This section answers common troubleshooting questions you may have when using the PXIe-8881 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.

Things to Notice:

  • 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 and cable/adapter. Does your monitor work with a different PC? If it hangs, note the last screen output that you saw for reference when consulting NI 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.
  • Reset the CMOS.
  • Recover the internal drive on the controller.
  • Make sure the RAM is properly seated.

What if I can’t see the video?

If you do not see your BIOS screen on boot up, check all cables, adapters, and monitor connections and power.

What if MAX warns me that my chassis is not supported?

Only PXI Express chassis that support 82 W slot cooling capacity, such as the PXIe-1092 or PXIe-1095, support the PXIe-8881. Operation and performance is not guaranteed in other chassis across the operating conditions outlined in the PXIe-8881 Specifications.

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.

What if some modules installed in a remote Thunderbolt chassis show up in Windows Device Manager with yellow exclamation points?

Thunderbolt does not allow peripherals to take advantage of legacy IO Space. Some devices (such as serial or Ethernet modules) may rely on IO Space, creating resource allocation issues in the system. These modules should not prevent boot or operation of other devices, but will not function using IO Space.

For more information, go to ni.com/support.

What if some devices, when installed in a system with many remote chassis, show up in Windows Device Manager with yellow exclamation points?

PCI Express systems are allocated 256 unique bus segments. The Thunderbolt 3 ports on the PXIe-8881 consume 50 segments each (two ports total), leaving the residual segments for remote chassis connections. Disabling the Thunderbolt 3 ports from your PXIe-8881 BIOS allows those 100 bus segments to be allocated to remote chassis.

For more information, go to ni.com/support.

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.

PXI Platform Services version 20.0 or later supports the PXIe-8881.

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
    1. Enter the BIOS setup program.
    2. Press <F9> to load BIOS defaults.
    3. Answer Y (Yes) to the verification prompt.
    4. Select Save and Exit Setup.
  2. Second Method
    1. Power off the chassis.
    2. Remove the controller from the chassis.
    3. Press the Clear CMOS button (SW2) as shown in the following figure.
    4. Reinstall the controller in the chassis.
      Figure 5. Clearing the CMOS Contents

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      1. Push-Button Switch SW2