National Instruments PXIe-8881 User manual

GETTING STARTED GUIDE
PXIe-8881
This document includes instructions for installing and configuring your PXIe-8881
PXI Express controller module.
Contents
Getting Started.......................................................................................................................... 1
Unpacking......................................................................................................................... 2
Installing the PXIe-8881 into a PXI Express Chassis.......................................................2
PXIe-8881 Front Panel......................................................................................................5
Removing the PXIe-8881 from a PXI Express Chassis....................................................6
Common Configuration Questions........................................................................................... 7
General Questions............................................................................................................. 7
Boot Options..................................................................................................................... 7
Cables and Connections.................................................................................................... 8
Software Driver Installation..............................................................................................8
Upgrade Information.........................................................................................................9
Troubleshooting...................................................................................................................... 10
What if the controller does not boot?..............................................................................10
What if I can’t see the video?..........................................................................................11
What if MAX warns me that my chassis is not supported?............................................ 11
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?........................................................... 11
What if some modules installed in a remote Thunderbolt chassis show up in
Windows Device Manager with yellow exclamation points?...................................11
What if some devices, when installed in a system with many remote chassis,
show up in Windows Device Manager with yellow exclamation points?................ 11
My chassis or controller does not appear in MAX. How do I use MAX to identify
and configure my PXI system?.................................................................................12
My CMOS is corrupted. How do I set it back to default?.............................................. 12
NI Services..............................................................................................................................13
Getting Started
This section includes instructions for unpacking and installing your PXIe-8881 controller. It
also describes the controller's front panel connectors.
Caution Using the PXIe-8881 controller in a manner not described in this guide
can impair the protection the controller provides.
Note The PXIe-8881 requires a chassis with 82 W per slot cooling capacity.

Unpacking
The PXIe-8881 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.
Installing the PXIe-8881 into a PXI Express Chassis
Note The PXIe-8881 requires a chassis with 82 W per slot cooling capacity.
To install the PXIe-8881 into a PXI Express chassis, complete the following steps.
1. Plug in your chassis before installing the PXIe-8881. 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 off. 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 off until you finish installing the PXIe-8881.
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.
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Figure 1. Removing Protective Plastic Covers
1
1. Protective Screw Cap (4x)
5. Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position. Align the PXIe-8881
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-8881.
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-8881 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-8881 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-8881 controller installed in the system controller slot
of a PXIe-1092 chassis.
PXIe-8881 Getting Started Guide | © National Instruments Corporation | 3

Figure 2. PXIe-8881 Installed in a PXI Express Chassis
COOLING CLEARANCE REQUIRED. SEE MANUAL.COOLING CLEARANCE REQUIRED. SEE MANUAL.
1
3
2
1. PXI Express Chassis
2. PXI Express Controller
3. Injector/Ejector Rail
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PXIe-8881 Front Panel
The following figure shows the PXIe-8881 front panel layout.
Figure 3. PXIe-8881 Front Panel Layout
PXIe-8881
Embedded Controller
2
3
1
4
6
9
10
7
8
5
1. GPIB
2. RS-232 Serial
3. Trigger
4. Reset Button
5. USB 3.2 Gen 1
6. DisplayPort 1.2
7. USB 2.0
8. Ethernet
9. Thunderbolt 3
10. LEDs
Front Panel Connectors
The following table lists various peripherals and their corresponding PXIe-8881 external
connectors, bus interfaces, and functions.
Peripheral External Connector Description
Video (DisplayPort
1.2)
DisplayPort ATI Radeon E6465 Embedded GPU
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
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Peripheral External Connector Description
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 3.2 Gen 1 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-8881 has four 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 soft off state and is safe to
power down.
Note This status is applicable only when the chassis is set to Manual
Inhibit Mode.
–Green FADING—The controller has entered the standby (S3) state.
–OFF—The controller is powered off.
–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-8881 from a PXI Express Chassis
To remove the PXIe-8881 from a PXI Express chassis, complete the following steps.
1. Power off 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.
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5. Slide the unit out of the chassis.
Note If the PXI Express chassis Inhibit Mode is not set to Default, any attempt to
shut down the PXIe-8881 through the power button or 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 off the chassis. Refer to
the PXI Express chassis user manual for details on the functionality of the Remote
Inhibit and Voltage Monitoring controls.
Common Configuration Questions
This section answers common configuration questions you may have when using a PXIe-8881
embedded controller.
General Questions
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 which CPU is installed?
Use any of the following methods to identify the CPU model installed in your PXIe-8881:
• Check the physical unit front panel overlay.
• Reboot the PXIe-8881 and enter the BIOS setup.
• Use the Windows system information to review the processor data.
• Use NI MAX and review the controller properties. Select the controller in the left pane
and refer to the CPU Model and CPU Cores properties in the System Settings tab in the
right pane.
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-8881.
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.
Boot Options
What devices can I boot from?
The PXIe-8881 can boot from the following devices:
PXIe-8881 Getting Started Guide | © National Instruments Corporation | 7

