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Page 2
GETTING STARTED GUIDE
NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core
This document includes instructions for installing and configuring your NI PXI-8840
Quad-Core PXI controller module.
For complete configuration information (including BIOS configuration, ExpressCard
installation, hard drive recovery, memory upgrade, and OS installation), full specifications,
and I/O information, refer to the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core User Manual.
This section includes instructions for unpacking and installing your NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core
controller, including setting up your controller to run LabVIEW Real-Time. It also describes
the controller's front panel connectors.
Electromagnetic Compatibility Guidelines
This product was tested and complies with the regulatory requirements and limits for
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) stated in the product specifications. These requirements
and limits provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the product is
operated in the intended operational electromagnetic environment.
This product is intended for use in industrial locations. However, harmful interference may
occur in some installations, when the product is connected to a peripheral device or test object,
or if the product is used in residential or commercial areas. To minimize interference with
radio and television reception and prevent unacceptable performance degradation, install and
use this product in strict accordance with the instructions in the product documentation.
Furthermore, any changes or modifications to the product not expressly approved by National
Instruments could void your authority to operate it under your local regulatory rules.
Caution To ensure the specified EMC performance, operate this product only with
shielded cables and accessories.
Caution To ensure the specified EMC performance, all I/O cables except
connected Ethernet, serial, USB 2.0, and GPIB cables must be no longer than 3 m
(10 ft.). Serial, USB 2.0, and GPIB cables must be no longer than 30 m (100 ft.).
Ethernet cables can be longer than 30 m (100 ft.).
Unpacking
The NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core ships in an antistatic package to prevent electrostatic discharge
from damaging device components. To prevent such damage when handling the device,
ground yourself using a grounding strap or by holding a grounded object, such as your
computer chassis, and complete the following steps:
1.Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of the chassis before removing the device
from the package.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors.
2.Remove the device from the package and inspect the device for loose components or any
other sign of damage.
3.Notify National Instruments if the device appears damaged in any way. Do not install a
damaged device into your chassis.
2 | ni.com | NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide
To install the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core into a PXI chassis, complete the following steps.
1.Plug in your chassis before installing the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core. The power cord
grounds the chassis and protects it from electrical damage while you install the module.
Caution In some National Instruments chassis, such as the NI PXI-1042, you
must ensure that the power LED is off. For more information about chassis
power behavior, refer to the user manual for the specific chassis.
Caution To protect both yourself and the chassis from electrical hazards,
leave the chassis off until you finish installing the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core.
2.Remove any panels blocking access to the system controller slot (Slot 1) in the chassis.
3.Touch the metal part of the chassis case to discharge any static electricity that might be on
your clothes or body.
4.Remove the protective plastic covers from the four bracket-retaining screws as shown in
the following figure.
Figure 1. Removing Protective Plastic Covers
1. Protective Screw Cap (4x)
5.Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position. Align the NI PXI-8840
Quad-Core with the card guides on the top and bottom of the system controller slot.
Caution Do not raise the injector/ejector handle as you insert the
NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core. The module will not insert properly unless the handle
4 | ni.com | NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide
is in its downward position so that it does not interfere with the injector rail on
1
3
2
the chassis.
6.Hold the handle as you slowly slide the module into the chassis until the handle catches
on the injector/ejector rail.
7.Raise the injector/ejector handle until the module firmly seats into the backplane
receptacle connectors. The front panel of the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core should be even
with the front panel of the chassis.
8.Tighten the four bracket-retaining screws on the top and bottom of the front panel to
secure the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core to the chassis.
9.Check the installation.
10. Connect the keyboard and mouse to the appropriate connectors. If you are using a PS/2
keyboard and a PS/2 mouse, a Y-splitter adapter is available to connect both to a single
USB connector. National Instruments offers a Y-splitter adapter cable, part number
778713-02, available through the online catalog at ni.com/products.
11. Connect the DisplayPort monitor video cable to the DisplayPort connector, or use the
DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter included with your controller to connect a VGA monitor to
the DisplayPort connector.
12. Connect devices to ports as required by your system configuration.
13. Power on the display. Refer to the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core User Manual for details.
14. Power on the chassis.
15. Verify that the controller boots. If it does not boot, refer to the Troubleshooting section.
The following figure shows an NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core controller installed in the system
controller slot of an NI PXI-1042 chassis.
