National Instruments PXI NI 8171 User Manual

PXI

NI 8171 Series
User Manual

NI 8171 Series User Manual

August 2001 Edition

Part Number 370382A-01

Support

Worldwide Technical Support and Product Information

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For further support information, see the Technical Support Resources appendix. To comment on the
documentation, send e-mail to [e-mail].

Copyright © 2001 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.

Important Information

Warranty

The NI 8171 series of embedded PXI computers are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the
date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace equipment that
proves to be defective during the warranty period. This warranty includes parts and labor.

The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming instructions, due to defects
in materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National
Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace software media that do not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives
notice of such defects during the warranty period. National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be
uninterrupted or error free.

A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the outside of the package before
any equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will pay the shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are
covered by warranty.

National Instruments believes that the information in this document is accurate. The document has been carefully reviewed for technical
accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National Instruments reserves the right to make changes to subsequent
editions of this document without prior notice to holders of this edition. The reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected.
In no event shall National Instruments be liable for any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained in it.

XCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN,NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY OF

E

MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE

NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT THERETOFORE PAID BY THE CUSTOMER.NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR

DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF DATA

. This limitation of the liability of National Instruments will applyregardless of the form ofaction, whether incontract or tort,including

THEREOF

negligence. Any action against National Instruments must be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues. National Instruments
shall not be liable for any delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control. The warranty provided herein does not cover
damages, defects, malfunctions, or service failures caused by owner’s failure to follow the National Instruments installation, operation, or
maintenance instructions; owner’s modification of the product; owner’s abuse, misuse, or negligent acts; and power failure or surges, fire,
flood, accident, actions of third parties, or other events outside reasonable control.

, PROFITS, USE OF PRODUCTS, OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY

Copyright

Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National
Instruments Corporation.

Trademarks

CVI™,LabVIEW™, National Instruments™,NI™, NI-488.2™, NI-488.2M™,ni.com™, NI-DAQ™,andNI-VISA™are trademarks of
National Instruments Corporation.

Product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.

WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS

(1) NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS AND TESTING FOR A LEVEL OF
RELIABILITY SUITABLE FOR USE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH SURGICAL IMPLANTS OR AS CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN
ANY LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS WHOSE FAILURE TO PERFORM CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT
INJURY TO A HUMAN.

(2) IN ANY APPLICATION, INCLUDING THE ABOVE, RELIABILITY OF OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS CAN BE
IMPAIRED BY ADVERSE FACTORS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FLUCTUATIONS IN ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY,
COMPUTER HARDWARE MALFUNCTIONS, COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE FITNESS, FITNESS OF COMPILERS
AND DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE USED TO DEVELOP AN APPLICATION, INSTALLATION ERRORS, SOFTWARE AND
HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS, MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING OR CONTROL
DEVICES, TRANSIENT FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS (HARDWARE AND/OR SOFTWARE), UNANTICIPATED USES OR
MISUSES, OR ERRORS ON THE PART OF THE USER OR APPLICATIONS DESIGNER (ADVERSE FACTORS SUCH AS THESE ARE
HEREAFTER COLLECTIVELY TERMED “SYSTEM FAILURES”). ANY APPLICATION WHERE A SYSTEM FAILURE WOULD
CREATE A RISK OF HARM TO PROPERTY OR PERSONS (INCLUDING THE RISK OF BODILY INJURY AND DEATH) SHOULD
NOT BE RELIANT SOLELY UPON ONE FORM OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DUE TO THE RISK OF SYSTEM FAILURE. TO AVOID
DAMAGE, INJURY, OR DEATH, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MUST TAKE REASONABLY PRUDENT STEPS TO
PROTECT AGAINST SYSTEM FAILURES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO BACK-UP OR SHUT DOWN MECHANISMS.
BECAUSE EACH END-USER SYSTEM IS CUSTOMIZED AND DIFFERS FROM NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS' TESTING
PLATFORMS AND BECAUSE A USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MAY USE NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS IN
COMBINATION WITH OTHER PRODUCTS IN A MANNER NOT EVALUATED OR CONTEMPLATED BY NATIONAL
INSTRUMENTS, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING AND VALIDATING
THE SUITABILITY OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS WHENEVER NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE
INCORPORATED IN A SYSTEM OR APPLICATION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE APPROPRIATE DESIGN,
PROCESS AND SAFETY LEVEL OF SUCH SYSTEM OR APPLICATION.

