National Instruments PXIe-8821 User manual

USER MANUAL
PXIe-8821
This document provides reference information for PXI Express and the PXIe-8821 embedded
controller.
Contents
Related Documentation ............................................................................................................2
PXI Express Features................................................................................................................ 2
Benefits of PXI Express....................................................................................................2
PXIe-8821................................................................................................................................. 3
Description........................................................................................................................ 3
Functional Overview.........................................................................................................3
National Instruments Software..................................................................................................5
Configuration............................................................................................................................ 6
BIOS Setup Utility............................................................................................................ 6
BIOS Diagnostic Utilities............................................................................................... 16
System CMOS.................................................................................................................16
Boot Options................................................................................................................... 17
Hard Drive Recovery...................................................................................................... 18
Upgrade Information.......................................................................................................18
Installing an OS...............................................................................................................19
PXIe-8821 Specifications....................................................................................................... 19
Features........................................................................................................................... 20
Front Panel Dimensions.................................................................................................. 20
Electrical......................................................................................................................... 21
Physical........................................................................................................................... 22
Environmental.................................................................................................................22
Shock and Vibration........................................................................................................23
Safety.............................................................................................................................. 23
I/O Information....................................................................................................................... 25
DisplayPort......................................................................................................................25
COM1..............................................................................................................................26
Ethernet........................................................................................................................... 27
Universal Serial Bus........................................................................................................29
Trigger.............................................................................................................................31
Worldwide Support and Services............................................................................................ 32

Related Documentation
The following documents contain information you may find helpful as you read this manual:
•PICMG EXP.0 R2.0 CompactPCI Express Specification, PCI Industrial Computers
Manufacturers Group
• IEEE Standard P1284.1-1997 (C/MM) Standard for Information Technology for
Transport Independent Printer/System Interface
•PCI Express Base Specification, PCI Special Interest Group
•PXI-5 PXI Express Hardware Specification, PXI Systems Alliance
•PXI-6 PXI Express Software Specification, PXI Systems Alliance
•Serialized IRQ Support for PCI Systems Specification, Compaq Computer et al.
•ExpressCard Standard, PCMCIA
PXI Express Features
Benefits of PXI Express
The PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation) industry standard, an open specification
governed by the PXI Systems Alliance (PXISA), has quickly gained adoption and grown in
prevalence in test, measurement, and control systems since its release in 1998. One of the key
elements driving the rapid adoption of PXI is its use of PCI in the communication backplane.
As the commercial PC industry has improved the available bus bandwidth by evolving PCI to
PCI Express, PXI is now able to meet even more application needs by integrating PCI Express
into the PXI standard. By taking advantage of PCI Express technology in the backplane, PXI
Express increases the available PXI bandwidth from up to 132 MB/s to up to 8 GB/s for a
more than 60x improvement in bandwidth.
PXI Express maximizes both hardware and software compatibility with PXI modules. PXI
Express hybrid slots deliver both PCI and PCI Express signaling to accept devices that use
PXI communication and triggering or the newer PXI Express standard. Software compatibility
is maintained because PCI Express uses the same OS and driver model as PCI, resulting in
complete software compatibility among PCI-based systems, for example PXI, and PCI
Express-based systems such as PXI Express.
PXI Express, like PXI, leverages from the CompactPCI specification to define a rugged,
modular form factor that offers superior mechanical integrity and easy installation and removal
of hardware components. PXI Express products offer higher and more carefully defined levels
of environmental performance required by the shock, vibration, temperature, and humidity
extremes of industrial environments. Mandatory environmental testing and active cooling is
added to the CompactPCI mechanical specification to ease system integration and ensure
multivendor interoperability.
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The demanding timing and synchronization requirements of instrumentation systems are met
by the integrated features of PXI Express. Not only are the trigger bus, 10 MHz system
reference clock, and star trigger bus available in PXI retained by PXI Express, but new timing
and synchronization features that include a 100 MHz differential system reference clock for
the synchronization of multiple modules and three differential star trigger buses for the
distribution of precise clock and trigger signals have been added. Differential timing and
synchronization signals provide PXI Express systems with increased noise immunity and the
ability to transmit clock signals at higher frequencies.
PXIe-8821
Description
The PXIe-8821 PXI Express/CompactPCI Express embedded controller is a high-performance
PXI Express/CompactPCI Express-compatible system controller. The PXIe-8821 controller
integrates standard I/O features in a single unit by using state-of-the-art packaging. Combining
a PXIe-8821 embedded controller with a PXI Express-compatible chassis, such as the
PXIe-1085, results in a fully PC-compatible computer in a compact, rugged package.
