MXI-3 and MXI-4 Troubleshooting Guide

Hardware: PXI/CompactPCI, PXI/CompactPCI>>Controllers>>PXI-8330, PXI/CompactPCI>>Controllers>>PXI-8331, PXI/CompactPCI>>Controllers>>PXI-8335, PXI/CompactPCI>>Controllers>>PXI-8336

Problem:
Where can I find troubleshooting tips for MXI-3 and MXI-4 interfaces?

Solution:
This document covers several troubleshooting tips associated with National Instruments MXI-3 and MXI-4 hardware.

Problem 1: The computer does not boot or I receive a Blue Screen
Solution 1: Try the following suggestions below:

Remove all PXI devices from the chassis.
Make sure the MXI-3 boards are well seated and placed into the proper slots. The PXI card must be in the first slot of the secondary chassis. (If the first chassis has a controller in it, the PXI MXI-3 can be in any other slot)
Are you using Windows XP? See KnowledgeBase 2DDAQG00 : MXI-3 and MXI-4 Blue Screen Errors on Windows XP
Make sure the ends of the cables are fully inserted into the connectors on the MXI-3 boards. The link light on the MXI-3 should stay on the continuously while the system is powered up. If the LED flashes at anytime the link has been lost, possibly due to a loose connection.
Try changing PCI slots in the computer.

Problem 2: MXI-3 Interface or PXI boards are not detected by the Operating System or Resource Conflict is Present.
Solution 2: Try the following suggestions below:

Windows OS: Verify that the MXI-3 is being detected by the Operating System. Run the MXI-3 optimization software. A pop-up box will report if the MXI-3 board is not detected. If the MXI-3 is not detected then locate the troubleshooting steps for the MXI-3 board not being detected.
Are you using a serial card or are seeing resource conflicts in Device Manager? See :
KnowledgeBase 2IR77MLS: PXI Boards Not Detected Over PXI-MXI-3 Link Under Windows 2000
If the boards in the PXI chassis are not showing up in MAX do a refresh (F5).
Make sure the chassis are being powered up in the proper sequence. Power the PXI chassis and then the computer. When daisy-chaining MXI-3 controllers, power on the chassis starting with the chassis at the end of the chain and move towards the host controller.
Make sure the ends of the cables are fully inserted into the connectors on the MXI-3 boards. The link light on the MXI-3 should stay on the continuously while the system is powered up. If the LED flashes at anytime the link has been lost, possibly due to a loose connection.
If the boards in the PXI chassis are still not showing up check the Device Manager. Delete any Unknown Devices with yellow question marks next to them, and "Scan for Hardware Changes" or "Refresh" the Windows Device Manager.
If a device can be seen in Device Manager but is not being detected by the driver or is not working, refer to the documentation for that device. It may be helpful to remove working devices during troubleshooting.
If all the hardware exists except for one or two devices, then it may be an issue with those particular devices. At that point it may be easier to troubleshoot those devices by removing the properly working devices and then doing more testing.
If none of the hardware in the secondary chassis is detected, but the MXI-3 is detected, then contact National Instruments Technical Support (see the Related Link, below).

Problem 3: MXI-3 is not detected in the system.
Solution 3: Try the following suggestions below:

Remove all PXI devices from the chassis. They can be reinstalled later.
Make sure the chassis are being powered up in the proper sequence. Power the PXI chassis and then the computer. When daisy-chaining MXI-3 controllers, power on the chassis starting with the chassis at the end of the chain and move towards the host controller.
Make sure the ends of the cables are fully inserted into the connectors on the MXI-3 boards. The link light on the MXI-3 should stay on the continuously while the system is powered up. If the LED flashes at anytime the link has been lost, possibly due to a loose connection. You may also want to ensure there is no damage to the cable, especially the fiber cable. If there is still a problem with the link, then contact National Instruments Technical Support (see the Related Link, below).
Verify that the Plug and Play service is enabled in the computer's operating system. On Windows 2000 and XP machines, this option can be found in the "Services" application which is available under "Adminitrative Tools" in the Control Panel. Scroll down in the list of services until you find "Plug and Play" and make sure that it is "Started" with a Startup Type of "Automatic"
If the MXI-3 is still not being detected it may be that the BIOS is causing the problem. Some BIOS have a selection as to whether on not the operating system is plug and play. In some cases this can cause a problem. If the BIOS of the computer has a selection for "Plug and Play OS, then set this option to "No" even if you are using a Plug and Play operating system. If this does not help, then set it back to "YES" when you are done trouble shooting the system. At that time, ensure that setting it back to "YES" does not affect the system.
If the MXI-3 is still not detected, then contact National Instruments Technical Support (see the Request Support link, below).

Report Date: 02/08/2001
Last Updated: 04/29/2008
Document ID: 267FAS5P

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