.CUSTOMER’S RIGHT TO RECOVER DAMAGES CAUSED BY FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF

Compliance

FCC/Canada Radio Frequency Interference Compliance*

Determining FCC Class

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rules to protect wireless communications from interference. The FCC
places digital electronics into two classes. These classes are known as Class A (for use in industrial-commercial locations only)
or Class B (for use in residential or commercial locations). Depending on where it is operated, this product could be subject to
restrictions in the FCC rules. (In Canada, the Department of Communications (DOC), of Industry Canada, regulates wireless
interference in much the same way.)

Digital electronics emit weak signals during normal operation that can affect radio, television, or other wireless products. By
examining the product you purchased, you can determine the FCC Class and therefore which of the two FCC/DOC Warnings
apply in the following sections. (Some products may not be labeled at all for FCC; if so, the reader should then assume these are
Class A devices.)

FCC Class A products only display a simple warning statement of one paragraph in length regarding interference and undesired
operation. Most of our products are FCC Class A. The FCC rules have restrictions regarding the locations where FCC Class A
products can be operated.

FCC Class B products display either a FCC ID code, starting with the letters EXN,
or the FCC Class B compliance mark that appears as shown here on the right.

Consult the FCC web site

http://www.fcc.gov

FCC/DOC Warnings

This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in strict accordance with the instructions
in this manual and the CE Mark Declaration of Conformity**, may cause interference to radio and television reception.
Classification requirements are the same for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Canadian Department
of Communications (DOC).

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by National Instruments could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment under the FCC Rules.

for more information.

Class A

Federal Communications Commission

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated
in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct
the interference at his own expense.

Canadian Department of Communications

This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.

Class B

Federal Communications Commission

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the
FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can
be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Canadian Department of Communications

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.

Compliance to EU Directives

Readers in the European Union (EU) must refer to the Manufacturer’s Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for information**
pertaining to the CE Mark compliance scheme. The Manufacturer includes a DoC for most every hardware product except for
those bought for OEMs, if also available from an original manufacturer that also markets in the EU, or where compliance is not
required as for electrically benign apparatus or cables.

To obtain the DoC for this product, click Declaration of Conformity at
by product family. Select the appropriate product family, followed by your product, and a link to the DoC appears in Adobe
Acrobat format. Click the Acrobat icon to download or read the DoC.

* Certain exemptions may apply in the USA, see FCC Rules §15.103 Exempted devices,and§15.105(c). Also available in

sections of CFR 47.

** The CE Mark Declaration of Conformity will contain important supplementary information and instructions for the user or

installer.

ni.com/hardref.nsf/

. This web site lists the DoCs

Contents

About This Manual

How to Use the Documentation Set...............................................................................xi

Conventions ...................................................................................................................xi

Related Documentation..................................................................................................xii

Chapter 1
Introduction

Benefits of PXI ..............................................................................................................1-1

NI 8171 Series ...............................................................................................................1-1

Description ......................................................................................................1-1

Modules ...........................................................................................................1-2

Functional Overview .......................................................................................1-2

National Instruments Software ......................................................................................1-5

Chapter 2
Installation and Configuration

Installing the NI 8171 Series ......................................................................................... 2-1

How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Chassis ....................................2-3

BIOS Setup ....................................................................................................................2-3

Entering BIOS Setup .......................................................................................2-3

Main Setup Menu ............................................................................................2-4

Advanced Setup Menu .................................................................................... 2-5

PXI Setup Menu ..............................................................................................2-7

Security Setup Menu .......................................................................................2-8

Boot Setup Menu.............................................................................................2-8

Exiting BIOS Setup .........................................................................................2-9

System CMOS ...............................................................................................................2-10

Using the Controllers with PXI-1020 and PXI-1025 Chassis .......................................2-11

LCD Display....................................................................................................2-11

IDE CD-ROM Drive .......................................................................................2-11

Chassis Mouse and Keyboard .........................................................................2-12

Drivers and Software .....................................................................................................2-12

Files and Directories Installed on Your Hard Drive........................................2-12

PXI Features ..................................................................................................................2-13

PXI Trigger Connectivity................................................................................2-13

© National Instruments Corporation vii NI 8171 Series User Manual

Contents

Upgrading RAM............................................................................................................ 2-13

