NI PXIe-8880 User manual

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GETTING STARTED GUIDE
NI PXIe-8880
This document includes instructions for installing and configuring your NI PXIe-8880
embedded controller.
Contents
Getting Started.......................................................................................................................... 2
Unpacking......................................................................................................................... 2
Electrical........................................................................................................................... 2
Preparing the Environment............................................................................................... 2
Shock and Vibration..........................................................................................................3
Installing an OS.................................................................................................................3
Installing the NI PXIe-8880 into a PXI Express Chassis..................................................3
LabVIEW RT.................................................................................................................... 5
Drivers and Software........................................................................................................ 8
Data Storage......................................................................................................................8
NI PXIe-8880 Front Panel................................................................................................ 9
PXI Express Chassis Configuration................................................................................ 11
Removing the NI PXIe-8880 from a PXI Express Chassis............................................ 12
Cleaning.......................................................................................................................... 12
Common Configuration Questions......................................................................................... 12
General Questions........................................................................................................... 12
Boot Options................................................................................................................... 13
Cables and Connections.................................................................................................. 14
Software Driver Installation............................................................................................14
Upgrade Information.......................................................................................................15
PXI Express Configuration............................................................................................. 17
Troubleshooting...................................................................................................................... 17
What if the Controller Does Not Boot?.......................................................................... 17
What If I Can’t See The Video?......................................................................................18
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?........................................................... 18
My chassis or controller does not appear in MAX. How do I use MAX to identify
and configure my PXI system?.................................................................................18
My CMOS is corrupted. How do I set it back to default?.............................................. 18
Worldwide Support and Services............................................................................................ 19
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Getting Started
Unpacking
The NI PXIe-8880 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
Voltage (V) Current (Amps) Typical Current (Amps) Maximum
+3.3 V 2.24 A 2.96 A
+5 V 2.44 A 3.11 A
+12 V 6.5 A 8.7 A
5 VAUX 0.19 A 0.23 A
Preparing the Environment
Ensure the environment you are using the NI PXIe-8880 in meets the following specifications.
Ambient temperature range
....................................................................Standard 0 to 50 °C 1,2 (Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-1 and IEC-60068-2-2. Meets
MIL-PRF-28800F Class 3 temperature limits,
except as noted.)
1Processor should not throttle CPU frequency under reasonable, worst case processor work loads at
high operating temperatures. If you experience CPU frequency variation, turn your chassis fans on
High, using the fan speed selector switch on the rear of the chassis.
20 to 45 °C when used with the NI PXIe-1071, NI PXIe-1078 (with kit part number 158034A-01),
or NI PXIe-1086 chassis.
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............................................................................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) with chassis fans on high.
............................................................................Pollution Degree 2
Indoor use only.
Note Refer to the NI PXIe-8880 User Manual and Specifications for full
NI PXIe-8880 specifications.
Shock and Vibration
............................................................................Operating Shock 30 g peak, half-sine, 11 ms pulse in the Y and
Z axes. 20 g peak, half-sine, 11 ms pulse in the
X axis. (Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-27. Meets MIL-PRF-28800F
Class 2 limits in Y and Z axes.)
Random Vibration
....................................................................Operating 5 to 500 Hz, 0.3 grms
....................................................................Nonoperating 5 to 500 Hz, 2.4 grms (Tested in accordance
with IEC-60068-2-64. Nonoperating test
profile exceeds the requirements of MIL-
PRF-28800F, Class 3.)
Installing an OS
NI PXIe-8880 controllers 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 NI PXIe-8880 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-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, VXI, cRIO-908x, and cDAQ-913x Controllers, at ni.com/support.
Installing the NI PXIe-8880 into a PXI Express Chassis
To install the NI PXIe-8880 into a PXI Express chassis, complete the following steps.
1. Plug in your chassis before installing the NI PXIe-8880. The power cord grounds the
chassis and protects it from electrical damage while you install the module.
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Caution To protect both yourself and the chassis from electrical hazards,
leave the chassis powered off until you finish installing the NI PXIe-8880
module.
2. Remove any filler 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 Screw Caps
1
1. Protective Screw Cap (4X)
5. Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position. Align the
NI PXIe-8880 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-8880. 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.