Figure 2. NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Installed in a PXI Chassis
This section explains software installation and switch configuration for LabVIEW RT on your
PXI controller.
LabVIEW RT Software Installation
The following section describes the necessary steps to get your PXI embedded controller set
up to run LabVIEW Real-Time. In this section you will configure the controller boot mode,
verify or change IP settings, and install LabVIEW Real-Time software.
Complete the following steps to install the LabVIEW RT software.
1.Boot the NI PXI embedded controller into the real-time operating system. Refer to the
LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches section or the LabVIEW RT Setup Menu section in
this document to configure the controller for booting into LabVIEW RT. The PXI
controller automatically boots into LabVIEW RT Safe Mode when no software is
installed. LabVIEW RT Safe Mode loads with the basic real-time operating system and
automatically attempts to connect to the network using DHCP. If DHCP is not available,
it then connects to the network with a link-local IP address.
Tip You can connect a monitor to the desktop PC to display startup messages
such as the IP address.
2.Open Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) on another computer in the same
subnet and expand the Remote Systems branch. MAX lists the PXI controller as the
controller model name followed by the MAC address (for example, NI-PXI-884000802f108562).
Note The other computer must have LabVIEW, LabVIEW RT, and any
desired drivers installed.
Tip Record the PXI controller MAC address, located on the side of the
controller, for use in identifying the controller. You also can remove the label
and place it on the front of the controller for easier access.
3.Click the appropriate PXI controller entry to access the Network Settings tab in the right
pane view.
4.(Optional) Enter a name for the RT target in the Name text box.
5.(Optional) Set the network configuration options of the RT target in the IP Settings
section and click the Apply button. For information about configuring network settings,
refer to the Configuring Network Settings book, accessible by browsing to MAX Remote
Systems Help»LabVIEW Real-Time Target Configuration»Configuring Network
Settings from the Contents tab of MAX Help.
Note When any IP or identification settings are changed, you are prompted to
reboot the controller for the changes to take effect. Click Yes to reboot the RT
6 | ni.com | NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide
target automatically. You may also reboot the controller by right-clicking the
target name under Remote Systems and selecting Reboot.
After rebooting the PXI controller, it appears in the Remote Systems category with the
assigned name.
6.Expand the PXI controller view in the Remote Systems branch and select Software.
7.Click the Add/Remove Software button in the toolbar to launch the LabVIEW RealTime Software Wizard.
8.Install the LabVIEW Real-Time software and device drivers that you require on the RT
target. Refer to the NI Web site at ni.com/info and enter the Info Code etspc for the
latest information about supported software.
After software installation, the controller automatically reboots, and you now can program it
using LabVIEW Real-Time.
Note Refer to the RT Getting Started Guide on your host computer for more
information about setting up your RT target.
LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches
Use the LabVIEW RT configuration switches to configure LabVIEW RT if it is installed on
the controller. If you are not using LabVIEW RT, these switches should remain in the OFF
position. The controller reads these switches only after a system reset.
The NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core controller includes the following LabVIEW RT configuration
switches:
•Switch 1—Boot LabVIEW RT: Set this switch to ON to boot LabVIEW RT.
•Switch 2—Boot Safe Mode: Set this switch to ON to boot LabVIEW RT into safe mode
to reconfigure TCP/IP settings and to download or update software from a host computer.
This switch overrides the behavior of Switch 1. Booting the controller into safe mode
does not start the embedded LabVIEW RT engine. After changing the settings or
software, reboot the controller with this switch OFF to resume normal operation.
•Switch 3—Disable Startup VI: Set this switch to ON to prevent VIs from automatically
running at startup if the controller becomes inaccessible because of a startup VI.
•Switch 4—Reset IP Address: Set this switch to ON to reset the IP address and other
TCP/IP settings to their factory defaults. Use this switch if moving the controller to a
different subnet or if the current TCP/IP settings are valid.
Note By default, the target automatically attempts to connect to the network using
DHCP. If the target cannot initiate a DHCP connection, the target connects to the
network with a link-local IP address or 169.254.x.x.
The following figure shows the location of the LabVIEW RT configuration switches. The
switches are shown in the OFF position.
Your hard drive includes a directory called images in its root that contains software and soft
copies of manuals for the peripherals. The directory structure under the images directory is
logically organized into several levels.
