National Instruments PXIe-8861 User manual

PXIe-8861
Getting
Started Guide
2023-08-02

Contents
Getting Started with the PXIe-8861. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Getting Started with the PXIe-8861. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Unpacking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Installing the PXIe-8861 into a PXI Express Chassis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Data Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
PXIe-8861 Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Removing the PXIe-8861 from a PXI Express Chassis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installing the Removable Hard Drive (Removable Hard Drive Variant Only). . . . 9
Removing the Removable Hard Drive (Removable Hard Drive Variant Only). . 10
Common Configuration Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
General Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Boot Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Cables and Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Soware Driver Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Upgrade Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
What if the controller does not boot?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
What if I can’t see the video?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
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?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
What if some modules installed in a remote Thunderbolt chassis show up in
Windows Device Manager with yellow exclamation points?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
What if some devices, when installed in a system with many remote chassis,
show up in Windows Device Manager with yellow exclamation points?. . . . . . 16
My chassis or controller does not appear in MAX. How do I use MAX to identify
and configure my PXI system?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
My CMOS is corrupted. How do I set it back to default?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
NI Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
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PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

Getting Started with the PXIe-8861
This document includes instructions for installing and configuring your
PXIe-8861PXI Express controller module.
© 2019–2020National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. Refer to the
<National Instruments>\_Legal Information directory for information about NI
copyright, patents, trademarks, warranties, product warnings, and export
compliance.
Getting Started with the PXIe-8861
This section includes instructions for unpacking and installing your PXIe-8861
controller. It also describes the controller's front panel connectors.
Caution Using the PXIe-8861 controller in a manner not described in
this guide can impair the protection the controller provides.
Unpacking
The PXIe-8861 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 NI if the device appears damaged in any way. Do not install a damaged
device into your chassis.
© National Instruments 3
PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

Installing the PXIe-8861 into a PXI Express Chassis
To install the PXIe-8861 into a PXI Express chassis, complete the following steps.
1. Plug in your chassis before installing the PXIe-8861. The power cord grounds
the chassis and protects it from electrical damage while you install the
module.
Caution In some NI 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
PXIe-8861.
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
a. Protective Screw Cap (4x)
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PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

5. Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position. Align the
PXIe-8861 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
PXIe-8861. 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 PXIe-8861 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 PXIe-8861 to the chassis.
9. Check the installation.
10. Connect the keyboard and mouse to the appropriate connectors.
11. Connect the DisplayPort monitor video cable or adapter to the DisplayPort
connector.
12. Connect devices to ports as required by your system configuration.
13. Power on the display.
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 a PXIe-8861 controller installed in the system
controller slot of an NI PXIe-1082 chassis.
© National Instruments 5
PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

Figure 2. PXIe-8861 Installed in a PXI Express Chassis
1
2
COOLING CLEARANCES AND FAN FILTER MAINTENANCE REQUIRED. SEE MANUAL
NI PXIe-1082
PXIe-8861
Embedded Contr
3
a. PXI Express Chassis
b. PXI Express Controller
c. Injector/Ejector Rail
Data Storage
The PXIe-8861 has the following data storage features:
■ M.2 NVMe internal solid state drive (500 GB or larger), or
■U.2 NVMe removable solid state drive (500 GB or larger)
■USB storage support—USB CD/DVD-ROM, mass storage device, or floppy
drive
PXIe-8861 Front Panel
The following figure shows the PXIe-8861 front panel layout.
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PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

Figure 3. PXIe-8861 Front Panel Layout
PXIe-8861
Embedded Controller
TRIG
RESET
GPIB
DRIVE
PWR OK/
FAULT
USER1
USER2
ACT/
LINK
Pulse
10/100
/1000
2
1
2
4
5
7
1
3
10
11
6
8
9
12
1. GPIB
2. Ethernet
3. USB 2.0
4. RS-232 Serial
5. Trigger
6. Reset Button
7. USB 3.0
8. DisplayPort 1.1
9. DisplayPort 1.2
10. Thunderbolt
11. LEDs
12. Removable Hard Drive Shuttle (Removable Hard Drive Variant Only)
Front Panel Connectors
The following table lists various peripherals and their corresponding PXIe-8861
external connectors, bus interfaces, and functions.
Peripheral External Connector Description
Video (DisplayPort 1.1 and 1.2) DisplayPort ATI Radeon E6465 Embedded
GPU
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PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

