PXI

NI PXI-8109 User Manual

NI PXI-8109 User Manual

July 2012
373172C-01
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Compliance

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This product was tested and complies with the regulatory requirements and limits for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) as
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Contents

About This Manual

How to Use the Documentation Set...............................................................................xi
Conventions ...................................................................................................................xi
Related Documentation..................................................................................................xii

Chapter 1
Introduction
Benefits of PXI ..............................................................................................................1-1
NI PXI-8109 ..................................................................................................................1-2
Description ......................................................................................................1-2
Functional Overview .......................................................................................1-2
NI PXI-8109 Functional Description ................................................1-2
National Instruments Software ......................................................................................1-4

Chapter 2
Installation and Configuration
Installing the NI PXI-8109 ............................................................................................2-1
How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Chassis ....................................2-4
BIOS Setup ....................................................................................................................2-5
Accessing BIOS Setup ....................................................................................2-5
Main Menu ......................................................................................................2-6
Advanced Menu...............................................................................................2-6
SATA Configuration Submenu.........................................................2-7
CPU Configuration Submenu ...........................................................2-8
Video Configuration Submenu .........................................................2-9
Clock Generator Configuration Submenu.........................................2-9
ExpressCard Configuration Submenu...............................................2-9
USB Configuration Submenu ...........................................................2-10
Serial/Parallel Port Configuration Submenu.....................................2-11
Serial Port Configuration Submenu....................................2-11
Parallel Port Configuration Submenu.................................2-12
LabVIEW RT Menu ........................................................................................2-12
Current Hardware Switch Settings....................................................2-13
LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu............................2-13
Boot Menu .......................................................................................................2-13
Boot Settings Configuration Submenu .............................................2-14
Hard Drive BBS Priorities Submenu ................................................2-15
CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities Submenu...............................2-15

© National Instruments vii NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Contents

Floppy Drive BBS Priorities Submenu ............................................ 2-15

Network Device BBS Priorities Submenu........................................ 2-15
Security Menu ................................................................................................. 2-15
Save & Exit Menu........................................................................................... 2-16
BIOS Diagnostic Utilities.............................................................................................. 2-17
Accessing BIOS Diagnostic Utilities.............................................................. 2-17
Hard Drive Diagnostic Utility......................................................................... 2-17
Memory Diagnostic Utility ............................................................................. 2-17
System CMOS ............................................................................................................... 2-18
LabVIEW RT Installation ............................................................................................. 2-19
LabVIEW RT Software Installation ............................................................... 2-19
LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches ........................................................... 2-20
Drivers and Software..................................................................................................... 2-22
Files and Directories Installed on Your Hard Drive ....................................... 2-22
PXI Features .................................................................................................................. 2-23
PXI Trigger Connectivity................................................................................ 2-23
PXI Chassis Configuration ............................................................................................ 2-23
Basic PXI System Configuration .................................................................... 2-24
Upgrading RAM............................................................................................................ 2-25
Hard Drive Recovery..................................................................................................... 2-26
Installing an OS ............................................................................................................. 2-27
Installing from a USB CD/DVD-ROM .......................................................... 2-27
ExpressCard................................................................................................................... 2-27
Installing an ExpressCard ............................................................................... 2-27
Removing an ExpressCard.............................................................................. 2-28
Power Budgeting ........................................................................................................... 2-28

Chapter 3
I/O Information
Front Panel Connectors ................................................................................................. 3-1
Front Panel..................................................................................................................... 3-2
DVI-I ............................................................................................................... 3-3
COM1.............................................................................................................. 3-5
Ethernet ........................................................................................................... 3-6
Parallel Port..................................................................................................... 3-7
Universal Serial Bus........................................................................................ 3-9
Trigger............................................................................................................. 3-10
GPIB (IEEE 488.2) ......................................................................................... 3-11
ExpressCard/34 Slot........................................................................................ 3-12
Front Panel Features ...................................................................................................... 3-14
Data Storage .................................................................................................................. 3-14

NI PXI-8109 User Manual viii ni.com

 Contents

Chapter 4
Common Configuration Questions
General Questions..........................................................................................................4-1
Boot Options ..................................................................................................................4-1
Cables and Connections.................................................................................................4-2
Software Driver Installation...........................................................................................4-3
Upgrade Information......................................................................................................4-4
PXI Configuration..........................................................................................................4-7

Chapter 5
Troubleshooting

Appendix A
Specifications

Appendix B
Technical Support and Professional Services

Glossary

Index

© National Instruments ix NI PXI-8109 User Manual

About This Manual

This manual contains detailed instructions for installing and configuring

your National Instruments PXI-8109 embedded controller kit.