In the images directory are drivers and NIDRIVERS directories. The drivers directory
contains driver installers for the system peripherals. These files and directories are copied
exactly from the manufacturer distribution disks, so the naming conventions vary from
peripheral to peripheral. The NIDRIVERS directory contains the GPIB and PXI Platform
Services drivers preinstalled on the controller.
Data Storage
The NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core has the following data storage features:
•2.5 in. SATA notebook internal hard drive
•USB storage support—USB CD/DVD-ROM, mass storage device, or floppy drive
8 | ni.com | NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide
The SMB connector on the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core front panel can connect to or from any
PXI backplane trigger line. A trigger allocation process is needed to prevent two resources
from connecting to the same trigger line, resulting in the trigger being double-driven and
possibly damaging the hardware. At the time of this manual’s publication, this software is not
yet available for Windows. Contact National Instruments for more information.
Front Panel Features
The NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core has the following front-panel features:
•A controller reset push button (press the button to generate a reset to the controller)
•Two front panel LEDs that show PC status:
–DRIVE LED— Indicates when an access to the internal hard disk is occurring.
–PWR OK/FAULT LED—Indicates the controller status. The LED indicates one of
the following states:
•Green ON steady—PXI and onboard power is on and within regulation limits.
•Green BLINKING—One of the onboard power supplies is operating outside
of the normal limits or the system power supply is out of regulation.
•OFF—The controller is powered off.
•Red BLINKING—The controller detected a power rail fault when trying to
boot.
•Red Solid—The controller detected a thermal fault and has shut down to
protect the system.
–USER LEDs—Two bi-color green/yellow LEDs (USER1 and USER2) that you can
define to meet the needs of your LabVIEW application.
10 | ni.com | NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide
Removing the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core from a PXI
Chassis
To remove the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core from a PXI chassis, complete the following steps.
1.Power off the chassis.
2.Remove any cables that may be attached to the controller front panel.
3.Unscrew the four bracket-retaining screws in the front panel.
4.Press the injector/ejector handle down.
5.Slide the unit out of the chassis.
Cleaning
Use a dry, low-velocity stream of air to clean the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core controller. If
needed, use a soft, nonmetallic brush for cleaning around components.
Make sure that the device is completely dry and free from contaminants before returning it to
service.
Common Configuration Questions
This section answers common configuration questions you may have when using an
NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core embedded controller.
General Questions
What do the LEDs on the front panel mean?
Refer to the LED status descriptions in the Front Panel Features section.
How do I check the configuration of the memory, hard drive,
time/date, and so on?
You can view these parameters in the BIOS setup. Complete the following steps to enter the
BIOS setup:
1.Reboot the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core.
2.Press <Delete> during the memory tests.
Refer to the Accessing BIOS Setup Utility section of the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core UserManual for more information.
Can I use the internal Serial ATA drive and an external hard
drive at the same time?
Yes. Refer to the BIOS Setup Utility section of the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core User Manual for
more information.
The NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core can boot from the following devices:
•The internal Serial ATA solid-state drive.
•An external SCSI hard drive or SCSI CD/DVD-ROM if a SCSI adapter, such as the
PXI-8214, is used.
•A network PXE server on the same subnet.
•An external USB mass storage device such as a USB hard drive, USB CD/DVD-ROM, or
USB flash drive.
•An external USB floppy drive.
•Most PCI or PCI Express-based devices that provide an Option ROM.
Note There are limitations when booting from a USB device. You can install
Windows 7 and later from a USB CD/DVD-ROM, but not earlier versions of
Windows. The NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core BIOS configures the USB devices so that
they work in a DOS environment.
How do I configure the controller to boot from these devices?
You can configure the controller to permanently or temporarily change the boot order.
There are two methods.
•Enter Setup and select the Boot menu. You will see a list of all bootable devices, ordered
by device type. You can set the boot order using <+> and <->. Set the order by device
type and set the order for the devices listed within the device type.
•To boot from a different device without changing the boot order in the BIOS, press
<F10> continuously while booting. After the BIOS completes the POST and just before
the controller boots the OS, the Boot menu is displayed. You can select the device type
you want to boot from.
Cables and Connections
How do I plug both a PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard into the
controller?
The NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core has no PS/2 connector, and you need to use a USB Y-splitter
cable as shown below, or a similar device, to connect both a PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard.
