Instrument Control (GPIB, Serial, VISA, IVI)

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Problem with PCMCIA GPIB card

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I'm having trouble getting a PCMCIA GPIB card to work.

 

Background:

The card works with another laptop that's an identical, but slightly older (~1 year). Both laptops have the same corporate OS image, so they should be identical software-wise. They are both Dell laptops running 32-bit XP SP3. Both have identical versions of NI software installed, with the exception of the laptop that the card works on, which has LabWindows/CVI 5.5 installed (the other only has the latest CVI runtimes installed).

 

What I did:

1. Install latest NI-488.2 drivers (2.8, from http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/2129/lang/en), restart.

2. Install latest LabWindows/CVI runtime (2009 SP1, from http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/2072/lang/en), restart.

3. Install latest NI-VISA runtime (5.0.2, from http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/2186/lang/en), restart.

4. Plug in PCMCIA card.

5. Confirm that Windows Device Manager shows the GPIB card and doesn't show any problems with the device.

6. Open Measurement & Automation, select PCMCIA GPIB card from interfaces, click "Scan For Instruments".

 

When I do this, M&A hangs. When I run the troubleshooter on the interface card, it fails, and the "Help" button brings me to a page on resource conflicts. Device manager shows no conflicts. When I attempt to scan for listeners using ibic, I get the error "EDRV", and it hangs.

 

What I've tried:

1. Reinstalling the NI software

2. Removing/inserting the card from the laptop

3. Uninstalling the card from device manager

4. Restarting the laptop

5. Putting the card in the old laptop (still works)

 

Can anyone suggest anything to try? It's vital that we get this card working with the second laptop.

 

Thanks,

Carson

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Solution
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Hello Carson,

 

I find this other post talking about a similar problem to you. It gives the steps on how to get it up and running. Let me know if that works out for you.

 

Best Regards,

 

Adam G 

National Instruments
Applications Engineer
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That works perfectly! Thanks for your quick response!

 

Carson

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I have the exact same problem except the computer is a Dell E5410.  I tried the registry fix and it was unsuccessful.  Any other suggestions would be helpful as I have 10 workstations to configure and deliver to the customer.

 

Thanks,

 

John

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Hello John,

 

What problem are you seeing? Does the device not show up in Measurement & Automation Explorer? Are you getting an error when communication with the GPIB board? What version of the drivers are you using and what OS are you running on your computer, including if it is 32 or 64 bit. 

 

Best Regards,

 

Adam G 

National Instruments
Applications Engineer
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It is a new computer with Windows XP SP3 installed.

 

1.  Installed the software and rebooted the computer and installed the card.

Plug in PCMCIA card.

2  Confirmed that Windows Device Manager shows the GPIB card and doesn't show any problems with the device.

3. Open Measurement & Automation, select PCMCIA GPIB card from interfaces, click "Scan For Instruments".

 

When I do this, M&A hangs. When I run the troubleshooter on the interface card, it fails, and the "Help" button brings me to a page on resource conflicts. Device manager shows no conflicts.

 

I attempted to install the key in the registry as was noted in a previous post but had negative results.

 

Also looking further at the registry key entry,  there a two distinct spellings of the value.  one has "IrqRoutetoPCIController", the other is "IrqRouteToPciController"

 

Thanks for the response.

 

John

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Hello,

 

Have you tried this card on a different computer to verify the card works? Also have you tried both spellings of the registry entry? Another thing you could look at is to use a GPIB-USB-HS device to replace the PCMCIA-GPIB card. 

 

Best Regards,

 

Adam G 

National Instruments
Applications Engineer
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Adam,

 

  Installed in another computer and had no difficulties. 

1. Went back and un-installed the Hardware and software and re-installed ver 2.7.3 s/w. 

2. Rebooted the computer and installed the card. 

3. Hardware wizard found and installed the card.

4. Started M&A and tested the card and all passed.

5. Connected to remote device and communication established.

 

Problem Solved.

 

The initial setup I had done was copied from a procedure we have been using for 5+ years and seems

you have to have the software installed, re-boot, then insert the card, and finally start M&A.

 

If you start M&A before the card in inserted, the IRQ problem arises.  I have proven this with another computer in my setup pool.

 

Thanks for the help and insight into this new software version.  I was previously using v 2.4.

 

 

R

John

 

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