How to Use the Documentation Set

Begin by reading the NI PXI-8109 Installation Guide, a brief quick-start
guide that describes how to install and get started with your controller.

This manual, the NI PXI-8109 User Manual, contains more details about
changing the installation or configuration from the defaults and using the
hardware.

Conventions
The following conventions appear in this manual:

» The » symbol leads you through nested menu items and dialog box options
to a final action. The sequence Options»Settings»General directs you to
pull down the Options menu, select the Settings item, and select General
from the last dialog box.

This icon denotes a tip, which alerts you to advisory information.

This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information.

This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of precautions to take to

avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash.

bold Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such
as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter
names.

italic Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross-reference, or an introduction

to a key concept. Italic text also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word
or value that you must supply.

© National Instruments xi NI PXI-8109 User Manual

About This Manual

monospace Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter from the
keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and syntax examples.
This font is also used for the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories,
programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names, functions, operations,
variables, filenames, and extensions.

monospace bold Bold text in this font denotes the messages and responses that the computer
automatically prints to the screen. This font also emphasizes lines of code
that are different from the other examples.

Related Documentation
The following documents contain information you may find helpful as you
read this manual:
• PICMG 2.0 R3.0 CompactPCI Specification, PCI Industrial
Computers Manufacturers Group
• IEEE Standard P1284.1-1997 (C/MM) Standard for Information
Technology for Transport Independent Printer/System Interface
• PCI Local Bus Specification, Revision 2.3, PCI Special Interest Group
• PXI Hardware Specification, Revision 2.2, PXI Systems Alliance
• PXI Software Specification, Revision 2.1, PXI Systems Alliance
• Serialized IRQ Support for PCI Systems Specification, Revision 6.0,
Compaq Computer et al.
• ExpressCard Standard, Release 1.0, PCMCIA
• Universal Serial Bus (USB) Specification, Revision 2.0
• Digital Visual Interface (DVI) Specification, Revision 1.0
• IEEE Std 488.1-2003, IEEE Standard for Higher Performance
Protocol for the Standard Digital Interface for Programmable
Instrumentation

NI PXI-8109 User Manual xii ni.com

Introduction
1
Benefits of PXI
The PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation) industry standard, an open
specification governed by the PXI Systems Alliance (PXISA), defines a
compact modular PC platform for test, measurement, and control systems.
Since PXI leverages the PCI bus, PXI users receive all the benefits of PCI
within an architecture that supports mechanical, electrical, and software
features tailored to industrial instrumentation, data acquisition, industrial
automation, and control applications.

Well-suited for industrial applications, PXI leverages from the

CompactPCI specification, which defines a rugged form factor for PCI
that offers superior mechanical integrity and easy installation and removal
of hardware components. PXI products offer higher and more carefully
defined levels of environmental performance required by the vibration,
shock, temperature, and humidity extremes of industrial environments.
PXI adds mandatory environmental testing and active cooling to the
CompactPCI mechanical specification to ease system integration and
ensure multivendor interoperability.

Additionally, PXI meets the more specific needs of instrumentation users

by adding an integrated trigger bus and reference clock for multiple-board
synchronization, a star trigger bus for very precise timing, and local buses
for side-band communication between adjacent peripherals.

© National Instruments 1-1 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

NI PXI-8109
Description
The NI PXI-8109 PXI/CompactPCI embedded computer is a
high-performance PXI/CompactPCI system controller. The NI PXI-8109
controller integrates standard I/O features in a single unit by using
state-of-the-art packaging. Combining an NI PXI-8109 embedded
controller with a PXI-compatible chassis, such as the NI PXI-1042, results
in a fully PC-compatible computer in a compact, rugged package.