The PXIe-8821 has an Intel® Core™ i3 4110E processor (2.6 GHz dual-core processor), all the
standard I/O, and a 320 GB (or larger) hard drive.
The standard I/O on each module includes one DisplayPort video, one RS-232 serial port, two
Hi-Speed USB ports, two SuperSpeed USB ports, one Gigabit Ethernet, a reset button, and a
PXI trigger.
Functional Overview
The PXIe-8821 is a modular PC in a PXI Express 3U-size form factor. The following figure is
a functional block diagram of the PXIe-8821. Following the diagram is a description of each
logic block shown.
PXIe-8821 User Manual | © National Instruments | 3

Figure 1. PXIe-8821 Block Diagram
Intel
8 Series
PCH
Processor
Intel Core
i3
SO-DIMM
DDR3L SDRAM
PC3 12800
DisplayPort
Memory Bus Ch. A
USB 2.0 x2
SATA
Hard Disk
FLASH
Watchdog
Trigger SMB
Connector
UART COM1
x8
PXI
Triggers
USB 2.0 x2
Intel I217-LM
Gigabit
PHY
RJ45
Port 1
SATA
x4 DMI2
x4 DDI
LPC
PCI Express
Switch
PXI
Express 4x1
SPI
USB 3.0 x2
USB 3.0 x2
The PXIe-8821 consists of the following logic blocks on one circuit card assembly (CCA):
• The processor is an Intel® Core™ i3 4110E processor (3 MB Cache, 2.6 GHz). The
processor connects to the SO-DIMM block through the DDR3L interface supporting up
to 1600 MHz SO-DIMMs and the PCH through a x4 DMI2 (Direct Media Interface)
interface supporting up to 5 GT/s per lane.
• The SO-DIMM block consists of one 64-bit DDR3L SDRAM socket that can hold up to
8 GB of memory.
• The processor provides the DisplayPort interface that connects to display peripherals on
the PXIe-8821, and the PCI Express interface to the PXI Express backplane through a
PCI Express switch.
• The Platform Controller Hub (PCH) provides the USB, PCI Express x1, and LPC
interfaces that connect to the peripherals on the PXIe-8821.
• The DisplayPort block consists of one DisplayPort connector.
• The USB block consists of two Hi-Speed USB 2.0 connectors and two SuperSpeed USB
3.0 connectors.
• The Ethernet Port 1 block consists of an Intel® I217-LM Gigabit Ethernet Connection.
• The UART block connects to one serial port.
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• The SMB Front Panel Trigger provides a routable connection of the PXI triggers to/from
the SMB on the front panel.
• The Watchdog block consists of a watchdog timer that can reset the controller or generate
triggers.
• The PXI Express Connectors connect the PXIe-8821 to the PXI Express/CompactPCI
Express backplane.
National Instruments Software
National Instruments has developed several software tools you can use with the PXIe-8821.
National Instruments hardware and software work together to help you make the most of your
PXI system. The LabVIEW, Measurement Studio, and LabWindows™/CVI™ application
development environments combine with leading hardware drivers such as NI-DAQmx to
provide exceptional control of NI hardware. Instrument drivers are available at ni.com/
idnet to simplify communication with instruments over a variety of buses.
LabVIEW is a powerful and easy-to-use graphical programming environment you can use to
acquire data from thousands of different instruments including USB, IEEE 488.2, VXI, serial,
PLCs, and plug-in boards. LabVIEW helps you convert acquired data into meaningful results
using powerful data analysis routines. Add-on tools provide additional specialized
functionality. For more information, visit ni.com/labview and ni.com/toolkits.
If you prefer to use Microsoft’s Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Visual Studio .NET for the core
of your application, Measurement Studio adds tools for Measurement and Automation to each
language. For more information, visit ni.com/mstudio.
LabWindows/CVI is an interactive ANSI C programming environment designed for building
virtual instrument applications. LabWindows/CVI delivers a drag-and-drop editor for building
user interfaces, a complete ANSI C environment for building your test program logic, and a
collection of automated code generation tools, as well as utilities for building automated test
systems, monitoring applications, or laboratory experiments. For more information, visit
ni.com/lwcvi.
NI-DAQmx provides an extensive library of functions that you can call from your application
development environment or interactive environment such as NI Signal Express. These
functions provide an intuitive API for National Instruments multifunction DAQ products.
Features available include analog input (A/D conversion), buffered data acquisition (high-
speed A/D conversion), analog output (D/A conversion), waveform generation, digital I/O,
counter/timer operations, SCXI signal conditioning, RTSI or PXI synchronization, self-
calibration, messaging, and acquiring data to extended memory. For more information, visit
ni.com/daq.