Peripheral External Connector Description
Thunderbolt 3 USB Type C (2 ports) Thunderbolt 3 compliant,
supports USB, PCI Express, and
DisplayPort
Serial COM1 (9-pin DSUB) 16550 RS-232 serial port
Ethernet Port 0 LAN (RJ45) 10/100/1000 Ethernet
connection
Intel I219
Wake on LAN
Ethernet Port 1 LAN (RJ45) 10/100/1000 Ethernet
connection
Intel I210
USB 2.0 USB 4-pin Series A stacked
receptacle (4 ports)
Hi-Speed USB 2.0
USB 3.0 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 GPIB (25-pin Micro D) General-Purpose Interface Bus,
IEEE 488.2
Front Panel Features
The PXIe-8861 has two front panel LEDs that show PC status:
■ DRIVE LED— Indicates when an access to the internal drive 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.
■Green BLINKING—The controller has entered the so o state and is safe
to power down.
Note This status is applicable only when the chassis is set to
Manual.
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■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 PXIe-8861 from a PXI Express Chassis
To remove the PXIe-8861 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.
Note If the PXI Express chassis Inhibit Mode Selector Switch is not in the
Default position, any attempt to shut down the PXIe-8861 through the
push button reset or using Windows will result in the controller Power OK
LED blinking. The user must use the Remote Inhibit pin on the Remote
Inhibit and Voltage Monitoring Connector to turn o the chassis. Refer to
the PXI Express chassis user manual for details on the functionality of the
Remote Inhibit and Voltage Monitoring controls. For chassis without a
Remote Inhibit pin, turn o the chassis AC power.
Installing the Removable Hard Drive (Removable Hard Drive Variant
Only)
To install the removable hard drive, complete the following steps:
© National Instruments 9
PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

1. Hold the removable hard drive so that the top side is facing le, as shown in
the following figure.
2. Insert the removable hard drive so that it is completely seated in its connector.
The insertion resistance will increase for the final connector mate.
3. If the removable hard drive does not easily insert, do not force the drive.
Check the alignment and try again.
4. Tighten the thumb screws. If the thumb screws do not thread, the removable
hard drive may not be fully inserted. Try removing and completely inserting
the removable hard drive.
Figure 4. Installing the Removable Hard Drive in a PXIe-8861 Controller
1
2
2
1. Removable Hard Drive
2. Thumb Screws (2x)
Removing the Removable Hard Drive (Removable Hard Drive
Variant Only)
To remove the removable hard drive, complete the following steps:
1. Power o the chassis.
2. Loosen the thumb screws.
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3. Unseat the removable hard drive from the connector and remove it from the
slot.
Store the hard drive in the original antistatic packaging when not in use to avoid
damage.
Common Configuration Questions
This section answers common configuration questions you may have when using a
PXIe-8861 embedded controller.
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, storage drive, time/date,
and so on?
You can view these parameters in the BIOS setup utility. Complete the following
steps to enter the BIOS setup:
1. Reboot the PXIe-8861.
2. Press <Delete> during the system boot up.
Can I use the internal storage drive and an external storage drive at the same
time?
Yes.
What devices can I boot from?
The PXIe-8861 can boot from the following devices:
■The internal drive.
■A network PXE or iSCSI 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.
■Most PCI or PCI Express-based devices that provide an Option ROM.
© National Instruments 11
PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

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 PXIe-8861 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.
NI part number 778713-02 is such a cable and is available through the online catalog
at ni.com/products.
Figure 5. Y-Splitter Cable
How do I connect a VGA monitor to the PXIe-8861?
You can use a DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter available from NI to connect a VGA
monitor to a DisplayPort connector.
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.
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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 soware from a CD?
The compact size of the PXIe-8861 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.
•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 PXIe-8861.
A USB CD/DVD-ROM drive is available from NI, part number 778492-01.
How do I upgrade system memory?
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the PXIe-8861 by augmenting or
replacing the preinstalled SO-DIMM. Complete the following steps to replace the
RAM.
1. Remove the PXIe-8861 from the PXI chassis.
2. Locate the SO-DIMM sockets on the side of the controller, as shown in the
following figure.
3. Install the new SO-DIMM module into the slot.
PXIe-8861 System Memory Information
NI oers the following types of SO-DIMMs for use with the PXIe-8861 controller.
■PXIe-8822/42—16 GB, DDR4 3200 MHz non-ECC SODIMM (NI part number
786777-01)
■PXIe-8862—2x 16 GB, DDR4 3200 MHz non-ECC SODIMM (NI part number
786776-01)
© National Instruments 13
PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

