Ni Pxie-8840 Quad-Core: User Manual

USER MANUAL
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core
This document provides reference information for PXI Express and the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core embedded controller.
Contents
Related Documentation ............................................................................................................2
PXI Express Features................................................................................................................ 2
Benefits of PXI Express.................................................................................................... 2
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core......................................................................................................... 3
Description........................................................................................................................ 3
Functional Overview.........................................................................................................3
National Instruments Software..................................................................................................5
Configuration............................................................................................................................ 6
BIOS Setup Utility............................................................................................................ 6
BIOS Diagnostic Utilities............................................................................................... 17
System CMOS.................................................................................................................17
ExpressCard.................................................................................................................... 18
Boot Options................................................................................................................... 19
Hard Drive Recovery...................................................................................................... 19
Upgrade Information.......................................................................................................20
Installing an OS...............................................................................................................21
Specifications.......................................................................................................................... 21
Features........................................................................................................................... 22
Front Panel Dimensions.................................................................................................. 23
Electrical......................................................................................................................... 24
Physical........................................................................................................................... 24
Environmental................................................................................................................. 24
Shock and Vibration........................................................................................................25
Safety.............................................................................................................................. 26
I/O Information....................................................................................................................... 27
DisplayPort......................................................................................................................27
COM1..............................................................................................................................29
Ethernet........................................................................................................................... 30
Universal Serial Bus........................................................................................................31
Trigger.............................................................................................................................33
GPIB (IEEE 488.2)......................................................................................................... 34
ExpressCard/34 Slot........................................................................................................35
Worldwide Support and Services............................................................................................ 37
Related Documentation
The following documents contain information you may find helpful as you read this manual:
• PICMG EXP.0 R2.0 CompactPCI Express Specification, PCI Industrial Computers
Manufacturers Group
• IEEE Standard P1284.1-1997 (C/MM) Standard for Information Technology for
Transport Independent Printer/System Interface
• PCI Express Base Specification, PCI Special Interest Group
• PXI-5 PXI Express Hardware Specification, PXI Systems Alliance
• PXI-6 PXI Express Software Specification, PXI Systems Alliance
• Serialized IRQ Support for PCI Systems Specification, Compaq Computer et al.
• ExpressCard Standard, PCMCIA
PXI Express Features

Benefits of PXI Express
The PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation) industry standard, an open specification
governed by the PXI Systems Alliance (PXISA), has quickly gained adoption and grown in
prevalence in test, measurement, and control systems since its release in 1998. One of the key
elements driving the rapid adoption of PXI is its use of PCI in the communication backplane.
As the commercial PC industry has improved the available bus bandwidth by evolving PCI to
PCI Express, PXI is now able to meet even more application needs by integrating PCI Express
into the PXI standard. By taking advantage of PCI Express technology in the backplane, PXI
Express increases the available PXI bandwidth from up to 132 MB/s to up to 8 GB/s for a
more than 60x improvement in bandwidth.
PXI Express maximizes both hardware and software compatibility with PXI modules. PXI
Express hybrid slots deliver both PCI and PCI Express signaling to accept devices that use
PXI communication and triggering or the newer PXI Express standard. Software compatibility
is maintained because PCI Express uses the same OS and driver model as PCI, resulting in
complete software compatibility among PCI-based systems, for example PXI, and PCI
Express-based systems such as PXI Express.
PXI Express, like PXI, leverages from the CompactPCI specification to define a rugged,
modular form factor that offers superior mechanical integrity and easy installation and removal
of hardware components. PXI Express products offer higher and more carefully defined levels
of environmental performance required by the shock, vibration, temperature, and humidity
extremes of industrial environments. Mandatory environmental testing and active cooling is
added to the CompactPCI mechanical specification to ease system integration and ensure
multivendor interoperability.
2 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

The demanding timing and synchronization requirements of instrumentation systems are met
by the integrated features of PXI Express. Not only are the trigger bus, 10 MHz system
reference clock, and star trigger bus available in PXI retained by PXI Express, but new timing
and synchronization features that include a 100 MHz differential system reference clock for
the synchronization of multiple modules and three differential star trigger buses for the
distribution of precise clock and trigger signals have been added. Differential timing and
synchronization signals provide PXI Express systems with increased noise immunity and the
ability to transmit clock signals at higher frequencies.
Description
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core PXI Express/CompactPCI Express embedded controller is a
high-performance PXI Express/CompactPCI Express-compatible system controller. The
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller integrates standard I/O features in a single unit by using
state-of-the-art packaging. Combining an NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core embedded controller with
a PXI Express-compatible chassis, such as the NI PXIe-1085, results in a fully PC-compatible
computer in a compact, rugged package.
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core has an Intel® Core™ i7 5700EQ processor (2.6 GHz quad-core
processor), all the standard I/O, and a 320 GB (or larger) hard drive. It also has a PCI-based
GPIB controller and an ExpressCard/34 expansion slot1.
The standard I/O on each module includes two DisplayPort video, one RS-232 serial port, four
Hi-Speed USB ports, two SuperSpeed USB ports, two Gigabit Ethernet, a reset button, and a
PXI trigger.
Functional Overview
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core is a modular PC in a PXI Express 3U-size form factor. The
following figure is a functional block diagram of the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. Following the
diagram is a description of each logic block shown.
1 Available on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core ExpressCard variant only.
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 3

Figure 1. NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core Block Diagram
PXI PCI Express

4x4 x8 Processor SO-DIMM
Express Switch
Intel Core Memory Bus Ch. A DDR3L SDRAM
i7 PC3 12800
x4 DDI
DisplayPort
x4 DMI2
USB 3.0 x2
x4 DDI
DisplayPort
USB 3.0 x2 USB 2.0 x4
Intel I217-LM
RJ45 USB 2.0 x4
Gigabit
Port 1
PHY
Intel I210-IT Intel SATA SATA

RJ45 x1 PCIE
Gigabit 8 Series Hard Disk
Port 2 PCH
MAC/PHY
SPI
FLASH
x1 PCIE
ExpressCard/34 Slot
LPC
(ExpressCard USB
UART COM1
Variant Only)
Watchdog
x1 PCIE
SMB
Trigger
Connector
GPIB GPIB
Connector Controller PCI
PXI
Triggers
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core consists of the following logic blocks on two circuit card
assemblies (CCAs):
• The processor is an Intel® Core™ i7 5700EQ processor (6 MB Cache, 2.6 GHz). The
processor connects to the SO-DIMM block through the DDR3L interface supporting up
to 1600 MHz SO-DIMMs and the PCH through a x4 DMI2 (Direct Media Interface)
interface supporting up to 5 GT/s per lane.
• The SO-DIMM block consists of one 64-bit DDR3L SDRAM socket that can hold up to
8 GB of memory.
• The processor provides the DisplayPort interface that connects to display peripherals on
the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core, and the PCI Express interface to the PXI Express
backplane through a PCI Express switch.
• The Platform Controller Hub (PCH) provides the USB, PCI Express x1, and LPC
interfaces that connect to the peripherals on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core.
• The DisplayPort block consists of two DisplayPort connectors.
• The USB block consists of four Hi-Speed USB 2.0 connectors and two SuperSpeed USB
3.0 connectors.
• The GPIB block contains the GPIB interface.