Hard Drive Recovery.....................................................................................................2-14

Recovery from a CD-ROM.............................................................................2-14

Recovery from a Network............................................................................... 2-15

Installing an OS .............................................................................................................2-15

Installing from a CD-ROM ............................................................................. 2-15

Installing from a Network ............................................................................... 2-16

Chapter 3
I/O Information

Front Panel Connectors ................................................................................................. 3-1

VGA ................................................................................................................ 3-2

COM1 and COM2........................................................................................... 3-3

Ethernet ........................................................................................................... 3-4

Parallel Port..................................................................................................... 3-5

Universal Serial Bus........................................................................................ 3-7

PS/2 ................................................................................................................. 3-8

Trigger............................................................................................................. 3-9

GPIB (IEEE 488.2) ......................................................................................... 3-10

Front Panel Features...................................................................................................... 3-11

Data Storage .................................................................................................................. 3-11

PXI-1020 and PXI-1025 Chassis Interface ................................................................... 3-12

Chapter 4
Common Configuration Questions

General Questions ......................................................................................................... 4-1

Boot Options.................................................................................................................. 4-1

Cables and Connections ................................................................................................ 4-2

Operating System and Software Driver Installation...................................................... 4-3

Hard Drive Recovery.....................................................................................................4-4

Chassis Configuration ................................................................................................... 4-5

Upgrade Information ..................................................................................................... 4-6

Windows NT4 Issues..................................................................................................... 4-8

PXI Configuration ......................................................................................................... 4-8

Chapter 5
Troubleshooting

NI 8171 Series User Manual viii ni.com

Appendix A
Specifications

Appendix B
Technical Support Resources

Glossary

Index

Contents

© National Instruments Corporation ix NI 8171 Series User Manual

About This Manual

This manual contains detailed instructions for installing and configuring
your National Instruments NI 8171 series embedded computer kit. The
NI 8171 series includes the NI 8176, NI 8175, and NI 8174 embedded PXI
computers.

How to Use the Documentation Set

BeginbyreadingtheNI 8171 Series Installation Guide,abriefquick-start
guide that describes how to install and get started with your controller.

This manual, the NI 8171 Series User Manual, contains more details about
changing the installation or configuration from the defaults and using the
hardware.

Conventions

The following conventions appear in this manual:

This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information.

This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of precautions to take to
avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash.

bold Bold text denotes items that you must select or click on in the software,

such as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes
parameter names.

italic Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross reference, or an introduction

to a key concept. This font also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word
or value that you must supply.

monospace

NI 8171 series The terms NI 8171 series and NI 8171 refer to a series of 3U PXI

© National Instruments Corporation xi NI 8171 Series User Manual

Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter from the
keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and syntax examples.
This font is also used for the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories,
programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names, functions, operations,
variables, filenames and extensions, and code excerpts.

controllers. Currently, this series consists of the NI 8174, NI 8175, and
NI 8176.

About This Manual

Related Documentation

The following documents contain information you may find helpful as you
read this manual:

• PICMG 2.0 R2.1 CompactPCI Specification, PCI Industrial
Computers Manufacturers Group

• IEEE Standard P1284.1-1997 (C/MM) Standard for Information
Technology for Transport Independent Printer/System Interface

• PCI Local Bus Specification, Revision 2.2, PCI Special Interest Group

• PXI Specification, Revision 2.0, National Instruments Corporation

• Serialized IRQ Support for PCI Systems Specification, Revision 6.0,

Compaq Computer et al.

NI 8171 Series User Manual xii ni.com

Introduction

Benefits of PXI

The PXIbus specification defines a compact modular PC platform for
industrial instrumentation. PXI leverages the PCI bus, which is the de facto
standard for today’s desktop computer software and hardware designs. As
a result, PXI users receive all the benefits of PCI within an architecture that
supports mechanical, electrical, and software features tailored to industrial
instrumentation, data acquisition, and automation applications.

Well-suited for industrial applications, PXI leverages from the
CompactPCI specification, which defines a rugged form factor for PCI that
offers superior mechanical integrity and easy installation and removal of
hardware components. PXI products offer higher and more carefully
defined levels of environmental performance required by the vibration,
shock, temperature, and humidity extremes of industrial environments.
PXI adds mandatory environmental testing and active cooling to the
CompactPCI mechanical specification to ease system integration and
ensure multivendor interoperability.