National Instruments modular instruments use specialized drivers suited to each product’s
specialization. Express VIs provide customized, interactive programming of instruments in a
PXIe-8821 User Manual | © National Instruments | 5

single interface, and soft front panels provide an interface for testing the functionality of each
instrument with no programming required. NI Switches, DMMs, High-Speed DIO, High-
Speed Digitizers, and Sources each have customized drivers for high-end modular
instrumentation systems. RF applications leverage two drivers, NI-RFSG and NI-RFSA, and
Dynamic Signal Acquisition is available through NI-DAQmx. For more information, visit
ni.com/modularinstruments.
You can expand the timing and triggering functionality of your PXI system with PXI Timing
and Synchronization products. These products provide precision clock sources, custom routing
of triggers for multi-chassis synchronization, clock sharing, and more and are programmed
with NI-Sync. For more information, visit ni.com/pxi.
NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA specification. VISA is a
uniform API for communicating and controlling USB, Serial, GPIB, PXI, VXI, and various
other types of instruments. This API aids in the creation of portable applications and
instrument drivers. For information about writing your own PXI instrument driver with
NI-VISA, refer to the NI-VISA Getting Started Manual and the readme.txt file in the
NI-VISA directory. For more information, visit ni.com/visa.
With LabVIEW for Linux and support for more than two hundred devices on Linux with the
NI-DAQmx driver, you can now create virtual instruments based on the Linux OS. Instrument
control in Linux has been improved by the NI-VISA driver for Linux, and NI modular
instruments are partially supported. For more information, visit ni.com/linux.
Configuration
BIOS Setup Utility
You can change the PXIe-8821 configuration settings in the BIOS setup program. The BIOS is
the low-level interface between the hardware and operating system software that configures
and tests your hardware when you boot the system. The BIOS setup program includes menus
for configuring settings and enabling PXIe-8821 controller features.
Most users do not need to use the BIOS setup program, as the PXIe-8821 controller ships with
default settings that work well for most configurations.
Caution Changing BIOS settings may lead to incorrect controller behavior and
possibly an unbootable controller. If this happens, follow the instructions for
restoring default settings in the System CMOS section. In general, do not change a
setting unless you are absolutely certain what it does.
Accessing BIOS Setup Utility
1. Power on or restart your PXIe-8821 controller.
2. When the message Press <DEL> to enter setup appears, press the <Delete> key.
The setup program loads after a short delay.
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The Main menu is displayed when you first enter the BIOS setup program.
Use the following keys to navigate through the BIOS setup program:
•Left Arrow, Right Arrow—Use these keys to move between the different setup menus.
If you are in a submenu, these keys have no effect, and you must press <Esc> to leave the
submenu first. (To use the arrows on the numeric keypad, you must turn off Num Lock.)
•Up Arrow, Down Arrow—Use these keys to move between the options within a setup
menu. (To use the arrows on the numeric keypad, you must turn off Num Lock.)
•<Enter>—Use this key either to enter a submenu or display all available settings for a
highlighted configuration option.
•<Esc>—Use this key to return to the parent menu of a submenu. At the top-level menus,
this key serves as a shortcut to the Exit menu.
•<+> and <–>—Use these keys to cycle between all available settings for a selected
configuration option.
•<Tab>—Use this key to select time and date fields.
•<F9>—Use this key to load the optimal default values for BIOS configuration settings.
The optimal default values are the same as the shipping configuration default values.
Main Setup Menu
The most commonly accessed and modified BIOS settings are in the Main setup menu. The
Main setup menu reports the following configuration information:
•BIOS Version and Build Date—These values indicate the version of the PXIe-8821
controller BIOS and the date on which the BIOS was built.
•Embedded Firmware Version—This value helps identify the built-in hardware
capabilities.
•Processor Type, Base Processor Frequency, and Active Processor Cores—These
values indicate the type of processor used in the PXIe-8821 controller, the processor
speed, and the maximum number of processor cores.
•Total Memory—This value indicates the system RAM size the BIOS detects.
•PXIe Chassis Information—These values indicate the overall chassis link configuration,
the link width of each link, and the link speed of each link.
The Main setup menu also includes the following settings:
•System Date—This setting controls the date, which is stored in a battery-backed real-
time clock. Most operating systems also include a way to change this setting. Use <+>
and <-> in conjunction with <Enter> and <Tab> to change these values.
•System Time—This setting controls the time of day, which is stored in a battery-backed
real-time clock. Most operating systems include a way to change this setting. Use <+>
and <-> in conjunction with <Enter> and <Tab> to change these values.