The standard I/O on each module includes DVI-I video, one RS-232 serial
port, a parallel port, four high-speed USB 2.0 ports, a PCI-based GPIB
controller, two Gigabit Ethernet connectors, a reset button, and PXI
triggers.

The NI PXI-8109 has a dual-core Intel Core i7-620 M Processor, Dual

Channel DDR3, 1066 MHz memory controller, all the standard I/O, and an
integrated hard drive. It also has an ExpressCard/34 expansion slot.

Functional Overview
This section contains functional descriptions of each major logic block on
the NI PXI-8109 embedded computer.

NI PXI-8109 Functional Description

The NI PXI-8109 is a modular PC in a PXI 3U-size form factor. Figure 1-1
is a functional block diagram of the NI PXI-8109. Following the diagram
is a description of each logic block shown.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 1-2 ni.com

 Chapter 1 Introduction

x1
TI XIO2001
PXI CPU SO-DIMM
Bridge
Intel Core Memory Bus Ch. A/B DDR3 SDRAM
i7 PC3 8500

DVI-I GPU ATI

DVI/VGA Radeon
E2400
x4

x4 DMI
PCIE USB 2.0 x4

Intel 82577 x1 PCIE

RJ45 USB 2.0 x4
Port 1 Gigabit
PHY SATA SATA
Hard Disk
Intel 82574 x1 PCIE
RJ45 SPI
Gigabit FLASH
Port 2
MAC/PHY
Intel LPC
x1 PCIE 5 Series LPT
Super I/O
Express Chipset COM1
Card/34 Slot USB
Watchdog

SMB
Trigger
Connector

GPIB GPIB PXI

Connector Controller PCI Triggers

Figure 1-1. NI PXI-8109 Block Diagram

The NI PXI-8109 consists of the following logic blocks on the CPU

module and the I/O module. The CPU module has the following logic
blocks:
• FPGA 988A Socket is the socket definition for the Intel Core i7
processor.
• The SO-DIMM block consists of two 64-bit DDR3 SDRAM sockets
that can hold up to 4 GB each.
• The CPU connects to the DDR3 SDRAM, TI XIO2001 bridge, and
Intel 5 Series chipset.
• The SMB to PXI Trigger provides a routable connection of the PXI
triggers to/from the SMB on the front panel.
• The ATI Radeon E2400 Embedded GPU drives the graphics.
• The Watchdog Timer block consists of a watchdog timer that can reset
the controller or generate a trigger.

© National Instruments 1-3 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

• The Intel 5 Series chipset connects to the PCI, USB, Serial ATA,
ExpressCard, PXI, and LPC buses.
• The USB Connectors connect the Intel 5 Series chipset to the Hi-Speed
USB 2.0 interface.
• The Serial ATA Hard Disk is a 120 GB or larger notebook hard disk.1
The Serial ATA interface enables transfer rates up to 150 MB/s. The
hard disk also supports Native Command Queuing.
• The PXI Connector connects the NI PXI-8109 to the PXI/CompactPCI
backplane.
• The Super I/O block represents the other peripherals supplied by the
NI PXI-8109. The NI PXI-8109 has one serial port, and an ECP/EPP
parallel port.
• Both the 82577 and 82574 Gigabit Enet ports connect to either
10 Mbit, 100 Mbit, or 1,000 Mbit Ethernet interfaces. Both ports are
housed in a dual stacked Ethernet connector.
• The GPIB block contains the GPIB interface.
• The ExpressCard/34 slot accommodates an ExpressCard/34 module.

National Instruments Software

National Instruments has developed several software tools you can use with
the NI PXI-8109.

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 busses.

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.

1 The extended-temperature, 24/7 option controller provides a 80 GB hard drive.

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 Chapter 1 Introduction

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.

© National Instruments 1-5 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

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 on 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 over 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.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 1-6 ni.com

Installation and Configuration
2
This chapter contains information about installing and configuring your
NI PXI-8109 controller.

Installing the NI PXI-8109

This section contains general installation instructions for the NI PXI-8109.
Consult your PXI chassis user manual for specific instructions and
warnings.
1. Plug in your chassis before installing the NI PXI-8109. The power
cord grounds the chassis and protects it from electrical damage while
you install the module. (Make sure the power switch is turned off.)