• The ExpressCard/34 slot accommodates an ExpressCard/34 module.
• The Ethernet Port 1 block consists of an Intel® I217-LM Gigabit Ethernet Connection.
• The Ethernet Port 2 block consists of an Intel® I210-IT Gigabit Ethernet Connection.
• The UART block connects to one serial port.
• The SMB Front Panel Trigger provides a routable connection of the PXI triggers to/from
the SMB on the front panel.
• The Watchdog block consists of a watchdog timer that can reset the controller or generate
triggers.
• The PXI Express Connectors connect the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core to the PXI Express/
CompactPCI Express backplane.
National Instruments Software

National Instruments has developed several software tools you can use with the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core.
National Instruments hardware and software work together to help you make the most of your
PXI system. The LabVIEW, Measurement Studio, and LabWindows™/CVI™ application
development environments combine with leading hardware drivers such as NI-DAQmx to
provide exceptional control of NI hardware. Instrument drivers are available at ni.com/
idnet to simplify communication with instruments over a variety of buses.
LabVIEW is a powerful and easy-to-use graphical programming environment you can use to
acquire data from thousands of different instruments including USB, IEEE 488.2, VXI, serial,
PLCs, and plug-in boards. LabVIEW helps you convert acquired data into meaningful results
using powerful data analysis routines. Add-on tools provide additional specialized
functionality. For more information, visit ni.com/labview and ni.com/toolkits.
If you prefer to use Microsoft’s Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Visual Studio .NET for the core
of your application, Measurement Studio adds tools for Measurement and Automation to each
language. For more information, visit ni.com/mstudio.
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. For more information, visit
ni.com/lwcvi.
NI-DAQmx provides an extensive library of functions that you can call from your application
development environment or interactive environment such as NI Signal Express. These
functions provide an intuitive API for National Instruments multifunction DAQ products.
Features available include 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 signal conditioning, RTSI or PXI synchronization, self-
calibration, messaging, and acquiring data to extended memory. For more information, visit
ni.com/daq.
National Instruments modular instruments use specialized drivers suited to each product’s
specialization. Express VIs provide customized, interactive programming of instruments in a
single interface, and soft front panels provide an interface for testing the functionality of each
instrument with no programming required. NI Switches, DMMs, High-Speed DIO, High-
Speed Digitizers, and Sources each have customized drivers for high-end modular
instrumentation systems. RF applications leverage two drivers, NI-RFSG and NI-RFSA, and
Dynamic Signal Acquisition is available through NI-DAQmx. For more information, visit
ni.com/modularinstruments.
You can expand the timing and triggering functionality of your PXI system with PXI Timing
and Synchronization products. These products provide precision clock sources, custom routing
of triggers for multi-chassis synchronization, clock sharing, and more and are programmed
with NI-Sync. For more information, visit ni.com/pxi.
NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA specification. VISA is a

uniform API for communicating and controlling USB, Serial, GPIB, PXI, VXI, and various
other types of instruments. This API aids in the creation of portable applications and
instrument drivers. For information about writing your own PXI instrument driver with NI-
VISA, refer to the NI-VISA Getting Started Manual and the readme.txt file in the NI-VISA
directory. For more information, visit ni.com/visa.
With LabVIEW for Linux and support for more than two hundred devices on Linux with the
NI-DAQmx driver, you can now create virtual instruments based on the Linux OS. Instrument
control in Linux has been improved by the NI-VISA driver for Linux, and NI modular
instruments are partially supported. For more information, visit ni.com/linux.
Configuration
BIOS Setup Utility
You can change the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core configuration settings in the BIOS setup
program. The BIOS is the low-level interface between the hardware and operating system
software that configures and tests your hardware when you boot the system. The BIOS setup
program includes menus for configuring settings and enabling NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core
controller features.
Most users do not need to use the BIOS setup program, as the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core
controller ships with default settings that work well for most configurations.
Caution Changing BIOS settings may lead to incorrect controller behavior and
possibly 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.
Accessing BIOS Setup Utility

1. Power on or restart your NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller.
2. When the message Press <DEL> to enter setup appears, press the <Delete> key.
The setup program loads after a short delay.
The Main menu is displayed when you first enter the BIOS setup program.
Use the following keys to navigate through the BIOS setup program:
• 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 must press <Esc> to leave the
submenu first. (To use the arrows on the numeric keypad, you must turn off Num Lock.)
• 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 either to enter a submenu or display all available settings for a
highlighted configuration option.
• <Esc>—Use this key to return to 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.
• <Tab>—Use this key to select time and date fields.
• <F9>—Use this key to load the optimal default values for BIOS configuration settings.
The optimal default values are the same as the shipping configuration default values.
Main Setup Menu

The most commonly accessed and modified BIOS settings are in the Main setup menu. The
Main setup menu reports the following configuration information:
• BIOS Version and Build Date—These values indicate the version of the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller BIOS and the date on which the BIOS was built.
• Embedded Firmware Version—This value helps identify the built-in hardware
capabilities.
• Processor Type, Base Processor Frequency, and Active Processor Cores—These
values indicate the type of processor used in the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller, the
processor speed, and the maximum number of processor cores.
• Total Memory—This value indicates the system RAM size the BIOS detects.
• PXIe Chassis Information—These values indicate the overall chassis link configuration,
the link width of each link, and the link speed of each link.

The Main setup menu also includes the following settings:
• System Date—This setting controls the date, 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> and <Tab> to change these values.
• System Time—This setting controls the time of day, which is stored in a battery-backed
real-time clock. Most operating systems include a way to change this setting. Use <+>
and <-> in conjunction with <Enter> and <Tab> to change these values.
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.
Caution Changing settings in this menu may result in an unstable or unbootable

controller. If this happens, follow the procedures outlined in the System CMOS
section to restore BIOS settings to their factory defaults.
The Advanced setup menu includes the following settings and submenus:
• SATA Configuration—Use this setting to access the SATA Configuration submenu.
Refer to the SATA Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• CPU Configuration—Use this setting to access the CPU Configuration submenu. Refer
to the CPU Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• Video Configuration—Use this setting to access the Video Configuration submenu.
Refer to the Video Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• Power/Wake Configuration—Use this setting to access the Power/Wake
Configuration submenu. Refer to the Power/Wake Configuration Submenu section for
more information.
• ExpressCard Configuration2—Use this setting to access the ExpressCard
Configuration submenu. Refer to the ExpressCard Configuration Submenu section for
more information.
• PCI Configuration—Use this setting to access the PCI Configuration submenu. Refer
to the PCI Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• AMT Configuration—Use this setting to access the AMT Configuration submenu.
Refer to the AMT Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• USB Configuration—Use this setting to access the USB Configuration submenu. Refer
to the USB Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• Serial Port Configuration—Use this setting to access the Serial Port Configuration
submenu. Refer to the Serial Port Configuration Submenu section for more information.