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Advanced Setup Menu
This menu contains BIOS settings that normally do not require modification. If you have
specific problems such as unbootable disks or resource conflicts, you may need to examine
these settings.
Caution Changing settings in this menu may result in an unstable or unbootable
controller. If this happens, follow the procedures outlined in the System CMOS
section to restore BIOS settings to their factory defaults.
The Advanced setup menu includes the following settings and submenus:
•SATA Configuration—Use this setting to access the SATA Configuration submenu.
Refer to the SATA Configuration Submenu section for more information.
•CPU Configuration—Use this setting to access the CPU Configuration submenu. Refer
to the CPU Configuration Submenu section for more information.
•Video Configuration—Use this setting to access the Video Configuration submenu.
Refer to the Video Configuration Submenu section for more information.
•Power/Wake Configuration—Use this setting to access the Power/Wake
Configuration submenu. Refer to the Power/Wake Configuration Submenu section for
more information.
•PCI Configuration—Use this setting to access the PCI Configuration submenu. Refer
to the PCI Configuration Submenu section for more information.
•AMT Configuration—Use this setting to access the AMT Configuration submenu.
Refer to the AMT Configuration Submenu section for more information.
•USB Configuration—Use this setting to access the USB Configuration submenu. Refer
to the USB Configuration Submenu section for more information.
•Serial Port Configuration—Use this setting to access the Serial Port Configuration
submenu. Refer to the Serial Port Configuration Submenu section for more information.
SATA Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the hard disk drive (HDD) interfaces.
Normally, you do not need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the
best possible configuration.
•SATA Controller—This setting specifies whether the onboard SATA controller is
enabled or disabled. The default value is Enabled.
–SATA Mode Selection—This setting determines whether AHCI mode is enabled or
disabled for the SATA port. Some operating systems do not support AHCI mode.
You can use this setting to disable AHCI mode and enable IDE mode so that non-
compatible OSes function correctly. The default value is AHCI.
•Internal Drive (SATA)—This item displays the onboard SATA drive detected in the
system.
•Removable Hard Drive—This item displays the removable hard drive, if installed.
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CPU Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the CPU. Normally, you do not need to modify
these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and optimal
configuration possible.
•Hyper Threading—This setting enables or disables Intel Hyper-Threading technology.
The default value is Enabled. Enabling Hyper-Threading increases performance for some
applications by adding virtual CPU cores. Hyper-Threading can increase application
jitter, so be careful when enabling this setting on a Real Time system. When the BIOS is
configured to boot LabVIEW Real-Time, Hyper-Threading is disabled automatically. To
manually enable Hyper-Threading performance when in LabVIEW Real-Time mode,
refer to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu.
•Enabled CPU Cores—This setting selects the number of active CPU cores for the
processor. Valid values are 1, 2, 3 and All. The default value is All.
•C-States—This setting enables or disables CPU power management. The default value is
Enabled. Enabling C-States allows the processor to put idle CPU cores to sleep, allowing
active cores to run at higher than base frequencies when Turbo Boost is enabled. Enabling
C-States can increase application jitter, so be careful when enabling this setting on a Real
Time system. When the BIOS is configured to boot LabVIEW Real-Time, C-States are
disabled automatically. To manually enable C-States when in LabVIEW Real-Time mode,
refer to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu.
•Hardware Prefetcher—This setting enables or disables CPU cache hardware
prefetching. The default value is Disabled when booting LabVIEW Real-Time and
Enabled when booting other OSs. Enabling hardware prefetching can increase system
performance for some applications, but can cause control algorithms to behave less
deterministically.
•Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch—This setting enables or disables prefetching of adjacent
cache lines from memory to the CPU cache. The default value is Disabled when booting
LabVIEW Real-Time and Enabled when booting other OSs. Enabling adjacent cache
line prefetching can increase system performance for some applications, but can cause
control algorithms to behave less deterministically.
Video Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the video configuration. Normally, you do not
need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and
optimal configuration possible.
•Primary Display—This setting specifies which video adapter the BIOS should use as the
primary adapter if more than one is present. To use an external video adapter as the
primary graphics adapter, choose Add-in Board Video. The default value is Onboard
Video.
PXIe-8821 User Manual | © National Instruments | 9

Power/Wake Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to the power and wake features of the
chipset and controller. Normally, you do not need to modify these settings, as the factory
default settings provide the most compatible and optimal configuration possible.
•Restore After Power Loss—This setting specifies the power state that the controller
should return to after AC power is lost. Valid values are Stay Off and Turn On. The
default is Stay Off. When set to Stay Off, the controller returns to the soft off power state
after AC power is restored. When set to Turn On, the controller powers on when AC
power is restored.