1

Additionally, PXI meets the more specific needs of instrumentation users
by adding an integrated trigger bus and reference clock for multiple-board
synchronization, a star trigger bus for very precise timing, and local buses
for side-band communication between adjacent peripherals.

NI 8171 Series

Description

The NI 8171 series PXI/CompactPCI embedded computer is a
high-performance PXI/CompactPCI-compatible system controller. The
NI 8171 series controllers integrate standard I/O features in a single unit by
using state-of-the-art packaging. Combining a NI 8171 series embedded
controller with a PXI-compatible chassis, such as the PXI-1000B, results in
a fully PC-compatible computer in a compact, rugged package.

© National Instruments Corporation 1-1 NI 8171 Series User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

Modules

The NI 8171 series includes three configurations: the NI 8176, NI 8175,
and NI 8174.

All three modules have a standard I/O set, and some modules include
additional I/Oconnections. The standard I/O on all modules includes video,
RS-232 serial port, parallel port, two USB ports, 10/100 ENET, PS/2 mouse
and keyboard port, Reset button, and PXI Trigger. The modules have the
following configurations:

• The NI 8176 has a 1.26 GHz processor, all the standard I/O, a second

• The NI 8175 has an 866 MHz processor, all the standard I/O, a second

• The NI 8174 has a 566 MHz processor, all the standard I/O, and a

Functional Overview

This section contains functional descriptions of each major logic block on
the NI 8171 series embedded computers.

serial port, a PCI-based GPIB controller, an integrated 1.44 MB floppy
drive, a 10 GB (or larger) hard drive, and PXI-1020/PXI-1025 chassis
support.

serialport,anintegrated1.44MBfloppydrive,a10GB(orlarger)
hard drive, and PXI-1020/1025 chassis support.

10 GB (or larger) hard drive.

NI 8171 Series Functional Description

TheNI8171seriesisamodularPCinaPXI3U-sizeformfactor.
Figure 1-1 is a functional block diagram of the NI 8171 series. Following
the diagram is a description of each logic block shown.

NI 8171 Series User Manual 1-2 ni.com

Socket 370

CPU

Chapter 1 Introduction

VGA

Connector

SO-DIMM

SDRAM

PC 133

ATA 1 00

IDE Interface

2 USB

Connectors

PXI-1020/1025

Interface/

USB to PS/2

10/100BaseT

Ethernet

LPT 1

COM 1
COM 2

Internal

Floppy

Flash

ROM

Chip Set

Graphics

Memory

Controller

Hub

Chip Set

I/O

Controller

Hub

Super I/O

PS/2

Hub Interface

PCI Bus

LPC Bus

XBus

PCI BUS

PXI-1020
PXI-1025
TFT LCD

Interface

PXI

Connector

PXI

Triggers

SMB to

PXI Trigger

Watchdog

Keyboard/

Mouse

SMB

Figure 1-1. NI 8171 Series Block Diagram

© National Instruments Corporation 1-3 NI 8171 Series User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

The NI 8171 series consists of the following logic blocks on the CPU
module and the I/O (daughter card) module. The CPU module has the
following logic blocks:

• Socket 370 CPU is the socket definition for the Intel Pentium III
processor families.

• The SO-DIMM block consists of a 64-bit SDRAM socket that can hold
up to 256 MB.

• The Chip Set GMCH connects to the CPU, SDRAM, and video.

• The SMB to PXI triggers provide a routable connection of the PXI

triggers to/from the SMB on the front panel.

• The Watchdog Timer block consists of a watchdog timer that can reset
the controller or generate a trigger.

• The Chip Set ICH2 connects to the PCI bus USB, IDE, LPC, and
Ethernet ports.

• The USB connector connects the chip set to the Universal Serial Bus
interface.

• The PXI connector connects the NI 8171 series to the
PXI/CompactPCI backplane.

• The Keyboard/Mouse block contains the PS/2 keyboard and mouse
interface.

• The Super I/O block represents the other peripherals supplied by the
NI 8171 series. The NI 8171 series has up to two serial ports, an
ECP/EPP parallel port, and a 1.44 MB, 3.5 in. floppy drive.

• The IDE block is dedicated PCI-IDE circuitry providing fast ATA-100
transfers to the internal hard drive. The IDE feature is built into the
chip set.

