ADLINK PXIe-3985 Controller - NI PXIe-1062Q Chassis Compatibility

[emanuele83]

Hello forum members!

we recently purchased  a PXIe-3985 ADLINK PXIe Embedded controller to be installed in a NI PXIe-1062Q PXIe chassis. In our system is also present a NI PXIe-6672 Timing Module, installed in the chassis timing slot (4). Windows 7 installation, NI MAX toolsuite and NI PXIe-6672 Timing Module driver installation worked fine, but we discovered that the CPU is not able to recognize the TIMING SLOT. We cannot generate any PXI STAR signal with our NI PXIe-6672 Timing Module because it appears that the TIMING SLOT is recognized as normal peripheral slot. The PXI trigger lines and clocks are working well and usable, but not the PXI STAR signals.

I also tried to install the PXIe Chassis in the NIMAX toolsuite as explained in the PXIPLATFORM _50-17049-100_200.pdf document from ADLINK.

basically in the NIMAX device and interface tab I right click and try to add the pxie chassis.

First it is not understandable how can I find the bus identifier root of the chassis. There is a PXI bus tree, but no evidence of the PXI bus related to the chassis.

Furthermore even if I select one PXI bus, the NI PXIe-1062Q PXIe chassis is not listed and trying to load the corresponding .ini file from C://programs/nationl instruments/PXI/PXIe Chassis/ returns the error “Could not import Chassis information. Error Code 0xFFFB380E”

is the ini file working at all for my PXIe chassis? is there another procedure that I must follow to have my  timing controller working or the chassis installed?

We definitely need this capability to test our equipment and I would like to know if there are known incompatibility issues between these three devices:

• PXIe-3985 ADLINK PXIe Embedded controller
• NI PXIe-1062Q PXIe chassis
• NI PXIe-6672 Timing Module

And in case if there is an update or workaround which solves the issue.

The system has Win7 32bit installed.

Many thanks to every answering user 😉

[Andi.G]

Hi emanuele83,

which version of PXI Platform Service do you use?

Can you please upgrade to a current version?

Here is a download link:

PXI Platform Services 14.1 - National Instruments
http://www.ni.com/download/pxi-platform-services-14.1/5230/en/

This may solve the issue.

Best regards,

Andi

[emanuele83]

I updated everything using the NI update tool, so my system is up to date.

The point is: must I install the NI chassis manually, or should it be recognized automatically by the NIMAX toolsuite? IN case I have to do it manually I would like to have a step by step procedure ( as I said the ini file returns an error and there is no chance to understand to which branch of the PXI bus belong the controller)

Thanks in advance

Emanuele 

[emanuele83]

We are still struggling with the same problem. There is no possibility to have support from NI? It is not possible to install the chassis at all using NI max toolsuite and no procedure to install a chassis with a non-Ni controller can be found. Following the nimax help topics does not let the procedure to be accompished and NI max cannot detect the NI chassis. 

adding a new chassis does not let the ini file for PXIe-1062Q chassis to be loaded. please refer to the figure attached. How can we know which PXI bus must be selected when installing a new chassis?

Please give us some support.

The system is completely updated (ni sw and adlink drivers) 

[Robert__R]

Disclaimer: I can tell you a little about how it's supposed to work, but I don't know how to fix it.

In non-express PXI you had to identify your chassis manually.  So you would select which chassis you had and configure it.

In PXI Express it's done through an SMBus controller on the system controller (in this case your ADLINK controller).  It will read an EEPROM on the backplane that describes the chassis configuration.  The driver for the SMBus controller then passes the information through a spec-defined interface to the NI software.

There's not an option for configuring it manually.  Since you have NI MAX and system services installed, I suspect the problem is with the SMBus driver on the controller.  There could be other problems (database corruption or bad installation or broken hardware).  I'd try deleting the config data in MAX because it's easy (there's a button for it somewhere), then look for ADLINK's version of the SMBus driver or PXI platform software.

- Robert

[emanuele83]

Many thanks for your reply. In the past months we had the same problem but somehow after days of tests it was working (win7 32). now we updated to win10x64 and there is no way to have it working. I take a look to the SM bus (drivers installed properly from adlink) I will either post the solution or ask for additional help.  I do thank you again.

[emanuele83]

I made some tests and the SMBUS drivers are correctly installed from ADLINK side. So the CPU can reach basically the SMBUS. The toolsuite from keysight is able to show cpu and chassis with no problem (see attached image) that means that the SM bus is working. The NI Max toolsuite is not able to communicate with the SM bus, I believe. It is very frustrating that there is no documentation, no troubleshooting procedure, nothing on the ADlink or NI website. 

I found this topic http://forums.ni.com/t5/PXI/why-is-my-PXIe-1073-quot-Unidentified-quot-in-NI-MAX/td-p/1695988/page/4 with people with similare problems but they are all related to laptops and not to PXIe controllers.

If somebody can give me a hint, I would appreciate it.

[emanuele83]

Just to keep it updated:

ADLINK provided new PXI platform services drivers

http://www.adlinktech.com/PD/software/driver/737/ADLINK-PXI-Platform-Services-2.32.2.0719-setup.zip

which are working with win10x64 and NI-max v15.1

GPIB driver has also be updated to V4 but not yet working with our system

[emanuele83]

Last Update:

also the GPIB driver issue has been solved (new driver shall be installed manually) and the NI PXIe-1062Q + ADLINK PXIe-3985 controller are now working properly together. Hope this thread can help somebody else fighting against compatibility issues in a PXIe multi-manufacturer system.

Best

E.