•Power Button Off Behavior—This setting specifies how the PXI Express power button
should behave. Valid options are Normal and Disabled. The default value is Normal.
When set to Normal, the OS controls the power button. When set to Disabled, pressing
the power button has no effect. The Disabled option should be used only in conjunction
with the PXI Express chassis’ inhibit mode switch.
•PXIe Backplane WAKE#—This setting enables or disables a PXI Express peripheral
module’s ability to wake a soft off system. The default value is Disabled.
•SMBus ALERT#—This setting enables or disables a System Management device’s
ability to wake a soft off system by asserting the ALERT# signal. The default value is
Disabled.
PCI Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to PCI devices. Normally, you do not need to
modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and optimal
configuration possible.
•PCIe Max Payload Size—This setting determines the maximum payload size of PCI
Express devices. Valid options are Auto and 128 Bytes. The default value is Auto, which
allows the BIOS to choose an optimal value based on which devices are present.
AMT Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings for Intel Advanced Management Technology
(AMT) and its Management Engine. Normally, you do not need to modify these settings, as
the factory default settings prove the most compatible and optimal configuration possible.
•Management Engine Setup Prompt—This setting enables or disables the Intel AMT
Management Engine setup prompt on the BIOS POST screen. When this setting is set to
Enabled, you can press <Ctrl-P> at the BIOS POST screen to configure the Management
Engine. The default value is Disabled.
•Unconfigure Management Engine—This setting allows you to reset the Management
Engine to factory settings on the next boot. This option reverts to its default value after
the Management Engine is reset. The default value is Disabled.
•USB-Based Configuration—This setting enables or disables automatic configuration of
the Management Engine based on Management Engine configuration files that may be
present on USB devices plugged into the controller. The default value is Disabled.
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USB Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to the USB ports. Normally, you do not
need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the best possible
configuration.
•USB Devices—This item lists the total number of devices detected in the system,
categorized by device type.
•Legacy USB Support—This setting specifies whether legacy USB support is enabled.
Legacy USB support refers to the ability to use a USB keyboard and mouse during
system boot or in a legacy operating system such as DOS. The default value is Enabled.
This option is disabled automatically when booting LabVIEW Real-Time to reduce
application jitter.
•Overcurrent Reporting—This setting allows the BIOS to notify the operating system of
any USB ports that source too much current. The default value for this setting is
Disabled.
•Transfer Timeout—This setting specifies the timeout value for Control, Bulk, and
Interrupt USB transfers. The default value for this setting is 20 seconds.
•Device Reset Timeout—This setting specifies the number of seconds the Power-On Self
Test waits for a USB mass storage device to start. The default is 20 seconds.
•Device Power-Up Delay—This setting specifies the maximum time a device takes before
it properly reports itself to the host controller. When set to Auto, a root port is granted
100 ms, and for a hub port, the delay value is taken from the hub descriptor. When set to
Manual, you can set the delay manually. The default value for this setting is Auto.
•Device Power-Up Delay in Seconds—This setting specifies the number of seconds the
Power-On Self Test waits for a USB device or hub to power on. This setting is visible
only if Device Power-Up Delay is set to Manual. The default is 5 seconds.
In addition, the following option is available for each detected device if a USB mass storage
device is present:
•Emulation Type—This setting specifies how the BIOS presents the USB mass storage
device to the system. You can use this option to present a USB mass storage device as a
floppy, Zip, hard disk, or CD-ROM drive. The default is Auto, which allows the BIOS to
treat small USB flash disk drives as floppy drives and larger USB flash disk drives as
hard disk drives.
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Serial Port Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to the serial port. Normally, you do not
need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and
optimal configuration possible.
•Serial Port Configuration—Use this setting to access the Serial Port Configuration
submenu. The submenu includes the following items:
–Base Address—This item displays the current base address for the onboard serial
port.
–Interrupt Request (IRQ)—This item displays the interrupt request (IRQ) for the
onboard serial port.
LabVIEW RT Setup Menu
Use this menu to configure boot options for LabVIEW RT if it is installed on the controller. If
you are not using LabVIEW RT, you should leave these settings at default.
Note The settings below override the behavior of the switches shown in the figure
in the LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches section. To use the settings from the
switches, select Use Switch Setting for each option.
•Boot Configuration—This setting selects whether the controller should boot
LabVIEW RT, LabVIEW RT Safe Mode, or an installed OS such as Windows 7. The
default is Use Switch Setting.
•Reset IP Address—If the controller is deployed to a different subnet from which it was
originally configured, or if the current IP address is invalid, use this switch to reset the IP
address and other TCP/IP settings to their factory defaults during LabVIEW RT startup.