• The 10/100 Enet connects to either 10 Mbit or 100 Mbit Ethernet
interfaces.

• Internal 1.44 MB floppy drive (NI 8176 and NI 8175 only)

• 2.5 in. hard drive—10 GB or larger

• TFT LCD interface for PXI-1020 and PXI-1025 chassis

• USB-to-PS/2 interface for PXI-1020 and PXI-1025 chassis

NI 8171 Series User Manual 1-4 ni.com

National Instruments Software

National Instruments has developed several software kits you can use with
the NI 8171 series. The software is already installed on your hard drive.

NI-DAQ has an extensive library of functions that you can call from your
application programming environment. These functions include routines
for analog input (A/D conversion), buffered data acquisition (high-speed
A/D conversion), analog output (D/A conversion), waveform generation,
digital I/O, counter/timer operations, SCXI, RTSI, self-calibration,
messaging, and acquiring data to extended memory.

NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA
specification. VISA is a uniform API for communicating and controlling
Serial, GPIB, PXI, VXI, and various other types of instruments. This API
aids in the creation of more portable applications and instrument drivers.
For information on writing your own PXI instrument driver with NI-VISA,
see the NI-VISA Getting Started manual and the

NI-VISA

You can also use the National Instruments LabVIEW and Measurement
Studio application programs and instrument drivers to ease your
programming task. These standardized programs match the modular virtual
instrument capability of PXI and can reduce your PXI software
development time. These programs feature extensive libraries of GPIB,
Serial, and VXI instrument drivers written to take full advantage of direct
PXI control. LabVIEW and Measurement Studio include all the tools
needed for instrument control, data acquisition, analysis, and presentation.

directory.

Chapter 1 Introduction

readme.txt

file in the

LabVIEW is an easy-to-use, graphical programming environment you can
use to acquire data from thousands of different instruments, including
IEEE 488.2 devices, VXI devices, serial devices, PLCs, and plug-in data
acquisition boards. After you have acquired raw data, you can convert it
into meaningful results using the powerful data analysis routines in
LabVIEW. LabVIEW also comes with hundreds of instrument drivers,
which dramatically reduce software development time, because you do not
have to spend time programming the low-level control of each instrument.

Measurement Studio bundles LabWindows/CVI for C programmers,
ComponentWorks for Microsoft Visual Basic programmers, and
ComponentWorks++ for Microsoft Visual C++ programmers.
Measurement Studio is designed for building measurement and automation
applications with the programming environment of your choice:

© National Instruments Corporation 1-5 NI 8171 Series User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

• LabWindows/CVI is an interactive ANSI C programming
environment designed for building virtual instrument applications.
LabWindows/CVI delivers a drag-and-drop editor for building user
interfaces, a complete ANSI C environment for building your test
program logic, and a collection of automated code generation tools,
as well as utilities for building automated test systems, monitoring
applications, or laboratory experiments.

• ComponentWorks for Visual Basic is a collection of ActiveX controls
designed for building virtual instrumentation systems. Based on
ActiveX technology, ComponentWorks controls are configured
through simple property pages. You can use the ComponentWorks
GPIB, Serial, and VISA I/O controls and property pages to set up
communication with your instruments.

• ComponentWorks++ for Visual C++ takes advantage of integrated
C++ libraries and ActiveX to help you build measurement and
automation applications. With the ComponentWorks++ instrument
classes, you can use the IEEE 488.2 library and VISA, an
industry-standard I/O library, to communicate with GPIB, VXI, PXI,
TCP/IP, or Serial devices using the same set of components.

NI 8171 Series User Manual 1-6 ni.com

Installation and Configuration

This chapter contains information about installing and configuring your
NI 8171 series controller.

Installing the NI 8171 Series

This section contains general installation instructions for the NI 8171
series. Consult your PXI chassis user manual for specific instructions and
warnings.

1. Plug in your chassis before installing the NI 8171 series. The power
cord grounds the chassis and protects it from electrical damage while
you install the module. (Make sure the power switch is turned off.)

2

Caution

off until you finish installing the NI 8171 series module.

Caution

module will not insert properly unless the handle is in its downward position so that it does
not interfere with the injector rail on the chassis.

To protect both yourself and the chassis from electrical hazards, leave the chassis

2. Remove any filler panels blocking access to the system controller slot
(Slot 1) in the chassis.

3. Touch the metal part of the case to discharge any static electricity that
might be on your clothes or body.

4. Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position.
Align the NI 8171 series with the card guides on the top and bottom of
the system controller slot.

