Use Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) to configure your NI hardware. MAX informs other programs about which NI hardware products are in the system and how they are configured. MAX is automatically installed with LabVIEW Instrument Design Libraries for High Speed Serial Instruments.

  1. Launch MAX.
  2. In the configuration tree, expand Devices and Interfaces to see the list of installed NI hardware.
    Note If you do not see your module listed, press <F5> to refresh the list of installed modules. If the module is still not listed, power off the system, ensure the module is correctly installed, and restart.
  3. Record the identifier MAX assigns to the hardware. Use this identifier when programming the PXIe-6591.
  4. Self-test the hardware by selecting the item in the configuration tree and clicking Self-Test in the MAX toolbar.
    The MAX self-test performs a basic verification of hardware resources.

What Should I Do If the PXIe-6591 Does Not Appear in MAX?

Check if you must refresh the connection between the hardware and the software in MAX.

  1. In the MAX configuration tree, expand Devices and Interfaces. Press <F5> to refresh the list.
  2. If the PXIe-6591 is still not listed, complete the following steps.
    1. Power off the system.
    2. Ensure that all hardware is correctly installed.
    3. Restart the system.
  3. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
    1. Verify that a National Instruments entry appears in the system device list.
    2. If error conditions appear in the list, right-click the module you are using in the Device Manager and select Update Driver.
    If error conditions persist, reinstall the driver.
  4. Restart your computer.

What Should I Do If the PXIe-6591 Fails the Self-Test in MAX?

  1. Reset the PXIe-6591 through MAX and then perform the self-test again.
  2. Restart the system, and then perform the self-test again.
    Note If the device fails the self-test again, contact NI or visit ni.com/support for further troubleshooting information.