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7. Raise the injector/ejector handle until the module firmly seats into the backplane
receptacle connectors. The front panel of the NI PXIe-8880 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-8880 to the chassis.
9. Check the installation.
10. Connect the keyboard and mouse to the USB 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 offers 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. Refer to the
NI PXIe-8880 Front Panel Connectors figure for front panel connector locations.
13. Power on the chassis.
14. Verify that the controller boots. If it does not boot, refer to the Troubleshooting section.
Figure 2. NI PXIe-8880 Installed in a PXI Express Chassis
1
2
3
X
Y
Z
1. PXI Express Chassis
2. PXI Express Controller
3. Injector/Ejector Rail
LabVIEW RT
This section explains software installation and switch configuration for LabVIEW RT on your
PXI Express controller.
LabVIEW RT Software Installation
The following section describes the necessary steps to get your PXI Express embedded
controller setup to run LabVIEW Real-Time. In this section you will configure the boot mode
of the controller, verify or change IP settings, and install LabVIEW Real-Time software.
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Complete the following steps to install the LabVIEW RT software.
1. Boot the NI PXI Express embedded controller into the real-time operating system. Refer
to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches section to configure the controller for booting
into LabVIEW RT.
The PXI Express controller will automatically boot into LabVIEW RT Safe Mode when
no software is installed. LabVIEW RT Safe Mode loads with the basic real-time operating
system and will automatically attempt to connect to the network using DHCP. If DHCP is
not available, it will then connect to the network with a link-local IP address.
Tip You can connect a monitor to the controller to display startup messages
such as the IP address and MAC 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 model name of the controller followed by the MAC address (for example, NI-
PXIe-8880 00802f108562).
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. The label also can be
removed and placed on the front of the controller for easier access.
3. Click on 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 Configuration»Configuring Network Settings from the Contents tab of
MAX Help.
Note When any IP or identification settings are changed, you will be
prompted to reboot the controller for the changes to take effect. Click Yes to
automatically reboot the RT target. You may also reboot the controller by right-
clicking on the target name under Remote Systems and selecting Reboot.
After rebooting the PXI Express controller it will appear in the Remote Systems category
with the assigned name.
6. Expand the PXI Express controller view in the Remote Systems branch and select
Software.
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7. Click the Add/Remove Software button in the toolbar to launch the LabVIEW Real-
Time Software Wizard.
8. Install the LabVIEW Real-Time software 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 software.
After installation of the software the controller will automatically reboot and you will now be
able to program it using LabVIEW Real-Time.
Note Refer to Getting Started with the LabVIEW Real-Time Module available 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 after a system reset.
The NI PXIe-8880 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 software 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. After changing the settings or
software, 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.
• 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
different subnet or if the current TCP/IP settings are valid.
Note By default, the target will automatically attempt to connect to the network
using DHCP. If the target is unable to 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.
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Figure 3. LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches
32 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
Drivers and Software
If you purchased a system preinstalled with Windows, your hard drive includes a directory
called images in its root that contains software and soft 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-8880 has the following data storage features:
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• Internal Serial ATA solid-state drive
– 240 GB or larger 1.8 in. solid-state drive
– Supports Native Command Queuing
– Supports transfer rates up to 500 MB/s
• USB storage support
– USB CD/DVD-ROM, mass storage device, or floppy drive
NI PXIe-8880 Front Panel
The following figure shows the front panel layout of the NI PXIe-8880.
Figure 4. NI PXIe-8880 Front Panel Connectors
2
3
5
6
1
4
8
7
1. Reset Button
2. Trigger
3. Display Port
4. USB 2.0
5. GPIB Connector
6. LED Indicators
7. Ethernet Connectors
8. USB 3.0
Front Panel Connectors
The following table lists various peripherals and their corresponding NI PXIe-8880 external
connectors, bus interfaces, and functions.