SATA Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the hard disk drive (HDD) interfaces.
Normally, you do not need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the
most compatible and optimal configuration possible.
• SATA Controller—This setting specifies whether or not the onboard SATA controller is
enabled or disabled. The default value is Enabled.
– SATA Mode Selection—This setting determines whether AHCI mode is enabled or
disabled for the SATA port. Some operating systems, such as Windows 2000, do not
support AHCI mode. You can use this setting to disable AHCI mode and enable IDE
mode so that non-compatible OSes function correctly. The default value is AHCI.
• Internal Drive (SATA)—This item displays the onboard SATA drive detected in the
system.
CPU Configuration Submenu

Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the CPU. Normally, you do not need to modify
these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and optimal
configuration possible.
• Hyper Threading—This setting enables or disables Intel Hyper-Threading technology.
The default value is Enabled. Enabling Hyper-Threading increases performance for some
applications by adding virtual CPU cores. Hyper-Threading can increase application
jitter, so be careful when enabling this setting on a Real Time system. When the BIOS is
configured to boot LabVIEW Real-Time, Hyper-Threading is disabled automatically. To
manually enable Hyper-Threading performance when in LabVIEW Real-Time mode,
refer to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu.
• Enabled CPU Cores—This setting selects the number of active CPU cores for the
processor. Valid values are 1, 2, 3 and All. The default value is All.
• Turbo Boost—This setting enables or disables Intel Turbo Boost technology. The default
value is Enabled. Enabling Turbo Boost allows CPU cores to run at higher than their
base frequency for short durations, while other cores are idle. Enabling Turbo Boost also
can increase application jitter, so be careful when enabling this setting on a Real Time
system. To achieve maximum possible Turbo Boost frequencies, also enable the C-States
setting. When the BIOS is configured to boot LabVIEW Real-Time, Turbo Boost is
disabled automatically. To manually enable Turbo Boost performance when in LabVIEW
Real-Time mode, refer to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu.
• C-States—This setting enables or disables CPU power management. The default value is
Enabled. Enabling C-States allows the processor to put idle CPU cores to sleep, allowing
active cores to run at higher than base frequencies when Turbo Boost is enabled. Enabling
C-States can increase application jitter, so be careful when enabling this setting on a Real
Time system. When the BIOS is configured to boot LabVIEW Real-Time, C-States are
disabled automatically. To manually enable C-States when in LabVIEW Real-Time mode,
refer to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu.

• Hardware Prefetcher—This setting enables or disables CPU cache hardware
prefetching. The default value is Disabled when booting LabVIEW Real-Time and
Enabled when booting other OSs. Enabling hardware prefetching can increase system
performance for some applications, but can cause control algorithms to behave less
deterministically.
• Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch—This setting enables or disables prefetching of adjacent
cache lines from memory to the CPU cache. The default value is Disabled when booting
LabVIEW Real-Time and Enabled when booting other OSs. Enabling adjacent cache
line prefetching can increase system performance for some applications, but can cause
control algorithms to behave less deterministically.
Video Configuration Submenu

Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the video configuration. Normally, you do not
need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and
optimal configuration possible.
• Primary Display—This setting specifies which video adapter the BIOS should use as the
primary adapter if more than one is present. To use an external video adapter as the
primary graphics adapter, choose Add-in Board Video. The default value is Onboard
Video.
Power/Wake Configuration Submenu

Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to the power and wake features of the
chipset and controller. Normally, you do not need to modify these settings, as the factory
default settings provide the most compatible and optimal configuration possible.
• Restore After Power Loss—This setting specifies the power state that the controller
should return to after AC power is lost. Valid values are Stay Off and Turn On. The
default is Stay Off. When set to Stay Off, the controller returns to the soft off power state
after AC power is restored. When set to Turn On, the controller powers on when AC
power is restored.
• Power Button Off Behavior—This setting specifies how the PXI Express power button
should behave. Valid options are Normal and Disabled. The default value is Normal.
When set to Normal, the OS controls the power button. When set to Disabled, pressing
the power button has no effect. The Disabled option should be used only in conjunction
with the PXI Express chassis’ inhibit mode switch.
• ExpressCard WAKE#3—This setting enables or disables an ExpressCard device’s
ability to wake a soft off system. The default value is Disabled.
• PXIe Backplane WAKE#—This setting enables or disables a PXI Express peripheral
module’s ability to wake a soft off system. The default value is Disabled.
• SMBus ALERT#—This setting enables or disables a System Management device’s
ability to wake a soft off system by asserting the ALERT# signal. The default value is
Disabled.

ExpressCard Configuration Submenu
Note This submenu is available on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core ExpressCard
variant only.
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the ExpressCard configuration. These settings
determine how much memory space, I/O space, and PCI bus numbers are pre-allocated for the
ExpressCard port, allowing non-PCI Express-aware operating systems to support hot-plugging
ExpressCard devices. Normally, you do not need to modify these settings, as the factory
default settings provide the best possible configuration.
• ExpressCard Resources—This setting enables or disables the setting of the Reserved
Buses, Reserved Memory, and Reserved I/O settings. The default value for this setting
is Enabled. If this setting is disabled, the bus, memory, and I/O options disappear from
this submenu. Disabling this setting effectively sets Reserved Buses to 0, Reserved
Memory to 0M, and Reserved I/O to 0K.
• Reserved Buses—This setting determines the number of PCI buses the BIOS reserves for
ExpressCard PCI-PCI bridges that may be hot-plugged in the ExpressCard slot. The
default value for this setting is 8 PCI buses.
• Reserved Memory—This setting determines the amount of memory space, in bytes, that
the BIOS reserves for PCI-PCI bridges that may be hot-plugged in the ExpressCard slot.
The default value for this setting is 64M bytes of memory.
• Reserved I/O—This setting determines the amount of I/O space, in bytes, that the BIOS
reserves for PCI-PCI bridges that may be hot-plugged in the ExpressCard slot. The
default value for this setting is 4K bytes of I/O space.
PCI Configuration Submenu

Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to PCI devices. Normally, you do not need to
modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and optimal
configuration possible.
• PCIe Max Payload Size—This setting determines the maximum payload size of PCI
Express devices. Valid options are Auto and 128 Bytes. The default value is Auto, which
allows the BIOS to choose an optimal value based on which devices are present.
AMT Configuration Submenu

