Port Initialization Problems on NI-FBUS PCI Cards

[skip77]

I'm upgrading a number of PCs in our environment and I am running into a problem moving some NI-FBUS cards into the new systems.  Specifically, when launching the Communications Manager software on some of the cards unless I have something connected to each port the ports will not initizalize.  While the software is launching and trying to initialize Port 0 it will hang there unless I connected a device.  If I connect a device it will then say "Successful" and move to Port 1 and have the same problem.  I can move the connected device to Port 1 during this initialization and it is also "Successful".  This was not an issue with these same cards and same software version on the older model PCs.  The old systems were running 32 bit Windows 7 while the new ones are running 64 bit.  I am not having the problem with all of the cards.  Some cards work just fine without anything connected to the ports.  And the problem moves with the card if I am testing it's functionality in multiple systems.

Is there a way to get the cards to initialize regardless of whether or not something is connected to the Port(s)?

[ThreeLions]

Hello,

Two questions to confirming.

1. You mentioned "Some cards work just fine without anything connected to the ports". Do you mean some cards work fine  whether on older system or on new system?

2. What's the meaning of "testing it's functionality"?

BTW, I believe the problem unrelated to the version of Windows. And if your NI-FBUS driver is not the latest, I suggest you upgrade it to NI-FBUS 16.0 which is the latest version. Please download it here.

Thanks!

[skip77]

1.  All of the cards worked on the old systems.  Some of them work on the new ones.  Some don't.

2.  If I have a card that works in a new system, I can move it to a different new system and it still works. If I am moving a card that is not working in a new system, it will not work in any new system.  I was trying to verify if the problem was with the card or the PC.

I will try the new driver but I do not believe that will resolve it. I will update when I have an answer.

[ThreeLions]

Hello,

You can follow the below steps to try to reload your NI-FBUS PCI cards.

1. Open the Interface Configuration Utility.
2. Delete 'board0' if it exists.
3. Turn the computer off.
4. Install the NI-FBUS PCI card.
5. Turn the computer on.

BTW, you can try to insert the NI-FBUS PCI card into other PCI slot in the PC if possible.

Thanks!

[Swanberg]

Did anyone find a solution for this problem?

[skip77]

None of the suggested solutions work and I have not found a work around.  I had a lot of these cards deployed and found that I had two different versions of the card.

This card does NOT work:

This card works:

As you can see there are obvious chip variations on the card.

[Swanberg]

Interesting. Good pictures. I did check mine and it is as you say one type of chip variation do work and the other do not.

[ThreeLions]

Hi，

I very much regret to state that the card in the first photo cannot support 64bit OS. It uses the YOKOGAWA MAU (medium attachment unit) IC and was already obsoleted in 2006. It is too old to support 64bit OS. The other kind of card uses FIELDRIVE MAU IC which can support 64bit OS.

So I think you have to use 32bit OS for your application in this case.

Thanks!

[Swanberg]

Is it possible detect which card type that is installed in a computer in Win7 or do I have open each computer and physically check the card?

[skip77]

Unfortunately, I do not have an option of running a 32 bit OS as the PCs in which we are using these will only support a 64 bit OS.