8170 RT Controller

[Nanxiong_Zhang]

Hi, all,

Can I install two OS, RT OS and Windows, in the 8170 RT controller and switch between them? What I mean is whether I can consider the 8170 RT as both RT controller and normal controller. Thanks.

[Bob_Preis]

You can install the real-time OS and Windows on the same controller, but it is not supported by National Instruments, and it is not a trivial process.

National Instruments currently supports two real-time PXI configurations:

1) Run Windows on the PXI and boot into the real-time OS with a boot floppy.

2) Format the PXI hard disk and install the real-time OS only, using the "Format Hard Drive Disk" utility.

[Chad_H]

As far as the hardware is concerned, the PXI-8170 and the PXI-8170 RT controllers are the same controller, except that the PXI-8170 RT Controller comes with the PXI-8211 Ethernet module. The PXI-8170 RT controller comes with the Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) preinstalled. In order to have a PXI-8170 that can be boot into either Windows or the RTOS, you must first install Windows on the hard drive (or purchase the controller with Windows initially installed). You can then create a boot disk using the Remote System Explorer (which ships with LabVIEW RT). When you boot the controller with this boot disk, it allows you to connect to the controller over the network from a PC with LabVIEW RT installed (a Host PC). From the Host PC, you can install the RTOS and RT E
ngine on the controller over the network from the Remote System Explorer. When you want to use the controller in Window, you boot it without the RT boot floppy. When you want to use the controller in the RTOS, you boot the controller with the RT boot floppy.

There is one license for installing the RTOS on a controller that comes with LabVIEW RT. If you install the RTOS on more than one controller, you must purchase a license for the additional controllers (they are sold in groups of 5).

Chad Humberstone
Applications Engineering
National Instruments
http://www.ni.com/ask

[Nanxiong_Zhang]

Does that say there is no difference between the PXI-8170 and PXI-8170 RT in the pointview of hardware? However, as far I can see, the PXI-8170 RT can't be used in 1020 and 1025 chasis while PXI-8170 can. Am I right?

Thanks.