Use this submenu to apply alternate settings for Intel Advanced Management Technology
(AMT) and its Management Engine. Normally, you do not need to modify these settings, as
the factory default settings prove the most compatible and optimal configuration possible.
• Management Engine Setup Prompt—This setting enables or disables the Intel AMT
Management Engine setup prompt on the BIOS POST screen. When this setting is set to

Enabled, you can press <Ctrl-P> at the BIOS POST screen to configure the Management
Engine. The default value is Disabled.
• Unconfigure Management Engine—This setting allows you to reset the Management
Engine to factory settings on the next boot. This option reverts to its default value after
the Management Engine is reset. The default value is Disabled.
• USB-Based Configuration—This setting enables or disables automatic configuration of
the Management Engine based on Management Engine configuration files that may be
present on USB devices plugged into the controller. The default value is Disabled.
USB Configuration Submenu

Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to the USB ports. Normally, you do not
need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the best possible
configuration.
• USB Devices—This item lists the total number of devices detected in the system,
categorized by device type.
• Legacy USB Support—This setting specifies whether legacy USB support is enabled.
Legacy USB support refers to the ability to use a USB keyboard and mouse during
system boot or in a legacy operating system such as DOS. The default value is Enabled.
This option is disabled automatically when booting LabVIEW Real-Time to reduce
application jitter.
• Overcurrent Reporting—This setting allows the BIOS to notify the operating system of
any USB ports that source too much current. The default value for this setting is
Disabled.
• Transfer Timeout—This setting specifies the timeout value for Control, Bulk, and
Interrupt USB transfers. The default value for this setting is 20 seconds.
• Device Reset Timeout—This setting specifies the number of seconds the Power-On Self
Test waits for a USB mass storage device to start. The default is 20 seconds.
• Device Power-Up Delay—This setting specifies the maximum time a device takes before
it properly reports itself to the host controller. When set to Auto, a root port is granted
100 ms, and for a hub port, the delay value is taken from the hub descriptor. When set to
Manual, you can set the delay manually. The default value for this setting is Auto.
• Device Power-Up Delay in Seconds—This setting specifies the number of seconds the
Power-On Self Test waits for a USB device or hub to power on. This setting is visible
only if Device Power-Up Delay is set to Manual. The default is 5 seconds.
In addition, the following option is available for each detected device if a USB mass storage
device is present:
• Emulation Type—This setting specifies how the BIOS presents the USB mass storage
device to the system. You can use this option to present a USB mass storage device as a
floppy, Zip, hard disk, or CD-ROM drive. The default is Auto, which allows the BIOS to
treat small USB flash disk drives as floppy drives and larger USB flash disk drives as
hard disk drives.

Serial Port Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to the serial port. Normally, you do not
need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and
optimal configuration possible.
• Serial Port Configuration—Use this setting to access the Serial Port Configuration
submenu. The submenu includes the following items:
– Base Address—This item displays the current base address for the onboard serial
port.
– Interrupt Request (IRQ)—This item displays the interrupt request (IRQ) for the
onboard serial port.
LabVIEW RT Setup Menu

Use this menu to configure boot options for LabVIEW RT if it is installed on the controller. If
you are not using LabVIEW RT, you should leave these settings at default.
Note The settings below override the behavior of the switches shown in the figure
in the LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches section. To use the settings from the
switches, select Use Switch Setting for each option.
• Boot Configuration—This setting selects whether the controller should boot LabVIEW
RT, LabVIEW RT Safe Mode, or an installed OS such as Windows 7. The default is Use
Switch Setting.
• Reset IP Address—If the controller is deployed to a different subnet from which it was
originally configured, or if the current IP address is invalid, use this switch to reset the IP
address and other TCP/IP settings to their factory defaults during LabVIEW RT startup.
The default is Use Switch Setting.
Note By default, the target automatically attempts to connect to the network using
DHCP. If the target is unable to initiate a DHCP connection, the target connects to
the network with a link-local IP address of 169.254.x.x.
• Disable Startup VI—If the controller becomes inaccessible because of a startup VI, this
switch can prevent VIs from automatically running at startup. The default is Use Switch
Setting.
Current Hardware Switch Settings

This submenu displays the current values of the LabVIEW RT configuration switches,
indicating Boot Configuration, Reset IP Address, and Disable Startup VI switch status.
• LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides—Use this setting to access the LabVIEW RT
Configuration Overrides submenu. Refer to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides
Submenu section for more information.

LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu
To minimize jitter when booting into LabVIEW Real-Time mode, the following features are
automatically disabled. You can enable these features manually. Refer to the CPU
Configuration Submenu section for specific details on what each feature enables.
• CPU Hyper Threading—The default is Use RT Default.
• CPU C-States—The default is Use RT Default.
Boot Setup Menu

Use this menu to configure settings related to the boot process and boot device priority.
• Boot Settings Configuration—Use this setting to access the Boot Settings
Configuration submenu. Refer to the Boot Settings Configuration Submenu section for
more information.
• PXI Drive Boot—This setting specifies whether boot support is enabled for legacy mass
storage devices, such as SCSI drives. When enabled, legacy mass storage controllers with
boot support are displayed in the Boot Option Priorities menu. The default value is
Enabled.
• PXE Network Boot—This setting specifies whether the PXE network boot agent is
enabled. When enabled, the Intel Boot Agent is displayed in the Boot Option Priorities
menu, allowing you to boot from a PXE server on the local subnet. Note that the Intel
Boot Agent device names are preceded by IBA GE Slot in the Boot Option Priorities
menu. You must restart the system for this setting to take effect. The default value is
Disabled.
• Boot Option Priorities—These settings specify the order in which the BIOS checks for
bootable devices, including the local hard disk drive, removable devices such as USB
flash disk drives or USB CD-ROM drives, or the PXE network boot agent. The BIOS
first attempts to boot from the device associated with 1st Boot Device, followed by 2nd
Boot Device, and 3rd Boot Device. If multiple boot devices are not present, the BIOS
setup utility does not display all these configuration options. To select a boot device,
press <Enter> on the desired configuration option and select a boot device from the
resulting menu. You also can disable certain boot devices by selecting Disabled.
Note Only one device of a given type is shown in this list. If more than one device
of the same type exists, use the Device BBS Priorities submenus to re-order the
priority of devices of the same type.
The following submenus are displayed if one or more bootable devices of the corresponding
type is present:
• Hard Drive BBS Priorities—Use this setting to access the Hard Drive BBS Priorities
submenu to re-order or disable bootable hard drive devices. Refer to the Hard Drive BBS
Priorities Submenu section for more information.
• CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities—Use this setting to access the CD/DVD ROM
Drive BBS Priorities submenu to re-order or disable bootable CD/DVD ROM drive

devices. Refer to the CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities Submenu section for more
information.
• Floppy Drive BBS Priorities—Use this setting to access the Floppy Drive BBS
Priorities submenu to re-order or disable bootable floppy drive devices. Refer to the
Floppy Drive BBS Priorities Submenu section for more information.
• Network Device BBS Priorities—Use this setting to access the Network Device BBS
Priorities submenu to re-order or disable bootable network devices. Refer to the Network
Device BBS Priorities Submenu section for more information.
Boot Settings Configuration Submenu

Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to boot settings. Normally, you do not need
to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and
optimal configuration.
• Setup Prompt Timeout—This setting specifies the number of seconds the system waits
for a BIOS Setup menu keypress (the <Delete> key). The default value is 2.
• Bootup NumLock State—This setting specifies the power-on state of the keyboard
NumLock setting. The default value is On.
Hard Drive BBS Priorities Submenu

• Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, Boot Option #3—These settings specify the boot
priority of hard drive devices. The highest priority device is displayed on the main Boot
Option Priorities list. Optionally, each device can also be Disabled if the device should
never be used as a boot device.
CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities Submenu

priority of CD/DVD ROM drive devices. The highest priority device is displayed on the
main Boot Option Priorities list. Optionally, each device can also be Disabled if the
device should never be used as a boot device.
Floppy Drive BBS Priorities Submenu

priority of floppy drive devices. The highest priority device is displayed on the main Boot
Network Device BBS Priorities Submenu

priority of network devices. The highest priority device is displayed on the main Boot

Security Menu
Use this menu to enable BIOS security options.
• Administrator Password—This setting specifies a password that must be entered to
access the BIOS Setup Utility. If only the Administrator’s password is set, this setting
limits access to only the BIOS setup program and is asked for only when entering the
BIOS setup program. By default, no password is specified.
• User Password—This setting specifies a password that must be entered to access the
BIOS Setup Utility or boot the system. If only the user’s password is set, this is a power
on password and must be entered to boot or enter the BIOS setup program. In the BIOS
setup program, the user has Administrator rights. By default, no password is specified.
Save & Exit Menu

The Save & Exit setup menu includes all available options for exiting, saving, and loading the
BIOS default configuration. As an alternative to this screen, press <F9> to load optimal BIOS
default settings and <F10> to save changes and exit setup.
The Save & Exit setup menu includes the following settings:
• Save Changes and Reset—Any changes made to BIOS settings are stored in NVRAM.
The setup program then exits and reboots the controller. You also can use the <F10> key
to select this option.
• Discard Changes and Reset—Any changes made to BIOS settings during this session of
the BIOS setup program are discarded. The setup program then exits and reboots the
controller. You also can use the <Esc> key to select this option.
• Save Changes—Changes made to BIOS settings during this session are committed to
NVRAM. The setup program remains active, allowing further changes.
• Discard Changes—Any changes made to BIOS settings during this session of the BIOS
setup program are discarded. The BIOS setup continues to be active.
• Restore Factory Defaults—This option restores all BIOS settings to the factory default.
This option is useful if the controller exhibits unpredictable behavior due to an incorrect
or inappropriate BIOS setting. Notice that any nondefault settings such as boot order,
passwords, and so on also are restored to their factory defaults. You also can use the <F9>
key to select this option.
• Save As User Defaults—This option saves a copy of the current BIOS settings as the
User Defaults. This option is useful for preserving custom BIOS setup configurations.
• Restore User Defaults—This option restores all BIOS settings to the user defaults. This
option is useful for restoring previously preserved custom BIOS setup configurations.
• Boot Override—This option lists all possible bootable devices and allows the user to
override the Boot Option Priorities list for the current boot. If no changes have been
made to the BIOS setup options, the system continues booting to the selected device
without first rebooting. If BIOS setup options have been changed and saved, a reboot is
required and the boot override selection is not valid.

BIOS Diagnostic Utilities
You can test the hard drive and memory of your controller with the included BIOS diagnostic
utilities.
Accessing BIOS Diagnostic Utilities

1. Power on or reboot your controller.
2. When the message <F2> to run diagnostics appears, press the <F2> key. The first
diagnostic utility loads after a short delay.
Hard Drive Diagnostic Utility

The hard drive diagnostic utility tests the hard drive first upon entry into the BIOS Diagnostic
Utilities. The utility initially performs a quick test, and a more comprehensive test afterwards.
You may abort and skip any test by pressing the <Esc> key at any time during that test. After
both tests have finished or been skipped, you see the testing results. If both tests have
succeeded or been skipped, the utility displays Press any key to continue. To
continue with testing, press any key on the keyboard.
Note If either hard drive test fails, the controller cannot boot, and the utility
instructs you to turn off the controller and replace the hard drive.
Memory Diagnostic Utility

The memory diagnostic utility starts immediately after you press a key to exit the hard drive
diagnostic utility. You may abort and skip the memory test by pressing the <Esc> key at any
time during this test. After the memory utility has finished or been skipped, you see the testing
result. If the memory test was successful or skipped, the utility displays Press any key to
continue. To continue to boot the controller, press any key on the keyboard.
Note If the memory test fails, the controller cannot boot, and the utility instructs
you to turn off the controller and replace the memory.
System CMOS
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core contains memory backed up by a battery to store BIOS
configuration information.
Complete the following steps to clear the CMOS contents:

1. Power off the chassis.
2. Remove the controller from the chassis.
3. Press the push-button switch, as shown in the following figure.
4. Wait 10 seconds.
5. Reinstall the controller in the chassis.

Figure 2. Clearing the CMOS Contents
1. Push-Button Switch SW1
ExpressCard
Note This feature is available on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core ExpressCard
variant only.
This section provides information on the installation and removal of ExpressCardTM modules.
Installing an ExpressCard
You can install an ExpressCard module while the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core is running. The
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core automatically detects the card. ExpressCards are generally marked
with a symbol or a label to indicate which end to insert into the slot. The cards are keyed to
prevent incorrect insertion.
To install an ExpressCard, complete the following steps.

1. Hold the card so the top side is facing left.
2. Insert the card until it is completely seated in its connector. The connector has an
automatic eject mechanism. If you insert the card and it is ejected, re-insert the card until
it is seated.