Do not raise the injector/ejector handle as you insert the NI 8171 series. The

5. Hold the handle as you slowly slide the module into the chassis until
the handle catches on the injector/ejector rail.

6. Raise the injector/ejector handle until the module firmly seats into the
backplane receptacle connectors. The front panel of the NI 8171 series
should be even with the front panel of the chassis.

7. Tighten the four bracket-retaining screws on the top and bottom of the
front panel to secure the NI 8171 series to the chassis.

© National Instruments Corporation 2-1 NI 8171 Series User Manual

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

8. Check the installation.

9. Connect the keyboard and mouse to the appropriate connectors. If you
are using a PS/2 keyboard and a PS/2 mouse, use the Y-splitter adapter
(see Figure 4-1, Y-Splitter Cable) included with your controller to
connect both to the PS/2 connector.

10. Connect the VGA monitor video cable to the VGA connector.

11. Connect devices to ports as required by your system configuration.

12. Power on the chassis.

13. Verify that the controller boots. If the controller does not boot, see
the What if the NI 8171 series does not boot? section in Chapter 5,

Troubleshooting.

Figure 2-1 shows an NI 8176 installed in the system controller slot of a
National Instruments PXI-1000 chassis. You can place PXI devices in any
other slot.

1

2

3

1 PXI-1000 Chassis 2 NI 8171 Series Controller 3 Injector/Ejector Rail

Figure 2-1. NI 8171 Series Controller Installed in a PXI Chassis

NI 8171 Series User Manual 2-2 ni.com

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Chassis

The NI 8171 series controllers are designed for easy handling. To remove
the unit from the PXI chassis:

1. Turn off power.

2. Remove the bracket-retaining screws in the front panel.

3. Press the injector/ejector handle down.

4. Slide the unit out of the chassis.

BIOS Setup

You can change the NI 8171 series configuration settings in the BIOS
setup. The BIOS is the low-level interface between the hardware and PC
software that configures and tests your hardware when you boot the system.
The BIOS setup program includes menus for configuring settings and
enabling NI 8171 series controller features.

Most users do not need to use the BIOS setup program, as the NI 8171
series controller ships with default settings that work well for most
configurations.

Caution

an unbootable controller. If this happens, follow the instructions for restoring default
settings in the System CMOS section. In general, do not change a setting unless you are
absolutely certain what it does.

Changing BIOS settings may lead to incorrect controller behavior and possibly

Entering BIOS Setup

To start the BIOS setup utility:

1. Turn on or reboot your NI 8171 series controller.

2. When the message Press <DEL> to enter SETUP appears, press
<Delete> or <Del> on the numeric keypad. The message Entering
Setup… appears, and the setup program is loaded after a short delay.

3. When you first enter the BIOS setup program, it displays the Main
menu.

Use the following keys to navigate through the BIOS setup:

• Left Arrow, Right Arrow—Use these keys to move between the
different setup menus. If you are in a submenu, these keys have no
effect, and you need to press <Esc> to leave the submenu first. (To use
the arrows on the numeric keypad, you must turn off Num Lock.)

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Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

• Up Arrow, Down Arrow—Use these keys to move between the

options within a setup menu. (To use the arrows on the numeric
keypad, you must turn off Num Lock.)

• <Enter>—Use this key to either enter a submenu or display all

available settings for a highlighted configuration option.

• <Esc>—Use this key to return the parent menu of a submenu. At the
top-level menus, this key serves as a shortcut to the Exit menu.

• <+> and <–>—Use these keys to cycle between all available settings
for a selected configuration option.

Main Setup Menu

The most commonly accessed and modified BIOS settings are in the Main
setup menu. The Main setup menu includes the following settings:

• System Time & Date—This setting controls the time of day, which is
stored in a battery-backed real-time clock. Most operating systems
also include a way to change this setting. Use <+> and <–>in
conjunction with <Enter> to change these values.

• DMI Event Logging—This setting brings up the DMI Event
Logging submenu (see the DMI Event Logging Submenu section).

• Keyboard Required to Boot—When Yes, a missing or
malfunctioning keyboard causes the BIOS to halt with an error. When
No, the BIOS allows booting without a keyboard, and you can attach a
keyboard at any time during the powered up state. To use this controller
in a “headless” mode, you must set this option to No. The default value
is Yes.