The default is Use Switch Setting.
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 of 169.254.x.x.
•Disable Startup VI—If the controller becomes inaccessible because of a startup VI, this
switch can prevent VIs from automatically running at startup. The default is Use Switch
Setting.
•LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides—Use this setting to access the LabVIEW RT
Configuration Overrides submenu. Refer to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides
Submenu section for more information.
Current Hardware Switch Settings
This submenu displays the current values of the LabVIEW RT configuration switches,
indicating Boot Configuration, Reset IP Address, and Disable Startup VI switch status.
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LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu
To minimize jitter when booting into LabVIEW Real-Time mode, the following features are
automatically disabled. You can enable these features manually. Refer to the CPU
Configuration Submenu section for specific details on what each feature enables.
•CPU Hyper Threading—The default is Use RT Default.
•CPU C-States—The default is Use RT Default.
Boot Setup Menu
Use this menu to configure settings related to the boot process and boot device priority.
•Boot Settings Configuration—Use this setting to access the Boot Settings
Configuration submenu. Refer to the Boot Settings Configuration Submenu section for
more information.
•PXI Drive Boot—This setting specifies whether boot support is enabled for legacy mass
storage devices, such as SCSI drives. When enabled, legacy mass storage controllers with
boot support are displayed in the Boot Option Priorities menu. The default value is
Enabled.
•PXE Network Boot—This setting specifies whether the PXE network boot agent is
enabled. When enabled, the Intel Boot Agent is displayed in the Boot Option Priorities
menu, allowing you to boot from a PXE server on the local subnet. Note that the Intel
Boot Agent device names are preceded by IBA GE Slot in the Boot Option Priorities
menu. You must restart the system for this setting to take effect. The default value is
Disabled.
•Boot Option Priorities—These settings specify the order in which the BIOS checks for
bootable devices, including the local hard disk drive, removable devices such as USB
flash disk drives or USB CD-ROM drives, or the PXE network boot agent. The BIOS
first attempts to boot from the device associated with 1st Boot Device, followed by 2nd
Boot Device, and 3rd Boot Device. If multiple boot devices are not present, the BIOS
setup utility does not display all these configuration options. To select a boot device,
press <Enter> on the desired configuration option and select a boot device from the
resulting menu. You also can disable certain boot devices by selecting Disabled.
Note Only one device of a given type is shown in this list. If more than one device
of the same type exists, use the Device BBS Priorities submenus to re-order the
priority of devices of the same type.
The following submenus are displayed if one or more bootable devices of the corresponding
type is present:
•Hard Drive BBS Priorities—Use this setting to access the Hard Drive BBS Priorities
submenu to re-order or disable bootable hard drive devices. Refer to the Hard Drive BBS
Priorities Submenu section for more information.
•CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities—Use this setting to access the CD/DVD ROM
Drive BBS Priorities submenu to re-order or disable bootable CD/DVD ROM drive
PXIe-8821 User Manual | © National Instruments | 13

devices. Refer to the CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities Submenu section for more
information.
•Floppy Drive BBS Priorities—Use this setting to access the Floppy Drive BBS
Priorities submenu to re-order or disable bootable floppy drive devices. Refer to the
Floppy Drive BBS Priorities Submenu section for more information.
•Network Device BBS Priorities—Use this setting to access the Network Device BBS
Priorities submenu to re-order or disable bootable network devices. Refer to the Network
Device BBS Priorities Submenu section for more information.
Boot Settings Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to boot settings. Normally, you do not need
to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and
optimal configuration.
•Setup Prompt Timeout—This setting specifies the number of seconds the system waits
for a BIOS Setup menu keypress (the <Delete> key). The default value is 2.
•Bootup NumLock State—This setting specifies the power-on state of the keyboard
NumLock setting. The default value is On.
Hard Drive BBS Priorities Submenu
•Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, Boot Option #3—These settings specify the boot
priority of hard drive devices. The highest priority device is displayed on the main Boot
Option Priorities list. Optionally, each device can also be Disabled if the device should
never be used as a boot device.
CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities Submenu
•Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, Boot Option #3—These settings specify the boot
priority of CD/DVD ROM drive devices. The highest priority device is displayed on the
main Boot Option Priorities list. Optionally, each device can also be Disabled if the
device should never be used as a boot device.
Floppy Drive BBS Priorities Submenu
•Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, Boot Option #3—These settings specify the boot
priority of floppy drive devices. The highest priority device is displayed on the main Boot
Option Priorities list. Optionally, each device can also be Disabled if the device should
never be used as a boot device.
