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PCI-6115 Hardware failure

Last month I installed a PCI-6115 card on my Windows Vista machine.  Immediately after installation, I was able to run its test panels in MAX and everything seemed fine.  I hadn't looked at it again until today.  Now it is no longer working.  The symptoms follow:
 
- In MAX, when I try to "self-test" I get either an error "50152" or error "50151".  Error 50152 gives the following possible reason:
"A hardware failure has occurred.  The operation could not be completed as specified."
- Error 50151 is a firmware error.  I don't have the exact text handy.
 
- The error is also presented when I try to run the test panels, or when I press "Reset Device."
 
- The type of error seems to toggle between the two whenever I reboot the computer.
 
 
Here is what I am running:  Windows Vista, LabView 8.5, DAQmx 8.6.0f5.
 
Here is what I have tried:
 
- Rebooting the computer.
- Searching for latest software updates.
- Removing and replacing the PCI-6115 card into a different PCI slot.
 
Thanks for your help,
Matthew
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Hello,

It sounds like you have done some active and helpful troubleshooting.  Based on the information that you provided, I would suggest that you contact National Instruments technical support to potentially get a RMA (return merchandise authorization) for the device.  Please see the attached link for creating a service request.  Please lead the Application Engineer you speak with to this post if needed.

Request Support

The only other troubleshooting step I would recommend is to make sure that when the DAQmx driver was installed that the device was not plugged in to the computer.  You mentioned that it device was installed some time ago … so it might prove worthy to uninstall the DAQmx driver and re-install the latest version 8.6.1 from www.ni.com at Drivers and Updates.  I only suggested to uninstall and reinstall because a RMA will more than likely take some time process and this troubleshooting step might avoid this process and eliminate any doubt to what was done some time ago. 

 

Samantha
National Instruments
Applications Engineer
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Thanks for the info.  I've put in a service request at the link you provided.  In the meantime, I've tried some more trouble-shooting.

Interestingly, when I tried the card again this morning, the previous errors did not arise.  I was able to read analog input signals without error.  Analog output, however, did not work.  I was given an error (which I regrettably did not copy) claiming that I could not write to the device and suggesting that the problem may be due to a bottleneck in the bus and suggesting that I quit all other applications and try again.  This seemed fishy, as I was only trying to write a 1Hz sine wave (updating at 1000 Hz) and the only other application I was running was a web browser.

I believe the device driver was installed before the device.  I tried removing the card and installing DAQmx 8.6.1, as you suggested.  When I re-inserted the card, the previous errors (50151 and 50152) came back, and I am no longer able to read analog input or reproduce the earlier analog output error.

I did have the presence of mind to copy the 50151 error message:



The firmware - which is software resident on a device - has entered an unknown state usually as a
result of a cascade failure induced by an unexpected series of state inputs. The operation could
not be completed as specified, and you should immediately terminate all further transactions if
you are able to do so.


Do you have any further ideas on the driver/installation front?  Should I uninstall DAQmx and reinstall completely?  Should the card be removed when I do this?  Also, I've had trouble finding a DAQmx uninstaller.  Do I just need to trash certain directories, and if so, which ones?  Or do I need to use an uninstaller application to do so?

Thanks again,
Matthew

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Hello,

Are there any other PCI cards installed in this computer?  What are they?  They could relate to when you saw a bottlenecking error.  For example if you have a network or video card, they are transferring data across the PCI bus even if an application is not running.

However since the 50151 and 50152 errors are currently still an issue, the board will more than likely need to be tested (RMA).  Please note that a RMA can only be processed through Technical Phone Support.  You mentioned that you used the link I provided.  I just wanted to make sure that you selected phone rather than email. 

In addition, I would like to confirm that when you stated that you installed the 8.6.1 driver that you first uninstalled the current 8.6 driver.  Also was the board disconnected from the computer at this time?  The proper was to uninstall a driver is to open the Control Panel and then Add and Remove Programs.  The currently installed program list will contain a line item titled National Instruments Software.  After clicking change/remove a secondary menu will popup.  Select the NI-DAQmx and click remove.  I hope this helps.

Samantha
National Instruments
Applications Engineer
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Thanks for the additional info.

I hadn't uninstalled DAQmx prior to installing 8.6.1.  I tried it again, this morning, being sure to uninstall first.  This did not resolve the problem.

I've now called the support line and requested an RMA.

Thanks for your help.

Matthew
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I have the exactly same problem with my PCI-6115 in window vista business (32bit) running in Dell PowerEdge 2950 (quadcore, chipset: intel 5000X). I have also PCIe-1427 but PCIe-1427 is working properly. I send my PCI-6115 to RMA department. But they say it works properly in their environment. So I got it back. Today I saw this forum and I followed the troubleshooting that asked to uninstall nidaqmx 8.6.0 and install nidaqmx 8.6.1 before inserting PCI-6115. However, it doesn't work. Please help me.

Summary

PCI-6115 inserted in PCI-X 64-bit/133MHz slot

PCIe-1427 inserted in PCI Express x8 slot

Window Vista Business 32 bit Operating System

Computer: Dell PowerEdge 2950 (QuadCore, Chipset: intel 5000X)

NI-DAQmx 8.6.1

Error code : 50151 (when I run the self test in MAX)

My RMA number was 1109849.

Engineer who dealt with it : Ryan Duell

 

Thank you.

Yeh-Chan Ahn

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Hi Yeh-Chan,

My original problem appeared to be due to a problem with the PCI bus.

After I sent the card back to NI, they found no problem with it and sent it back.  My computer had two PCI buses, and I found that when I installed the card on the 2nd bus, it worked.  Have you tried installing the card on a different bus or on a different computer?

Cheers,
Matthew


Message Edited by Matthew Stevenson on 06-14-2008 12:16 AM
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Dear Matthew

You told me that you tried a different "bus" (not a different slot with the same bus) and it worked.

It seems to me that you failed with PCI-X 3.3v slot and succeded with standard PCI 5v slot.

Could you tell me what kind of bus did not work with your PCI-6115?

And what kind of bus did work?

Does your PCI-6115 have two notches in the PCI connector (NI tells that PCI card with two notches is compatible with PCI-X bus)?

I have two slots of PCI-X bus. I tested both slots but I failed.

Do you think PCI-6115 is compatible with PCI-X bus?

Your experience is really valuable to me.

Thank you so much.

 

Yeh-Chan

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Yeh-Chan,

This knowledgebase lists some devices that are PCI-X compliant.  If the card has two notches then it should be able to function correctly in both the 5 and 3.3V slot(PCI-X compatible).  Since the connector of the 6115 is the same as that of the 5102, which supports PCI-X, then the 6115 should be PCI-X compliant. 

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Yeh-Chan,

 

I've been distracted by a different project over the summer, so I didn't get a chance to follow this up.  Apologies for that.

 

My PCI-6115 card works on the PCI 2.3 bus, but not the PCI-X 2.0A bus.  This is despite my card having two notches.  Also, according to the 2003 manual, the PCI-6115 is PCI 2.2 compatible.

 

Further, according to Wikipedia, PCI 2.3 doesn't support 5V and PCI-X is compatible with most PCI 2.x cards.

 

So, in summary, my PCI-6115 card works in the 3.3 V PCI slot, but not the 3.3 V PCI-X slot.  Have you had any further success with your card?

 

Cheers,

 

Matthew

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