Peripheral External Connector Description
Video DisplayPort ATI Radeon E6460 Embedded GPU
Ethernet Port 1 LAN (RJ45, dual stacked) 10/100/1000 Ethernet
Intel I217
WOL capable
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Peripheral External Connector Description
Ethernet Port 2 LAN (RJ45, dual stacked) 10/100/1000 Ethernet
Intel I210
Not WOL capable
USB 2.0 USB 4-pin Series A stacked
receptacle (4 ports)
USB 2.0 capable
USB 3.0 USB 9-pin Series A stacked
receptacle (2 ports)
USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 capable
PXI Express trigger Trigger (SMB) Routing PXI Express triggers to or
from the backplane trigger bus
GPIB device GPIB (25-pin Micro D) General-Purpose Interface Bus, IEEE
488.2
PXI Express Trigger Connectivity
The SMB connector on the NI PXIe-8880 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 software is not yet
available for Windows. Contact National Instruments for more information.
Front Panel Features
The NI PXIe-8880 has the following front-panel features:
• A system reset pushbutton (press the button to reset the controller)
• Two front panel LEDs that show PC status:
–PWR OK/FAULT—Indicates the status of the controller. The LED indicates one of
the following states:
• Green ON steady—PXI Express 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 only applicable when chassis is set to Manual.
• Green FADING—The controller has entered the stand by (S3) state.
• OFF—The controller is powered off.
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• 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.
–DRIVE—Indicates when an access to the internal hard disk is occurring.
•USER—Two bi-color green/yellow LEDs (USER1 and USER2) that you can define to
meet the needs of your LabVIEW application.
PXI Express Chassis Configuration
The PXI Express Platform Services software installed on your controller and available on the
National Instruments Driver DVD or PXI Platform Services CD included with your kit
automatically identifies your PXI Express system components to generate a pxiesys.ini
and pxisys.ini file. You can configure your entire PXI Express system through
Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX), included with your controller. MAX creates the
pxiesys.ini and pxisys.ini file, which define your PXI Express system parameters.
MAX also provides an interface to route and reserve triggers so dynamic routing, through
drivers such as DAQmx, avoids double-driving and potentially damaging trigger lines. For
more information about routing and reserving PXI Express triggers, refer to KnowledgeBase
3TJDOND8, Using PXI Timing and Triggering Functionality, at ni.com/support.
The configuration steps for single or multiple-chassis systems are the same.
PXI Express System Configuration
1. Launch Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX).
2. In the Configuration tree, expand Devices and Interfaces.
3. In the Devices and Interfaces tree, expand PXI System. Your PXI Express chassis is
already identified and appears in the PXI System tree.
4. For each unidentified PXI Express chassis in the PXI System tree, right-click on the
chassis and select the appropriate chassis model through the Identify As submenu.
Further expanding the PXI System branch shows all devices in the system that NI-VISA
can recognize.
The PXI Express specification allows for many combinations of PXI Express chassis and
system modules. To assist system integrators, PXI Express chassis and system module
manufacturers must document their products’ capabilities. PXI Express devices must provide a
driver and/or .ini file for identification. For NI PXI Express chassis and controllers, these
files are provided as part of the NI PXI Platform Services software included with your
controller. System integrators, configuration utilities, and device drivers can use these .ini
files.
The NI PXI Platform Services software uses the system module driver, chassis driver, and
chassis.ini files to generate the PXI/PXI Express system description files (pxisys.ini
and pxiesys.ini). Device drivers and other utility software read the pxiesys.ini and
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pxisys.ini files to obtain system information. For detailed information about initialization
files, refer to the PXI Express specification at www.pxisa.org.
Removing the NI PXIe-8880 from a PXI Express
Chassis
To remove the NI PXIe-8880 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 4 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-8880 controller. If needed, use a
soft, 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-8880 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.
After shutting down my NI PXIe-8880 controller, the Port 1
Ethernet LEDs continue to blink. Is it safe to remove my
controller or disconnect power?
The NI PXIe-8880 port 1 Intel I217 Ethernet device remains powered even after shutdown. It
is safe to remove your controller or disconnect power.
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-8880.
2. Press <Delete> during the memory tests.
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Refer to the Accessing BIOS Setup Utility section of the NI PXIe-8880 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-8880 User Manual for more
information.
Boot Options
What devices can I boot from?
The NI PXIe-8880 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 versions of
Windows. The NI PXIe-8880 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.
1. Permanently Change the Boot Order
a) Enter the BIOS setup by rebooting the controller and pressing <Delete> during the
memory tests.
b) Select the Boot menu. You will see a list of all bootable devices, ordered by device
type.
c) Set the boot order by altering Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, and Boot Option
#3 settings.