If you encounter too much resistance, do not force the card. Check the card orientation and try
again.
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core automatically recognizes the ExpressCard and loads the
appropriate driver(s). Third-party cards may require that you install additional drivers.
Removing an ExpressCard
Caution To avoid data loss and other potential issues, stop communication with
your ExpressCard device before removing it from the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. In
Windows, use the Safely Remove Hardware tool to stop the ExpressCard safely.
1. Push in the module and then release to eject the card.
2. Slide the card out of the slot.
Boot Options
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core can boot from the following devices:
• The internal Serial ATA hard drive
• An external SCSI hard drive or SCSI CD/DVD-ROM if an SCSI adapter, such as the
PXI-8214, is used.
• A network PXE server on the same subnet.
• An external USB mass storage device such as a USB hard drive, USB CD/DVD-ROM, or
USB flash drive.
• An external USB floppy drive.
• Most PCI or PCI Express-based devices that provide an Option ROM.
Note There are some limitations when booting from a USB device. You can install
Windows 7 and later from a USB CD/DVD-ROM, but not earlier versions of
Windows. The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core BIOS configures the USB devices so that
they work in a DOS environment.
There are two ways to configure the controller to boot from these devices:
• Enter the BIOS setup by rebooting the controller and pressing <Delete> during the
memory tests. Select the Boot menu. You will see a list of all bootable devices, ordered
by device type. You can set the boot order by altering the 1st Boot Device, 2nd Boot
Device, and 3rd Boot Device settings.
• To boot from a different device without permanently changing the boot order, press
<F10> during POST. After the BIOS completes the POST and just before the controller
boots the OS, the Boot menu is displayed. You can select the device type you want to
boot from.
Hard Drive Recovery

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controllers preinstalled with Windows include two methods of
restoring the original factory condition of your hard drive. Hard drive-based recovery stores a
factory backup on a separate portion of your hard drive, allowing you to restore your controller

without additional media. The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller also ships with an OS
Recovery DVD that allows you to reinstall your operating system onto your hard drive through
an external USB CD/DVD-ROM. For more information about these tools, refer to
KnowledgeBase 2ZKC02OK, Hard Drive Recovery and OS Installation for PXI and VXI
Controllers, at ni.com/support.
Note The hard drive recovery hot key is <F4>. To access the hard drive-based
recovery tool, press and hold <F4> when video first appears during the boot process.
If you need to recover your factory-installed operating system from a DVD, you can use the
included OS re-installation DVD with an external USB CD/DVD-ROM drive. Boot the PXI
Express controller using the OS re-installation DVD to recover the OS. You also may need to
reinstall other software after using the DVD to recover the OS.
Note Recovering the OS erases the contents of your hard disk. Back up any files
you want to keep.
Upgrade Information
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core by upgrading
the SO-DIMM.
National Instruments offers the following SO-DIMMs for use with the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller.
• 1600 MHz DDR3L PC3-12800 4 GB, 512 MB × 64, 1.18 in. max (NI part number
782341-4096)
• 1600 MHz DDR3L PC3-12800 8 GB, 1024 MB × 64, 1.18 in. max (NI part number
783001-8192)
Note National Instruments has tested and verified that the DDR3L SO-DIMMs we
sell work with the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller. We recommend you
purchase your DDR3L SO-DIMM modules from National Instruments. Other off-
the-shelf DDR3L SO-DIMM modules are not guaranteed to work properly.

Figure 3. Installing a DDR3L SO-DIMM in an NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core Controller
1 2
1. DDR3L SO-DIMM Socket

2. DDR3L SO-DIMM Module
Installing an OS
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controllers may include a preinstalled OS. In some cases, you may
want to install a different OS. When doing so, consider the following guidelines.
Installing from a USB CD/DVD-ROM

The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core supports the installation of Windows 7 from a USB CD/DVD-
ROM. As an alternative to a USB CD/DVD-ROM drive, you can use an external SCSI CD/
DVD-ROM with a PXI-SCSI adapter.
Note For additional assistance with installing or changing an operating system,

refer to KnowledgeBase 2ZKC02OK, Hard Drive Recovery and OS Installation for
PXI and VXI Controllers, at ni.com/support.
Specifications
Note Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Caution Using the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller in a manner not described

in this user manual can impair the protection the controller provides.

Features
CPU Intel® Core™ i7 5700EQ (2.6 GHz

quad-core processor)
On-die last level cache 6 MB
Single-Channel 1600 MHz DDR3L RAM, PC3 12800 4 GB standard, 8 GB maximum
Hard Drive 320 GB Serial ATA, minimum*
Ethernet Two 10/100/1000 BaseT ports
PXI Express 4 Link Configuration x4, x4, x4, x4
PXI Express 2 Link Configuration x8, x8
GPIB (IEEE 488 Controller) Yes
Serial Port (RS-232) Yes (1)
Parallel Port No
Hi-Speed USB (2.0) Ports Yes (4)
SuperSpeed USB (3.0) Ports Yes (2)
ExpressCard/34 Slot (available on the Yes

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core ExpressCard variant only)
PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Connector No
PXI Trigger Bus Input/Output Yes
Installed Operating System Windows 7 Professional
* Extended-temperature 24/7 option provides 80 GB minimum SATA solid-state drive.

Front Panel Dimensions
The following figure shows the front panel layout and dimensions of the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. Dimensions are in inches (millimeters).
Figure 4. NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core Front Panel Layout and Dimensions
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
1.301 in. (33.05 mm)

1.636 in. (41.55 mm)
1.970 in. (50.04 mm)
2.306 in. (58.57 mm)
2.850 in. (72.39 mm)

4.393 in. (111.58 mm)
3.750 in. (95.25 mm)

3.554 in. (90.27 mm)
3.289 in. (83.54 mm)
3.087 in. (78.41 mm)
2.814 in. (71.48 mm)
2.345 in. (59.56 mm)
1.948 in. (49.47 mm)

1.573 in. (39.95 mm)
1.185 in. (30.10 mm)
1.064 in. (27.02 mm)
0.000 in. (0.00 mm)

2.259 in. (57.38 mm)
2.332 in. (59.22 mm)
0.996 in. (25.29 mm)
0.852 in. (21.65 mm)
2.189 in. (55.59 mm)

1.497 in. (38.02 mm)
0.00 in. (0.00 mm)

Electrical
Note Does not include any attached USB devices or ExpressCard.
Voltage (V) Current (Amps) Typical Current (Amps) Maximum
+3.3 V 1.68 A 2.82 A
+5 V 1.99 A 3.63 A
+12 V 5.19 A 8.79 A
-12 V 0A 0A
+5 VAux 0.20 A 0.35 A
Physical
Board dimensions Four-wide 3U PXI Express module
Slot requirements One system slot plus three controller
expansion slots
Compatibility Fully compatible with PXI Express
Specification 1.0
Weight 1.32 kg (2.91 lb) typical
Environmental
Maximum altitude 2,000 m (800 mbar) (at 25 °C ambient)
Pollution Degree 2
Indoor use only.