Network Device BBS Priorities Submenu
•Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, Boot Option #3—These settings specify the boot
priority of network devices. The highest priority device is displayed on the main Boot
Option Priorities list. Optionally, each device can also be Disabled if the device should
never be used as a boot device.
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Security Menu
Use this menu to enable BIOS security options.
•Administrator Password—This setting specifies a password that must be entered to
access the BIOS Setup Utility. If only the Administrator’s password is set, this setting
limits access to only the BIOS setup program and is asked for only when entering the
BIOS setup program. By default, no password is specified.
•User Password—This setting specifies a password that must be entered to access the
BIOS Setup Utility or boot the system. If only the user’s password is set, this is a power
on password and must be entered to boot or enter the BIOS setup program. In the BIOS
setup program, the user has Administrator rights. By default, no password is specified.
Save & Exit Menu
The Save & Exit setup menu includes all available options for exiting, saving, and loading the
BIOS default configuration. As an alternative to this screen, press <F9> to load optimal BIOS
default settings and <F10> to save changes and exit setup.
The Save & Exit setup menu includes the following settings:
•Save Changes and Reset—Any changes made to BIOS settings are stored in NVRAM.
The setup program then exits and reboots the controller. You also can use the <F10> key
to select this option.
•Discard Changes and Reset—Any changes made to BIOS settings during this session of
the BIOS setup program are discarded. The setup program then exits and reboots the
controller. You also can use the <Esc> key to select this option.
•Save Changes—Changes made to BIOS settings during this session are committed to
NVRAM. The setup program remains active, allowing further changes.
•Discard Changes—Any changes made to BIOS settings during this session of the BIOS
setup program are discarded. The BIOS setup continues to be active.
•Restore Factory Defaults—This option restores all BIOS settings to the factory default.
This option is useful if the controller exhibits unpredictable behavior due to an incorrect
or inappropriate BIOS setting. Notice that any nondefault settings such as boot order,
passwords, and so on also are restored to their factory defaults. You also can use the <F9>
key to select this option.
•Save As User Defaults—This option saves a copy of the current BIOS settings as the
User Defaults. This option is useful for preserving custom BIOS setup configurations.
•Restore User Defaults—This option restores all BIOS settings to the user defaults. This
option is useful for restoring previously preserved custom BIOS setup configurations.
•Boot Override—This option lists all possible bootable devices and allows the user to
override the Boot Option Priorities list for the current boot. If no changes have been
made to the BIOS setup options, the system continues booting to the selected device
without first rebooting. If BIOS setup options have been changed and saved, a reboot is
required and the boot override selection is not valid.
PXIe-8821 User Manual | © National Instruments | 15

BIOS Diagnostic Utilities
You can test the hard drive and memory of your controller with the included BIOS diagnostic
utilities.
Accessing BIOS Diagnostic Utilities
1. Power on or reboot your controller.
2. When the message <F2> to run diagnostics appears, press the <F2> key. The first
diagnostic utility loads after a short delay.
Hard Drive Diagnostic Utility
The hard drive diagnostic utility tests the hard drive first upon entry into the BIOS Diagnostic
Utilities. The utility initially performs a quick test, and a more comprehensive test afterwards.
You may abort and skip any test by pressing the <Esc> key at any time during that test. After
both tests have finished or been skipped, you see the testing results. If both tests have
succeeded or been skipped, the utility displays Press any key to continue. To
continue with testing, press any key on the keyboard.
Note If either hard drive test fails, the controller cannot boot, and the utility
instructs you to turn off the controller and replace the hard drive.
Memory Diagnostic Utility
The memory diagnostic utility starts immediately after you press a key to exit the hard drive
diagnostic utility. You may abort and skip the memory test by pressing the <Esc> key at any
time during this test. After the memory utility has finished or been skipped, you see the testing
result. If the memory test was successful or skipped, the utility displays Press any key to
continue. To continue to boot the controller, press any key on the keyboard.
Note If the memory test fails, the controller cannot boot, and the utility instructs
you to turn off the controller and replace the memory.
System CMOS
The PXIe-8821 contains memory backed up by a battery to store BIOS configuration
information.
Complete the following steps to clear the CMOS contents:
1. Power off the chassis.
2. Remove the controller from the chassis.
3. Press the push-button switch, as shown in the following figure.
4. Wait 10 seconds.
5. Reinstall the controller in the chassis.
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Figure 2. Clearing the CMOS Contents
1
1. Push-Button Switch SW1
Boot Options
The PXIe-8821 can boot from the following devices:
• The internal Serial ATA hard drive
• An external SCSI hard drive or SCSI CD/DVD-ROM if an 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 some limitations when booting from a USB device. You can install
Windows 7 and later from a USB CD/DVD-ROM, but not earlier versions of
Windows. The PXIe-8821 BIOS configures the USB devices so that they work in a
DOS environment.
