Does LabVIEW Real-time (RT) Support Advanced Format (512 emulation) drives?

[Split_Brain]

Hi,

We have several PXI systems (fitted with either PXI 8196 or 8108 controllers) all loaded with the Phar Lap ETS OS running LabVIEW RT 2009 and 2010.  Previously, we have only used 512 bytes per sector USB drives connected to the PXI controllers.  We are now finding it difficult to source these drives.  As a result, we have had to purchase an Advanced Format (AF) drive.  After formatting the AF drive with a FAT32 file system. The PXI controllers are unable to recognise the AF drive.  Consequently, does LabVIEW RT support 4K bytes per sector Advanced Format USB drives?  If not is there a work around?

N.B. We are trying to connect a 160GB USB Western Digital “Scorpio Blue” AF drive.

With regards,

Split Brain

[iangbell]

LabVIEW RT on PXI can work with Advanced Format drives provided you format them as FAT32 - you will need a utility for this as Windows won't larger drives as FAT32. I have used a number of different Advanced Format drives - up to a 2TB Western Digital Essentials USB drive.

The real issue may be with the USB caddy/interface you may be using. In my experience - if the BIOS cannot see the drive (ie it is not listed during the boot process if you have a monitor attached) then LabVIEW RT won't see it either. It appears that some of the USB to IDE and USB to SATA interfaces found in low cost USB caddies behave like this.

[Texas_Diaz]

You also need to verify if the emulation is compatible - RT doesn't natively support Advanced Format drives with higher densities (it's not currently "AF Aware"), but the emulation onboard to make the AF drive appear as a "Legacy" drive has generally covered that quite handily.  I agree with iangbell, if the BIOS can see the drive and if DOS can see the drive, then RT should be able to see the drive too.

-Danny