National Instruments part number 778713-02 is such a cable and is available through the
online catalog at ni.com/products.
12 | ni.com | NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide
What if I don’t have a Y-splitter cable? Can I still use a mouse
and keyboard?
If you do not have a Y-splitter cable, plug a USB keyboard into any USB connector. You can
also plug a USB mouse into any USB connector.
How do I connect a VGA monitor to the NI PXI-8840
Quad-Core?
A DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter (part number 782271-01) is included with your kit. You can
use this adapter to connect a VGA monitor to a DisplayPort connector.
How do I connect two monitors to the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core?
The NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core includes two DisplayPort connectors. You can connect each to a
separate monitor for dual monitor support.
Software Driver Installation
How do I install or reinstall the video driver?
Refer to KnowledgeBase 3H3COSD8, What Peripheral Drivers Should I Use with My PXI or
VXI Controller?, at ni.com/support.
How do I install or reinstall the Ethernet driver?
Refer to KnowledgeBase 3H3COSD8, What Peripheral Drivers Should I Use with My PXI or
VXI Controller?, at ni.com/support.
How do I install or reinstall the GPIB driver?
The NI-488.2 driver for your GPIB port is installed by default when your controller is first
shipped from the factory. To change the default installed driver, complete the following steps:
1.Download the latest GPIB driver from ni.com/downloads.
2.Install the driver and verify that the driver has properly detected the GPIB device in the
Device Manager. If you need more assistance, refer to ni.com/getting-started/.
How do I install software from a CD?
The compact size of the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core does not allow for an integrated USB CD/
DVD-ROM drive. You have the following options:
SCSI CD-ROMOther types of CD-ROM drives are available. Check with the vendor to
You can install from a USB CD/DVD-ROM using a bootable installation
CD.
make sure Windows 7 supports the drive.
Mapped
network drive
A USB CD/DVD-ROM drive is available from National Instruments, part number 778492-01.
You can use the Ethernet to connect to another computer. If you share the
USB CD/DVD-ROM drive on the other computer, you can map the
shared USB CD/DVD-ROM drive to a drive letter on the NI PXI-8840
Quad-Core.
Upgrade Information
How do I upgrade system memory?
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core by upgrading
the DDR3L SO-DIMM. Complete the following steps to upgrade the RAM.
1.Remove the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core from the PXI chassis.
2.Locate the DDR3L SO-DIMM module on the side of the controller, as shown in the
following figure.
3.Install the new DDR3L SO-DIMM module into the slot.
NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core System Memory Information
National Instruments offers the following types of SO-DIMMs for use with the NI PXI-8840
Quad-Core controller.
•1600 MHz DDR3L PC3-12800 4 GB, 512 MB × 64, 1.18 in. max (NI part number
782341-4096)
•1600 MHz DDR3L PC3-12800 8 GB, 1024 MB × 64, 1.18 in. max (NI part number
783001-8192)
Note National Instruments has tested and verified that the DDR3L SO-DIMMs we
sell work with the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core controller. We recommend you purchase
your DDR3L SO-DIMM modules from National Instruments. Other off-the-shelf
DDR3L SO-DIMM modules are not guaranteed to work properly.
14 | ni.com | NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide
Figure 6. Installing a DDR3L SO-DIMM in an NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Controller
2
1
1. DDR3L SO-DIMM Socket
2. DDR3L SO-DIMM Module
How do I flash a new BIOS?
You can download the new BIOS from ftp.ni.com/support/pxi. For more information, refer to
KnowledgeBase 2GIGKD0Z, Determining and Upgrading PXI and VXI Embedded Controller
BIOS Versions.
Where do I get the latest software drivers?
The latest National Instruments software is available from ni.com/downloads. For peripheral
drivers, refer to KnowledgeBase 3H3COSD8, What Peripheral Drivers Should I Use with My
PXI or VXI Controller?, at ni.com/support.
PXI Configuration
How do I use the SMB trigger on the front panel?
Refer to the PXI Trigger Connectivity section for details on using the SMB trigger.
Troubleshooting
This section answers common troubleshooting questions you may have when using the
NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core embedded controller.
What if the Controller Does Not Boot?
Several problems can cause a controller not to boot. Here are some things to look for and
possible solutions.
•Which LEDs come on? The PWROK/FAULT LED should stay lit green. The Drive
LED should blink during boot as the disk is accessed.