2. Temporarily Change the Boot Order
a) Press <F10> during POST to display the Boot menu.
b) Select the device type you want to boot from.
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Cables and Connections
How do I plug both a PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard into the
controller?
The NI PXIe-8880 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 778713-01 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.
Software Driver Installation
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 driver in the
Device Manager. If you need more assistance, refer to ni.com/support/install.
How do I install software from a CD?
The compact size of the NI PXIe-8880 does not allow for an integrated USB CD/DVD-ROM
drive. If you are using Windows 7, you have the following options:
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USB CD/DVD-ROM Windows 7 supports installing from a USB CD/DVD-ROM.
SCSI CD-ROM Windows 7 supports installing from a SCSI CD-ROM.
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-8880.
A USB CD/DVD-ROM drive is available from National Instruments, part number 778492-01.
Upgrade Information
How do I upgrade system memory?
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXIe-8880 by upgrading the DDR4
SO-DIMMs. Complete the following steps to upgrade the RAM.
1. Remove the NI PXIe-8880 from the PXI Express chassis.
2. Locate the DDR4 SO-DIMM modules on the side of the controller, as shown in the
following figure.
3. Remove the installed DDR4 SO-DIMM module, if necessary.
4. Install the new DDR4 SO-DIMM module(s) into the slot(s).
NI PXIe-8880 System Memory Information
• To optimize memory capacity and system performance, use the same size and speed
memory modules. The use of different size modules in each slot is supported, but system
performance will be slower than using three matched modules. However, three
mismatched modules will result in better performance than using a single module.
• National Instruments offers the following types of SO-DIMMs for use with the
NI PXIe-8880 controller.
Note National Instruments has tested and verified that the DDR4 SO-DIMMs
we sell work with the NI PXIe-8880 controller. We recommend you purchase
your DDR4 SO-DIMM modules from National Instruments. Other off-the-shelf
DDR4 SO-DIMM modules are not guaranteed to work properly.
– PC4-1866 (DDR4 2133) 8 GB, 1 GB × 72, CL 15, 1.18 in. max (NI part number
783813-01)
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Figure 6. Installing a DDR4 SO-DIMM in an NI PXIe-8880 Controller
2
1
1. DDR4 SO-DIMM Module in Lower Socket
2. DDR4 SO-DIMM Sockets
How do I flash a new BIOS?
You can download the new BIOS from ftp.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 software drivers?
The latest National Instruments software 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.
My NI PXIe-8880 does not have an internal floppy drive. Is there
a way to use an external drive?
Yes. The NI PXIe-8880 controller supports and can boot from USB floppy drives. Refer to the
Boot Options section for more information. A USB floppy drive is available from National
Instruments, part number 778492-02.
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PXI Express Configuration
How do I use the SMB trigger on the front panel?
Refer to the PXI Express 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-8880 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. Does your
monitor work with a different PC? If it hangs, note the last screen output that you saw for
reference when consulting National Instruments 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.
• Clear the CMOS.
• Recover the hard drive on the controller.
• Make sure the RAM is properly seated.
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What If I Can’t See The Video?
This problem usually results from having the video card output set past the limits of the
monitor. You will need to boot Windows in Safe Mode. To do this, reboot the controller. As
Windows begins to boot, hold down <F8>. You should now be able to reset the video driver to
lower settings. Try setting the resolution to 800 × 600 and the refresh rate to 60 Hz. Once you
reboot, you can raise these values again, using the test option in Windows. These settings are
accessible by clicking Adjust screen resolution in the Appearance and Personalization
category of the Control Panel. Alternately, you can try a different monitor, preferably a newer
and larger one.
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.
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.
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 as described in the Accessing BIOS Setup Utility
section of the NI PXIe-8880 User Manual for more information.
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 (SW1) as shown in the figure.
Note Time and date cannot be reset by this switch.
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d) Reinstall the controller in the chassis.
Figure 7. Clearing the CMOS Contents
1
1. Push-Button Switch SW1
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support, you have access to everything from troubleshooting and application development
self-help resources to email and phone assistance from NI Application Engineers.
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