Operating Environment
Caution The operating temperature must not be exceeded, even when used in a
chassis with a higher temperature range.
Ambient temperature range 5 °C to 50 °C (Tested in accordance with

IEC-60068-2-1 and IEC-60068-2-2. Meets
MIL-PRF-28800F Class 3 high temperature
limit.)
Extended temperature option 0 °C to 55 °C (Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-1 and IEC-60068-2-2. Meets
MIL-PRF-28800F Class 3 low temperature
limit and MIL-PRF-28800F Class 2 high
temperature limit.)
Relative humidity range 10% to 90%, noncondensing (Tested in
accordance with IEC-60068-2-56.)
Storage Environment
Ambient temperature range -40 °C to 65 °C (Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-1 and IEC-60068-2-2. Meets
MIL-PRF-28800F Class 3 low temperature
limit.)
Extended Temperature Option -40 °C to 71 °C (Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-1 and IEC-60068-2-2. Meets
MIL-PRF-28800F Class 3 limits.)
Relative humidity range 5% to 95%, noncondensing (Tested in
accordance with IEC-60068-2-56.)
Shock and Vibration

Operating shock 30 g peak, half-sine, 11 ms pulse (Tested in
accordance with IEC-60068-2-27. Meets MIL-
PRF-28800F Class 2 limits.)
Random vibration
Operating 5 Hz to 500 Hz, 0.3 grms (with solid-state hard
drive)
Nonoperating 5 Hz to 500 Hz, 2.4 grms (Tested in accordance
with IEC-60068-2-64. Nonoperating test
profile exceeds the requirements of MIL-
PRF-28800F, Class 3.)

Safety
This product is designed to meet the requirements of the following standards of safety for
information technology equipment:
• IEC 61010-1, EN 61010-1
• UL 61010-1, CSA 61010-1
Note For UL and other safety certifications, refer to the product label or the Online
Product Certification section.
Electromagnetic Compatibility
This product meets the requirements of the following EMC standards for electrical equipment
for measurement, control, and laboratory use:
• EN 61326-1 (IEC 61326-1): Class A emissions; Basic immunity
• EN 55011 (CISPR 11): Group 1, Class A emissions
• EN 55022 (CISPR 22): Class A emissions
• EN 55024 (CISPR 24): Immunity
• AS/NZS CISPR 11: Group 1, Class A emissions
• AS/NZS CISPR 22: Class A emissions
• FCC 47 CFR Part 15B: Class A emissions
• ICES-001: Class A emissions
Note In the United States (per FCC 47 CFR), Class A equipment is intended for
use in commercial, light-industrial, and heavy-industrial locations. In Europe,
Canada, Australia and New Zealand (per CISPR 11) Class A equipment is intended
for use only in heavy-industrial locations.
Note Group 1 equipment (per CISPR 11) is any industrial, scientific, or medical
equipment that does not intentionally generate radio frequency energy for the
treatment of material or inspection/analysis purposes.
Note For EMC declarations and certifications, and additional information, refer to
the Online Product Certification section.
CE Compliance
This product meets the essential requirements of applicable European Directives, as follows:
• 2014/35/EU; Low-Voltage Directive (safety)
• 2014/30/EU; Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC)
Online Product Certification

Refer to the product Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for additional regulatory compliance
information. To obtain product certifications and the DoC for this product, visit ni.com/

certification, search by model number or product line, and click the appropriate link in the
Certification column.
Environmental Management
NI is committed to designing and manufacturing products in an environmentally responsible
manner. NI recognizes that eliminating certain hazardous substances from our products is
beneficial to the environment and to NI customers.
For additional environmental information, refer to the Minimize Our Environmental Impact
web page at ni.com/environment. This page contains the environmental regulations and
directives with which NI complies, as well as other environmental information not included in
this document.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

EU Customers At the end of the product life cycle, all NI products must be
disposed of according to local laws and regulations. For more information about
how to recycle NI products in your region, visit ni.com/environment/weee.
Battery Replacement and Disposal

Battery Directive This device contains a long-life coin cell battery. If you need to
replace it, use the Return Material Authorization (RMA) process or contact an
Cd/Hg/Pb
authorized National Instruments service representative. For more information about

compliance with the EU Battery Directive 2006/66/EC about Batteries and
Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators, visit ni.com/environment/
batterydirective.
电子信息产品污染控制管理办法（中国 RoHS）
中国客户 National Instruments 符合中国电子信息产品中限制使用某些有害物
质指令(RoHS)。关于 National Instruments 中国 RoHS 合规性信息，请登录
ni.com/environment/rohs_china。(For information about China RoHS
compliance, go to ni.com/environment/rohs_china.)
I/O Information
DisplayPort
The following figure shows the location and pinouts for the DisplayPort connectors on the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. The following table lists and describes the DisplayPort connector
signals.

Figure 5. DisplayPort Connector Location and Pinout
1 2
19 20
Table 1. DisplayPort Connector Signals

Pin Signal Name
1 ML_Lane0(p)
2 GND
3 ML_Lane0(n)
4 ML_Lane1(p)
5 GND
6 ML_Lane1(n)
7 ML_Lane2(p)
8 GND
9 ML_Lane2(n)
10 ML_Lane3(p)
11 GND
12 ML_Lane3(n)
13 CONFIG1
14 CONFIG2

Table 1. DisplayPort Connector Signals (Continued)
Pin Signal Name
15 AUX CH (p)
16 GND
17 AUX CH (n)
18 Hot Plug Detect
19 Return
20 DP_PWR
COM1
The following figure shows the location and pinouts for the COM1 connector on the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. The following table lists and describes the COM1 connector signal.
Figure 6. COM1 Connector Location and Pinout
5 9
COM1
1 6
Table 2. COM1 Connector Signals

Pin Signal Name Signal Description
1 DCD# Data Carrier Detect
2 RXD# Receive Data
3 TXD# Transmit Data

Table 2. COM1 Connector Signals (Continued)
4 DTR# Data Terminal Ready
5 GND Ground
6 DSR# Data Set Ready
7 RTS# Ready to Send
8 CTS# Clear to Send
9 RI# Ring Indicator
Note: The pound symbol (#) indicates an active low signal.
Ethernet
The following figure shows the location and pinouts for the dual stacked Ethernet connector
on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. The following table lists and describes the Ethernet
connector signals.
Note Only Ethernet Port 1 supports the Wake On LAN feature.
Figure 7. Ethernet Connector Location and Pinout
Ethernet

Table 3. Ethernet Connector Signals
Pin Fast Ethernet Gigabit Ethernet
1 TX+ TX_A+
2 TX- TX_A-
3 RX+ RX_B+
4 NC TX_C+
5 NC TX_C-
6 RX- RX_B-
7 NC RX_D+
8 NC RX_D-
Note The Ethernet controller can perform an automatic crossover, thus eliminating
the need for crossover cables.
The following table lists and describes the 10/100/1000 LAN connector LED states.
Table 4. 10/100/1000 LAN Connector LED States

LED Color LED State Condition
Top Green Off LAN link is not established.
On (steady state) LAN link is established.
On (brighter and The controller is communicating with another

pulsing) computer on the LAN.
Bottom Unlit Off 10 Mbit/sec data rate is selected.
Green On 100 Mbit/sec data rate is selected.
Amber On 1000 Mbit/sec data rate is selected.
Universal Serial Bus

The following figure shows the location and pinouts for the Universal Serial Bus (USB)
connector on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. Each controller has four USB 2.0 ports and two
USB 3.0 ports on the front panel.

