Virtualization PCI-6025E: not responding to the selected base address error

[ivarad]

Hi all,

I know that there are already a few topics about running DAQ cards in virtual machines (e.g. Virtual machines and NI hardware - http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Virtual-machines-and-NI-hardware/td-p/1609208 or NI PCI-6024E and Virtualization - http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/crawl_message?board.id=250&message.id=90353 ) but I still want to create a new thread with a bit more specific question.

I managed to make PCI passthrough for PCI-6025E card from Linux environment host to Windows 2000 guest. I tried this with both KVM and Xen (I can provide more details if needed, but virtualization in the both cases was done more or less accordingly to documentation). The problem described below refers to the both virtualization schemes.

Guest OS initially determines the card as unknown PCI device. Installing NI 7.4.4 Legacy driver allows to recognize device as Data Acquisition Device / PCI-6028E in Windows Device Manager. The card can also be seen from the Measurement and Automation Explorer as PCI-6025E(Device 1).  But here the first strange thing happens: Serial number value is 0xFFFFFFFFFF. Probably this is OK, but in my opinion already suggests that some is wrong. (I don't remember how it was on the real system, and unfortunately don't have possibility to check it now, all the virtualization is done just because my old control computer died and I can not replace it with another, which will allow to install Windows2000).

Run of the Test Panels, gives an error "The device is not responding to the selected base address". After ignoring it the Test Panel opens, however Strip Chart Data Mode shows a Fatal error (-10845) that is "overFlowError". Description of the error tells "Because of system and/or bus-bandwidth limitations, the driver could not read data from the device fast enough to keep up with the device throughput; the onboard device memory reported an overflow error", but it does not help to debug it or to solve. One shot and continuous data modes work without any errors, however, software that should use this card (it is a proprietary binary file that came with some equipment), also, can not use it and complains that card or driver does not respond.

My question is, what can be the reason that device does not respond to the the selected base address? How this can be debuged/solved?

I'll really appreciate any ideas or suggestions. Thank you in advance

[lgodsch]

Hi Ivarad, 

Virtual machines are not support with any NI software or hardware. 

Although it may seems that they function correctly, unknown errors can come up. 

this is explained in this KB: 

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/31B0985265CA167886257831003F5536

Cheers