MAX does not identify cards in PXI-1042 slots

[kund2463]

Here's what I am working with, a PXI-1042 chassis.  A PXI-8186 Embedded Controller in slot 1.  Two PXI-6115 I/O cards in slots 3 and 4.  One DAQScope 5102 card in slot 6.  The PXI-8186 is connected to a laptop running LabVIEW 2010 with an ethernet cable.

In MAX, under Devices and Interfaces, PXI System (NI PXI-8186) is listed with Chassis 1 (PXI-1042).  The laptop apparently can see the chassis and controller.

Also under Devices and Interfaces is PXI-1042 "Chassis 1", which shows a "Slot View" panel.  On this panel all slots, 2-8, are listed as <Unknown/Empty> under the model name column.  

Maybe I'm wrong, but I would expect something to show up in slots 3, 4, and 6?  Is there some way, either automatically or manually, to help MAX see the cards in slots 3, 4, and 6?

Thanks,

Matt

[JustinP]

Hello Matt, 

Make sure that the device drivers are installed onto the PXI-8186 controller.  The DAQmx driver can be downloaded here which will associate with the PXI-6115, choose the version that matches the operating system installed on the controller.  The NI-SCOPE driver can be downloaded here which will associate with the PXI-5102, again choose the version that matches the operating system installed on the controller. Also, is there a particular reason that you are connecting to a laptop via ethernet?  What operating system is installed on the controller?  

Thank you,

Justin  

[kund2463]

Hi Justin,

Windows XP is installed on the PXI-8186 controller.  

So here's my setup.  I use a laptop running Windows 7 and LabVIEW 2010 to control an external box using PCI Express.  The external box is proprietary and works perfectly when controlled with LV 2010.  What I want to do, is put this external box into a environmental chamber and sample the voltage signals it outputs as the temperature changes.  The voltage outputs will be in the 11 kHz range.  

We've had the PXI-1042, with PXI-8186 and PXI-6115 cards, sitting unused for a couple of years.  I figured this might be a good use for it.  The PXI-6115 cards are more than fast enough to sample the output signals.  

As for why ethernet.  Our box has an ethernet port on it, so one day we'd like to scrap the PCI Express connection and use ethernet.  This project might provide enough insight on how to make that happen.  Otherwise, it would be USB because those are the only other ports on the laptop.  For portability reasons also, it's easier to carry around one laptop that can do both output and input.

Matt

[JustinP]

Hello Matt, 

Is it possible to connect a monitor and keyboard to the PXI-8186 and access MAX that way? I would expect to see the devices there.  Generally when you connect to a Windows based PXI controller over a network you would remote into it using Remote Desktop and control it that way so I am a little confused as to how you are seeing the controller and chassis on the laptop.  This is typically only seen with real-time targets.  Could you attach a screen capture of MAX on the laptop?  This will give us a better idea of your setup.  Again ensure that the device drivers are installed on the PXI-8186.  

Thank you,

Justin  

[kund2463]

Hi Justin,

I ended up with a workable solution.  I did what you said in terms of connecting a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the PXI-8186.  I will use it as a second computer to capture the data that way.  Not quite as elegant as using one laptop and communicating to the PXI-8186 through ethernet, but it's working just great.  

Thanks for the help!

Matt