Figure 8. USB Connector Location and Pinout
4
USB 2.0
1
9 1
USB 3.0
5 4
The following table lists and describes the USB 2.0 connector signals.
Table 5. USB 2.0 Connector Signals

1 VCC Cable Power (+5 V)
2 -Data USB Data -
3 +Data USB Data +
4 GND Ground
The following table lists and describes the USB 3.0 connector signals.
Table 6. USB 3.0 Connector Signals

1 VCC Cable Power (+5 V)

2 -Data USB Data -
3 +Data USB Data +
4 GND Ground
5 StdA_SSRX– USB Data Receive-
6 StdA_SSRX+ USB Data Receive+
7 GND_DRAIN Ground

Table 6. USB 3.0 Connector Signals (Continued)
8 StdA_SSTX– USB Data Transmit-

9 StdA_SSTX+ USB Data Transmit+
Trigger
The TRIG connector is the software-controlled trigger connection for routing PXI triggers to
or from the backplane trigger bus.
The following figure shows the TRIG connector location on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core.
The following table lists and describes the trigger connector signals.
Refer to PXI Trigger Connectivity in the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core Getting Started Guide for
more information about the SMB trigger.
Figure 9. TRIG Connector Location and Pinout
2
1
Table 7. TRIG Connector Signals

1 TRIG Trigger
2 (Shield) GND Ground

GPIB (IEEE 488.2)
The following figure shows the location and pinouts for the GPIB connector on the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. The following table lists and describes the GPIB connector signals.
National Instruments provides a GPIB mating connector, part number 183285-0R2.
Figure 10. GPIB Connector Location and Pinout
13 25
GPIB
1 14
Table 8. GPIB Connector Signals

1 DIO1# Data Bit 1
2 DIO2# Data Bit 2
3 DIO3# Data Bit 3
4 DIO4# Data Bit 4
5 EOI# End or Identify
6 DAV# Data Valid
7 NRFD# Not Ready for Data
8 NDAC# Not Data Accepted
9 IFC# Interface Clear
10 SRQ# Service Request

Table 8. GPIB Connector Signals (Continued)
11 ATN# Attention
12 SHIELD Chassis ground
13 DIO5# Data Bit 5
14 DIO6# Data Bit 6
15 DIO7# Data Bit 7
16 DIO8# Data Bit 8
17 REN# Remote Enable
18 to 25 GND Logic Ground
ExpressCard/34 Slot
The NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller ExpressCard variant is equipped with an
ExpressCard/34 slot on the front panel, providing I/O expansion and options for removable
storage, Ethernet, and a variety of other I/O.
The following figure shows the location and pinouts for the ExpressCard/34 slot on the
NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core. The following table lists and describes the ExpressCard connector
signals.
Figure 11. ExpressCard/34 Slot Location and Pinout
26
ExpressCard/34
Slot

Table 9. ExpressCard Connector Signals
1 GND Ground
2 USBD– USB Data –
3 USBD+ USB Data +
4 CPUSB# USB Presence
5 RESERVED Reserved by spec for future use
6 RESERVED Reserved by spec for future use
7 SMBCLK SMBus Clock
8 SMBDATA SMBus Data
9 +1.5V Power
10 +1.5V Power
11 WAKE# PE Wake
12 +3.3VAUX Power
13 PERST# PE Reset
14 +3.3V Power
15 +3.3V Power
16 CLKREQ# Clock Request
17 CPPE# PE Presence
18 REFCLK– Reference Clock –
19 REFCLK+ Reference Clock +
20 GND Ground
21 PERn0 PE Data Receive -
22 PERp0 PE Data Receive +
23 GND Ground
24 PETn0 PE Data Transmit -
25 PETp0 PE Data Transmit +

Table 9. ExpressCard Connector Signals (Continued)
26 GND Ground
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The National Instruments website is your complete resource for technical support. At ni.com/
support, you have access to everything from troubleshooting and application development
self-help resources to email and phone assistance from NI Application Engineers.
Visit ni.com/services for NI Factory Installation Services, repairs, extended warranty, and
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A Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is our claim of compliance with the Council of the
European Communities using the manufacturer’s declaration of conformity. This system
affords the user protection for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and product safety. You
can obtain the DoC for your product by visiting ni.com/certification. If your product supports
calibration, you can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at ni.com/calibration.
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Worldwide Offices section of ni.com/niglobal to access the branch office websites, which
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375447A-01 Sep15

Ni Pxie-8840 Quad-Core: User Manual

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USER MANUAL

PXI Express Features

2 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

1 Available on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core ExpressCard variant only.

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 3

PXI PCI Express

Intel I210-IT Intel SATA SATA

4 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

National Instruments Software

LabWindows/CVI is an interactive ANSI C programming environment designed for building

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 5

NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA specification. VISA is a

6 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

Accessing BIOS Setup Utility

Main Setup Menu

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 7

Advanced Setup Menu

Caution Changing settings in this menu may result in an unstable or unbootable

2 Available on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core ExpressCard variant only.

8 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

CPU Configuration Submenu

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 9

Video Configuration Submenu

Power/Wake Configuration Submenu

3 Available on the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core ExpressCard variant only.

10 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

PCI Configuration Submenu

AMT Configuration Submenu

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 11

USB Configuration Submenu

12 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

LabVIEW RT Setup Menu

Current Hardware Switch Settings

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 13

Boot Setup Menu

14 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

Boot Settings Configuration Submenu

Hard Drive BBS Priorities Submenu

CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities Submenu

Floppy Drive BBS Priorities Submenu

Network Device BBS Priorities Submenu

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 15

Save & Exit Menu

16 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

Accessing BIOS Diagnostic Utilities

Hard Drive Diagnostic Utility

Memory Diagnostic Utility

Complete the following steps to clear the CMOS contents:

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 17

1. Push-Button Switch SW1

To install an ExpressCard, complete the following steps.

18 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

Hard Drive Recovery

NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual | © National Instruments | 19

20 | ni.com | NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core User Manual

1. DDR3L SO-DIMM Socket

Installing from a USB CD/DVD-ROM

Note For additional assistance with installing or changing an operating system,

Caution Using the NI PXIe-8840 Quad-Core controller in a manner not described