• Num Lock—This setting indicates whether you turn on Num Lock at
boot time. The default value is On.

• Primary/Secondary Master/Slave—These items display the
IDE/ATA devices detected in the system. Normally, you do not need to
modify these items. However, if an IDE/ATA device is not
autodetected properly, you can specify it manually by pressing
<Enter> on an item.

• System Information—This setting displays a screen containing
important system information about the NI 8171 series controller.

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DMI Event Logging Submenu

Major errors that occur during the BIOS booting process are stored in
battery-backed memory on the controller, and remain there until you view
and clear them using this submenu. This logging capability allows a system
administrator to detect the historical occurrence of faults on a controller.
This submenu includes the following items:

• View DMI Event Log—This setting displays a window containing all

• Mark Events as Read—This setting prevents any current logged

• Clear All Events—When set to Yes, this setting clears all entries from

• Event Logging—This setting controls whether events are logged.

Advanced Setup Menu

This menu contains BIOS settings that normally do not require
modification. If you have specific problems such as unbootable disks or
resource conflicts, you may need to examine these settings.

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

logged system errors and the time at which they occurred.

entries from being displayed again. However, all entries remain in
battery-backed memory, and you can retrieve them using other DMI
software that is beyond the scope of this document.

the DMI event log on reboot.

Disabling logging has no impact on system performance. The default
is Enabled.

Caution

If this happens, follow the procedures outlined in the System CMOS section to restore
BIOS settings to their factory defaults.

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Changing settings in this menu may result in an unstable or unbootable controller.

The Advanced setup menu includes the following settings:

• Reset Configuration Data—A portion of the EEPROM on the

controller is designated as the Extended System Configuration Data
region (ESCD). The BIOS and Plug-and-Play operating systems use
this table to store the Last Known Good configuration of system
peripherals. If you experience resource conflicts or peripheral
malfunction, set this setting to Yes to force the BIOS to recreate the
ESCD on the next reboot. This is rarely necessary.

• Integrated Peripherals—Use this setting to bring up the Integrated
Peripherals submenu (see the Integrated Peripherals Submenu

section).

• Local Bus IDE Adapter—The NI 8171 series controller has two
integrated IDE/ATA channels (Primary and Secondary), each capable

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

of supporting two ATA devices (Master and Slave). Use this setting to
disable one or more of these integrated channels. You should modify
this setting only if specified in other sections of this manual. The
default is Both.

• Write Protect Boot Sector—When set to Yes, this setting prevents

modification of a hard disk boot sector via INT 13h services, which
may help prevent certain computer viruses from infecting the
controller. This setting does not prevent boot sector modification by
32-bit operating system drivers that access the hard disk directly. The
default is No.

• Quick Boot Mode—When you enable this option, certain lengthy

BIOS tests that rarely fail are skipped to shorten controller boot time.
The default is Enabled.

• Summary Screen—This setting controls the display of the summary

screen shown after BIOS completes its initialization, but before
booting takes place. You can disable this screen in the interest of
shortening controller boot time. The default is Disabled.

Integrated Peripherals Submenu

Use this submenu to apply nondefault configurations to the front panel
peripherals of an NI 8171 series controller. Normally, you do not need to
modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most
compatible and optimal configuration possible.

• Serial Port A & B—This setting enables or disables COM1 and
COM2, respectively. You can also change this setting to Enabled and
modify the base address and Interrupt Request Level (IRQ) of a port.
The default is Auto, which places COM1 at 0x3F8 IRQ 4 and COM2
at 0x2F8 IRQ 3.

• Parallel Port—Use this setting to enable or disable LPT1. You can
also change this setting to Enabled and modify the base address, IRQ
level, and ISA Direct Memory Access (DMA) channel of the port. The
default is Auto, which places LPT1 at 0x378, IRQ 7, using ISA DMA
Channel 3 if necessary.

• Parallel Port Mode—The PC industry has created several different
modes of operation for this port over the years. Usually, the default
setting works for all applications. However, if a parallel port device
specifically requires a nondefault setting, you can change it here. The
default is Bidirectional, for full IEEE 1284 capabilities.

• Floppy Drive—You can route the internal signals used for the 3.5 in.
floppy drive operation through the pins on the parallel port connector.
Use this setting to operate the NI 8171 series controller with a

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