How to Install the AT-MXI board in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000
Hardware: VXI/VME/MXI>>MXI Interfaces>>AT-MXI
Problem: The AT-MXI-1 will either not install or give error "NI-VXI driver fails to install" when trying to run VXIinit in WinNT4.0 SP3.
Solution: The installation of the AT-MXI-1 is a little tricky in Windows NT, but following these steps will get the driver to load for VXIinit:
- Make sure to have the latest AT-MXI-1 driver version and that you are not copying over a previous driver (i.e., start from a clean slate). If you need to download this driver, you can get it at www.ni.com/support/vxi/drivers.htm.
- Before installing the software open up the System icon in the Control Panel and then go to the Environment tab.
- In the Environment tab manually define/update the environment variables: Type in (if not present use the Set button) the following entries:
ENTRY VARIABLE
PATH C:\NIVXI;C:\NIVXI\WINNT
LIB C:\NIVXI\WINNT\MSC
Include C:\NIVXI\INCLUDE
NIVXIPATH C:\NIVXI
Once you have entered in all of the variables hit OK and exit.
- Unzip the contents of the atmxi-nt.zip file into your C:\WinNT\Temp directory. Install the software by running the setup.exe program.
- A good thing to keep in mind is the availability of your system resources: base I/O address, interrupt request (IRQ) lines, and direct memory access (DMA) channels. Go to Start >> Programs >> AdministrativeTools >> Windows NT Diagnostics and open the Resources tab. Check the IRQ, I/O Port and DMA settings to make sure that the resources you want to use are available.
- Set the jumper W3 tab on your AT-MXI-1 board for the interrupts. The left side (side closest to the edge of the board) is the MXIbus Interrupt Level. Put the jumper on the left two pins corresponding to the free interrupt that you select.
- Set the second jumper W3 tab on your AT-MXI-1 board for the interrupts. The right side (side closest to the inside of the board) is the Board Interrupt Level. Put the jumper on the right two pins corresponding to the second free interrupt that you select.
- Open up VXItedit from the NI-VXI directory to prepare the AT-MXI board.
- Type in "2" and hit enter to go to the Configuration screen. Type in "1" and go to the Bus Configuration Editor. If you need a list of helpful commands type in "help." Type in "list" at the prompt to view the current settings. The number 2 index or entry is the MXIbus Interrupt Level. If this is different than what you set on the board in step 6 change it to the same interrupt setting. You do this by typing in "modify 2" and it will prompt you to enter in the new Interrupt. After you have made the change type in "save." A message will pop up saying that the NI-VXI driver needs to reload in order for the change to take place. Hit OK. To reload the driver you have to restart the computer but we won't do that at this point.
- Type exit and go back to the second menu. Type in 3 and go to the Logical Address Configuration Editor. Type in "list" again and it will show you the resource settings for your board at the software level. Again, note the differences in the Base I/O and interrupts. If they are different type in "modify number" where number is the index refering to that entry.
- The number 4 index in the Logical Address Configuration Editor is the Board Interrupt Level. If this is different than what you set on the board in step 7 change it to the same interrupt setting. You do this by typing in "modify 4" and it will prompt you to enter in the new Interrupt. After you have made the change type in "save." A message will pop up saying that the NI-VXI driver needs to reload in order for the change to take place. Hit OK. To reload the driver you have to restart the computer but we won't do that at this point.
- If you do not use the Master DMA or the Slave DMA type in "255" which is none or no DMA used but make sure that you do not have the DMA jumpers on your AT-MXI-1 board.
- Exit VXItedit by typing in "exit", "4", and "11"
- Restart WinNT to let the NI-VXI driver to make the changes.
- Shut down the computer and install the AT-MXI-1 board in an available ISA slot. Reboot.
- To test the configuration run VXIinit from the NI-VXI directory. If the driver still fails go back through the above steps to make sure that the software settings match the hardware settings.
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Report Date: 01/19/1998
Last Updated: 10/01/2001
Document ID: 15IF5B4S