Note NI has tested and verified that the DDR4 SO-DIMMs listed above
work with the PXIe-8861 controller. We recommend you purchase your SO-
DIMM modules from NI. Other o-the-shelf modules are not guaranteed to
work properly.
Figure 6. Installing a SO-DIMM in a PXIe-8861 Controller
2
1
1. DDR4 SO-DIMM Socket
2. DDR4 SO-DIMM Module
How do I flash a new BIOS?
For more information, refer to Determining and Upgrading PXI and VXI Embedded
Controller BIOS Versions.
Where do I get the latest soware drivers?
The latest NI soware is available from ni.com/downloads. For peripheral drivers,
refer to What Peripheral Drivers Should I Use with My PXI or VXI Controller? at
ni.com/support.
Troubleshooting
This section answers common troubleshooting questions you may have when using
the PXIe-8861 embedded controller.
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What if the controller does not boot?
Several problems can cause a controller not to boot. Here are some things to look
for and possible solutions.
Things to Notice:
■Which LEDs come on? The PWROK/FAULT LED should stay lit green. The
Drive LED should blink during boot as the disk is accessed.
■What appears on the display? Does it hang at some particular point (BIOS,
Operating System, and so on)? If nothing appears on the screen, try a dierent
monitor and cable/adapter. Does your monitor work with a dierent PC? If it
hangs, note the last screen output that you saw for reference when consulting
NI technical support.
■What has changed about the system? Did you recently move the system?
Was there electrical storm activity? Did you recently add a new module,
memory chip, or piece of soware?
■Refer to your chassis documentation for additional troubleshooting steps.
Things to Try:
■Make sure the chassis is plugged in to a working power source.
■Check any fuses or circuit breakers in the chassis or other power supply
(possibly a UPS).
■Make sure the controller module is firmly seated in the chassis.
■Remove all other modules from the chassis.
■Remove any nonessential cables or devices.
■Try the controller in a dierent chassis.
■Try a similar controller in the same chassis.
■Reset the CMOS.
■Recover the internal drive on the controller.
■Make sure the RAM is properly seated.
© National Instruments 15
PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

What if I can’t see the video?
If you can see the BIOS screen at boot time but do not see video from the OS, the
video card output may be set past the monitor limits. To resolve the problem, start
Windows in Safe Mode by booting the controller from your recovery media and
verifying that Windows troubleshooting options are available. If you do not see your
BIOS screen on boot up, check all cables, adapters, and monitor connections and
power.
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?
The most common cause of this problem is a damaged module. Try the module in a
dierent chassis or with a dierent controller. Also, remove any external cables or
terminal blocks connected to the system. If the module does not work in these
cases, it is likely damaged. Contact the module manufacturer for further
troubleshooting.
What if some modules installed in a remote Thunderbolt chassis
show up in Windows Device Manager with yellow exclamation
points?
Thunderbolt does not allow peripherals to take advantage of legacy IO Space. Some
devices (such as serial or Ethernet modules) may rely on IO Space, creating resource
allocation issues in the system. These modules should not prevent boot or
operation of other devices, but will not function using IO Space.
For more information, go to ni.com/support.
What if some devices, when installed in a system with many remote
chassis, show up in Windows Device Manager with yellow
exclamation points?
PCI Express systems are allocated 256 unique bus segments. The Thunderbolt 4
ports on the PXIe-8862 consume 50 segments each (two ports total), leaving the
residual segments for remote chassis connections. Disabling the Thunderbolt 4
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PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

ports from your PXIe-8862 BIOS allows those 100 bus segments to be allocated to
remote chassis.
For more information, go to ni.com/support.
My chassis or controller does not appear in MAX. How do I use MAX
to identify and configure my PXI system?
If you are using MAX to configure your PXI system, you must install the PXI Platform
Services soware on your controller to identify NI PXI and PXI Express chassis and
modules in MAX. You can install PXI Platform Services from the soware CD included
with your controller or from ni.com/downloads.
PXI Platform Services version 21.5 or later supports the PXIe-8861.
My CMOS is corrupted. How do I set it back to default?
There are two methods that you can use to reset the CMOS.
First Method
1. Enter the BIOS setup program.
2. Press <F9> to load BIOS defaults.
3. Answer Y (Yes) to the verification prompt.
4. Select Save and Exit Setup.
Second Method
1. Power o the chassis.
2. Remove the controller from the chassis.
3. Press the Clear CMOS button (SW1) for 2 to 3 seconds as shown in the
following figure.
4. Reinstall the controller in the chassis.
© National Instruments 17
PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide

Figure 7. Clearing the CMOS Contents
1
1. Push-Button Switch SW1
NI Services
Visit ni.com/support to find support resources including documentation,
downloads, and troubleshooting and application development self-help such as
tutorials and examples.
Visit ni.com/services to learn about NI service oerings such as calibration options,
repair, and replacement.
Visit ni.com/register to register your NI product. Product registration facilitates
technical support and ensures that you receive important information updates from
NI.
NI corporate headquarters is located at 11500 N Mopac Expwy, Austin, TX,
78759-3504, USA.
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PXIe-8861 Getting Started Guide
© 2023 National Instruments Corporation.