•What appears on the display? Does it hang at some particular point (BIOS, Operating
System, and so on)? If nothing appears on the screen, try a different monitor. Does your
monitor work with a different PC? If it hangs, note the last screen output that you saw for
reference when consulting National Instruments technical support.
•What has changed about the system? Did you recently move the system? Was there
electrical storm activity? Did you recently add a new module, memory chip, or piece of
software?
•Refer to your chassis documentation for additional troubleshooting steps.
Things to Try:
•Make sure the chassis is plugged in to a working power source.
•Check any fuses or circuit breakers in the chassis or other power supply (possibly a UPS).
•Make sure the controller module is firmly seated in the chassis.
•Remove all other modules from the chassis.
•Remove any nonessential cables or devices.
•Try the controller in a different chassis.
•Try a similar controller in the same chassis.
•Clear the CMOS.
•Recover the hard drive on the controller.
•Make sure the RAM is properly seated.
What If I Can’t See The Video?
This problem usually results from having the video card output set past the monitor limits. To
resolve the problem, start Windows in Safe Mode by rebooting the controller. As Windows
begins to restart, hold down <F8>. You now should be able to reset the video driver to lower
settings. Try setting the resolution to 800 × 600 and the refresh rate to 60 Hz. Once you restart,
you can raise these values again, using the test option in Windows. You can access these
settings by clicking Adjust screen resolution in the Appearance and Personalization
category of the Control Panel. You also can try a different monitor, preferably a newer and
larger one.
My system boots fine as long as a particular module is
not in my chassis. How do I boot the chassis with the
module installed?
The most common cause of this problem is a damaged module. Try the module in a different
chassis or with a different controller. Also, remove any external cables or terminal blocks
connected to the system. If the module does not work in these cases, it is likely damaged.
Contact the module manufacturer for further troubleshooting.
16 | ni.com | NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide
My chassis or controller does not appear in MAX. How
do I use MAX to identify and configure my PXI system?
If you are using MAX to configure your PXI system, you must install the PXI Platform
Services software on your controller to identify NI PXI and PXI Express chassis and modules
in MAX. You can install PXI Platform Services from the software CD included with your
controller or from ni.com/downloads.
My CMOS is corrupted. How do I set it back to default?
There are two methods that you can use to reset the CMOS.
1.First Method
a)Enter the BIOS setup program as described in the Accessing BIOS Setup Utility
section of the NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core User Manual for more information.
b)Press <F9> to load BIOS defaults.
c)Answer Y (Yes) to the verification prompt.
d)Select Save and Exit Setup.
2.Second Method
a)Power off the chassis.
b)Remove the controller from the chassis.
c)Press the Clear CMOS button (SW1) for 2 to 3 seconds as shown in the following
The NI website is your complete resource for technical support. At ni.com/support, you have
access to everything from troubleshooting and application development self-help resources to
email and phone assistance from NI Application Engineers.
Visit ni.com/services for NI Factory Installation Services, repairs, extended warranty, and
other services.
Visit ni.com/register to register your NI product. Product registration facilitates technical
support and ensures that you receive important information updates from NI.
A Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is our claim of compliance with the Council of the
European Communities using the manufacturer’s declaration of conformity. This system
affords the user protection for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and product safety. You
can obtain the DoC for your product by visiting ni.com/certification. If your product supports
calibration, you can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at ni.com/calibration.
18 | ni.com | NI PXI-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide
NI corporate headquarters is located at 11500 North Mopac Expressway, Austin, Texas,
78759-3504. NI also has offices located around the world. For telephone support in the United
States, create your service request at ni.com/support or dial 1 866 ASK MYNI (275 6964). For
telephone support outside the United States, visit the Worldwide Offices section of ni.com/
niglobal to access the branch office websites, which provide up-to-date contact information,
support phone numbers, email addresses, and current events.
Refer to the NI Trademarks and Logo Guidelines at ni.com/trademarks for information on NI trademarks. Other product and
company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. For patents covering NI
products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the
National Instruments Patent Notice at ni.com/patents. You can find information about end-user license agreements (EULAs)
and third-party legal notices in the readme file for your NI product. Refer to the Export Compliance Information at ni.com/
legal/export-compliance for the NI global trade compliance policy and how to obtain relevant HTS codes, ECCNs, and other
import/export data. NI MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION
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