PXIe-8821 User Manual | © National Instruments | 17

There are two ways to configure the controller to boot from these devices:
• Enter the BIOS setup by rebooting the controller and pressing <Delete> during the
memory tests. Select the Boot menu. You will see a list of all bootable devices, ordered
by device type. You can set the boot order by altering the 1st Boot Device, 2nd Boot
Device, and 3rd Boot Device settings.
• To boot from a different device without permanently changing the boot order, press
<F10> during POST. 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.
Hard Drive Recovery
PXIe-8821 controllers preinstalled with Windows include two methods of restoring the
original factory condition of your hard drive. Hard drive-based recovery stores a factory
backup on a separate portion of your hard drive, allowing you to restore your controller
without additional media. The PXIe-8821 controller also ships with an OS Recovery DVD that
allows you to reinstall your operating system onto your hard drive through an external USB
CD/DVD-ROM. For more information about these tools, refer to KnowledgeBase
2ZKC02OK, Hard Drive Recovery and OS Installation for PXI and VXI Controllers, at
ni.com/support.
Note The hard drive recovery hot key is <F4>. To access the hard drive-based
recovery tool, press and hold <F4> when video first appears during the boot process.
If you need to recover your factory-installed operating system from a DVD, you can use the
included OS re-installation DVD with an external USB CD/DVD-ROM drive. Boot the PXI
Express controller using the OS re-installation DVD to recover the OS. You also may need to
reinstall other software after using the DVD to recover the OS.
Note Recovering the OS erases the contents of your hard disk. Back up any files
you want to keep.
Upgrade Information
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the PXIe-8821 by upgrading the SO-DIMM.
National Instruments offers the following SO-DIMMs for use with the PXIe-8821 controller.
• 1600 MHz DDR3L PC3-12800 2 GB, 256 MB x 64, 1.18 in. max (NI part number
785347-01)
• 1866 MHz DDR3L PC3-14900 4 GB, 512 MB × 64, 1.18 in. max (NI part number
785346-01)
• 1866 MHz DDR3L PC3-14900 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 PXIe-8821 controller. We recommend you purchase your DDR3L
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SO-DIMM modules from National Instruments. Other off-the-shelf DDR3L SO-
DIMM modules are not guaranteed to work properly.
Figure 3. Installing a DDR3L SO-DIMM in a PXIe-8821 Controller
2
1
1. DDR3L SO-DIMM Socket
2. DDR3L SO-DIMM Module
Installing an OS
PXIe-8821 controllers may include a preinstalled OS. In some cases, you may want to install a
different OS. When doing so, consider the following guidelines.
Installing from a USB CD/DVD-ROM
The PXIe-8821 supports the installation of Windows 7 from a USB CD/DVD-ROM. As an
alternative to a USB CD/DVD-ROM drive, you can use an external SCSI CD/DVD-ROM
with a PXI-SCSI adapter.
Note For additional assistance with installing or changing an operating system,
refer to KnowledgeBase 2ZKC02OK, Hard Drive Recovery and OS Installation for
PXI and VXI Controllers, at ni.com/support.
PXIe-8821 Specifications
Note Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Caution Using the PXIe-8821 controller in a manner not described in this user
manual can impair the protection the controller provides.
PXIe-8821 User Manual | © National Instruments | 19

Features
PXIe-8821
CPU Intel® Core™ i3 4110E (2.6 GHz dual-
core processor)
On-die last level cache 3 MB
Single-Channel 1600 MHz DDR3L RAM, PC3
12800
2 GB standard, 8 GB maximum
Hard Drive 320 GB Serial ATA, minimum*
Ethernet One 10/100/1000 BaseT port
PXI Express 4 Link Configuration x1, x1, x1, x1
PXI Express 2 Link Configuration x1, x1
GPIB (IEEE 488 Controller) No
Serial Port (RS-232) Yes (1)
Parallel Port No
Hi-Speed USB (2.0) Ports Yes (2)
SuperSpeed USB (3.0) Ports Yes (2)
ExpressCard/34 Slot No
PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Connector No
PXI Trigger Bus Input/Output Yes
Installed Operating System Windows 7 Professional for Embedded
Systems
* Extended-temperature 24/7 option provides 80 GB minimum SATA solid-state drive.
Front Panel Dimensions
The following figure shows the front panel layout and dimensions of the PXIe-8821.
Dimensions are in inches (millimeters).
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