and <->.
Set the order by device type and set the order for the devices listed within the
device type.
■To boot from a dierent device without changing the boot order in the BIOS,
press <F10> continuously while booting. Aer the BIOS completes the POST
and just before the controller boots the OS, the Boot menu is displayed. You
can select the device type you want to boot from.
How do I plug both a PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard into the controller?
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core has no PS/2 connector, and you need to use a USB Y-
splitter cable as shown below, or a similar device, to connect both a PS/2 mouse and
PS/2 keyboard. National Instruments part number 778713-02 is such a cable and is
available through the online catalog at ni.com/products.
Figure 5. Y-Splitter Cable
What if I don’t have a Y-splitter cable? Can I still use a mouse and keyboard?
If you do not have a Y-splitter cable, plug a USB keyboard into any USB connector.
You can also plug a USB mouse into any USB connector.
© National Instruments 17
PXIe-8840 Quad Core

How do I connect a VGA monitor to the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core?
A DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter (part number 782271-01) is included with your kit. You
can use this adapter to connect a VGA monitor to a DisplayPort connector.
How do I connect two monitors to the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core?
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core includes two DisplayPort connectors. You can connect
each to a separate monitor for dual monitor support.
How do I install or reinstall the video driver?
Refer to KnowledgeBase 3H3COSD8, What Peripheral Drivers Should I Use with My
PXI or VXI Controller?, at ni.com/support.
How do I install or reinstall the Ethernet driver?
Refer to KnowledgeBase 3H3COSD8, What Peripheral Drivers Should I Use with My
PXI or VXI Controller?, at ni.com/support.
How do I install or reinstall the GPIB driver?
The NI-488.2 driver for your GPIB port is installed by default when your controller is
first shipped from the factory. To change the default installed driver, complete the
following steps:
1. Download the latest GPIB driver from ni.com/downloads.
2. Install the driver and verify that the driver has properly detected the GPIB
device in the Device Manager. If you need more assistance, refer to ni.com/
getting-started/.
How do I install soware from a CD?
The compact size of the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core does not allow for an integrated
USB CD/DVD-ROM drive. You have the following options:
•USB CD/DVD-ROM—You can install from a USB CD/DVD-ROM using a bootable
installation CD.
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•SCSI CD-ROM—Other types of CD-ROM drives are available. Check with the vendor
to make sure Windows 7 supports the drive.
•Mapped network drive—You can use the Ethernet to connect to another
computer. If you share the USB CD/DVD-ROM drive on the other computer, you can
map the shared USB CD/DVD-ROM drive to a drive letter on the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core.
A USB CD/DVD-ROM drive is available from National Instruments, part number
778492-01.
How do I upgrade system memory?
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core by
upgrading the DDR3L SO-DIMM. Complete the following steps to upgrade the RAM.
1. Remove the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core from the PXI chassis.
2. Locate the DDR3L SO-DIMM module on the side of the controller, as shown in
the following figure.
3. Install the new DDR3L SO-DIMM module into the slot.
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core System Memory Information
National Instruments oers the following types of SO-DIMMs for use with the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller.
■1600 MHz DDR3L PC3-12800 4 GB, 512 MB × 64, 1.18 in. max (NI part number
782341-4096)
■1600 MHz DDR3L PC3-12800 8 GB, 1024 MB × 64, 1.18 in. max (NI part
number 783001-8192)
Note National Instruments has tested and verified that the DDR3L SO-
DIMMs we sell work with the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller. We
recommend you purchase your DDR3L SO-DIMM modules from National
Instruments. Other o-the-shelf DDR3L SO-DIMM modules are not
guaranteed to work properly.
© National Instruments 19
PXIe-8840 Quad Core

Figure 6. Installing a DDR3L SO-DIMM in an NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core Controller
2
1
1. DDR3L SO-DIMM Socket
2. DDR3L SO-DIMM Module
How do I flash a new BIOS?
You can download the new BIOS from p.ni.com/support/pxi. For more information,
refer to KnowledgeBase 2GIGKD0Z, Determining and Upgrading PXI and VXI
Embedded Controller BIOS Versions.
Where do I get the latest soware drivers?
The latest National Instruments soware is available from ni.com/downloads. For
peripheral drivers, refer to KnowledgeBase 3H3COSD8, What Peripheral Drivers
Should I Use with My PXI or VXI Controller?, at ni.com/support.
PXI Configuration
How do I use the SMB trigger on the front panel?
Refer to the PXI Trigger Connectivity section for details on using the SMB trigger.
Troubleshooting
This section answers common troubleshooting questions you may have when using
the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core embedded controller.
ni.com
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PXIe-8840 Quad Core