• The internal drive.
• 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.
• Most PCI or PCI Express-based devices that provide an Option ROM.
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 three 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 different device without changing the boot order in the BIOS, enter Setup
and select the Save & Exit menu. In the Boot Override section, select your desired boot
entry.
• To boot from a different device without changing the boot order in the BIOS, press
<F10> continuously while booting. After 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.
Cables and Connections
How do I connect a VGA monitor to the PXIe-8881?
You can use a DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter (part number 782271-01) available from NI to
connect a VGA monitor to a DisplayPort connector.
Software Driver Installation
How do I install or reinstall the video driver?
Refer to 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 What Peripheral Drivers Should I Use with My PXI or VXI Controller? at ni.com/
support.
How do I install software from a CD?
The compact size of the PXIe-8881 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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•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-8881.
A USB CD/DVD-ROM drive is available from NI, part number 778492-01.
Upgrade Information
How do I upgrade system memory?
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the PXIe-8881 by augmenting or replacing
the preinstalled SO-DIMM. Complete the following steps to replace the RAM.
1. Remove the PXIe-8881 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-8881 System Memory Information
NI offers the following types of SO-DIMMs for use with the PXIe-8881 controller.
• 16 GB, DDR4-2666 MHz PC4-21300 compatible (NI part number 787659-01)
Note NI has tested and verified that the DDR4 SO-DIMMs listed above work with
the PXIe-8881 controller. We recommend you purchase your SO-DIMM modules
from NI. Other off-the-shelf modules are not guaranteed to work properly.
Figure 4. Installing a SO-DIMM in a PXIe-8881 Controller
2
1
1. DDR4 SO-DIMM Module
2. DDR4 SO-DIMM Socket
PXIe-8881 Getting Started Guide | © National Instruments Corporation | 9

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 software drivers?
The latest NI software 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-8881 embedded controller.
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 different monitor and cable/
adapter. Does your monitor work with a different 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
software?
• 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 different 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.
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What if I can’t see the video?
If you do not see your BIOS screen on boot up, check all cables, adapters, and monitor
connections and power.
What if MAX warns me that my chassis is not
supported?
Only PXI Express chassis that support 82 W slot cooling capacity, such as the PXIe-1092 or
PXIe-1095, support the PXIe-8881. Operation and performance is not guaranteed in other
chassis across the operating conditions outlined in the PXIe-8881 Specifications.
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 different
chassis or with a different 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 3 ports on the
PXIe-8881 consume 50 segments each (two ports total), leaving the residual segments for
remote chassis connections. Disabling the Thunderbolt 3 ports from your PXIe-8881 BIOS
allows those 100 bus segments to be allocated to remote chassis.
For more information, go to ni.com/support.
PXIe-8881 Getting Started Guide | © National Instruments Corporation | 11

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 software on your controller to identify NI PXI and PXI Express chassis and modules
in MAX. You can install PXI Platform Services from the software CD included with your
controller or from ni.com/downloads.
PXI Platform Services version 20.0 or later supports the PXIe-8881.
My CMOS is corrupted. How do I set it back to default?
There are two methods that you can use to reset the CMOS.
1. First Method
a) Enter the BIOS setup program.
b) Press <F9> to load BIOS defaults.
c) Answer Y (Yes) to the verification prompt.
d) Select Save and Exit Setup.
2. Second Method
a) Power off the chassis.
b) Remove the controller from the chassis.
c) Press the Clear CMOS button (SW2) as shown in the following figure.
d) Reinstall the controller in the chassis.
12 | ni.com | PXIe-8881 Getting Started Guide

Figure 5. Clearing the CMOS Contents
1
1. Push-Button Switch SW2
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 offerings 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.
PXIe-8881 Getting Started Guide | © National Instruments Corporation | 13

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378275B-01 September 28, 2020