Caution To protect both yourself and the chassis from electrical hazards, leave the chassis
powered off until you finish installing the NI PXI-8109 module.

2. Remove any filler panels blocking access to the system controller slot
(slot 1) in the chassis.
3. Touch the metal part of the case to discharge any static electricity that
might be on your clothes or body.

© National Instruments 2-1 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

4. Remove the protective plastic covers from the four bracket-retaining

screws as shown in Figure 2-1.

1 Protective Screw Cap (4x)

Figure 2-1. Removing Protective Screw Caps

5. Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position.

Align the NI PXI-8109 with the card guides on the top and bottom
of the system controller slot.

Caution Do not raise the injector/ejector handle as you insert the NI PXI-8109.
The module will not insert properly unless the handle is in its downward position
so that it does not interfere with the injector rail on the chassis.

6. Hold the handle as you slowly slide the module into the chassis until
the handle catches on the injector/ejector rail.

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 Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

7. Raise the injector/ejector handle until the module firmly seats

into the backplane receptacle connectors. The front panel of the
NI PXI-8109 should be even with the front panel of the chassis.
8. Tighten the four bracket-retaining screws on the top and bottom of the
front panel to secure the NI PXI-8109 to the chassis.
9. Check the installation.
10. Connect the keyboard and mouse to the appropriate connectors. If you
are using a PS/2 keyboard and a PS/2 mouse, a Y-splitter adapter is
available to connect both to a single USB connector. Refer to
Figure 4-1, Y-Splitter Cable.
11. Connect the DVI monitor video cable to the DVI connector, or use the
DVI-to-VGA adapter included with your controller to connect a VGA
monitor to the DVI connector. Connect devices to ports as required by
your system configuration.
12. Power on the display device.
13. Power on the chassis.
14. Verify that the controller boots. If the controller does not boot, refer
to the What if the NI PXI-8109 does not boot? section of Chapter 5,
Troubleshooting.

© National Instruments 2-3 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

Figure 2-2 shows an NI PXI-8109 installed in the system controller slot of

a National Instruments PXI-1042Q chassis. You can place PXI devices in
any other slots.

1
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NI
PX
I-1
04
2Q
2

1 NI PXI-1042Q Chassis 2 NI PXI-8109 Controller 3 Injector/Ejector Rail

Figure 2-2. NI PXI-8109 Controller Installed in a PXI Chassis

How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Chassis

The NI PXI-8109 controller is designed for easy handling. To remove the
unit from the PXI chassis, complete the following steps:
1. Power off the chassis.
2. Loosen the 4 bracket-retaining screws in the front panel.
3. Press the injector/ejector handle down.
4. Slide the unit out of the chassis.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 2-4 ni.com

 Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

BIOS Setup
You can change the NI PXI-8109 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 PXI-8109 controller features.

Most users do not need to use the BIOS setup program, as the NI PXI-8109
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

Complete the following steps to start the BIOS setup program.
1. Power on or reboot your NI PXI-8109 controller.
2. When the message Press <DEL> to enter setup appears, press
the <Del> 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.

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• <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 Menu
The most commonly accessed and modified BIOS settings are in the Main
menu. The Main menu reports the following configuration information:
• BIOS Version and Build Date—These values indicate the version of
the NI PXI-8109 controller BIOS and the date on which the BIOS was
built.
• Processor Type, Processor Base Frequency, and Processor
Core—These values indicate the type of processor used in the
NI PXI-8109 controller, the speed of the processor, and the number of
processor cores.
• Total Memory—This value indicates the size of system RAM
detected by the BIOS.

The Main 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 also
include a way to change this setting. Use <+> and <–> in conjunction
with <Enter> and <Tab> to change these values.

Advanced 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.

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The Advanced 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.
• Clock Generator Configuration—Use this setting to access the
Clock Generator Configuration submenu. Refer to the Clock
Generator Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• ExpressCard Configuration—Use this setting to access the
ExpressCard Configuration submenu. Refer to the ExpressCard
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/Parallel Port Configuration—Use this setting to access
the Serial/Parallel Port Configuration submenu. Refer to the
Serial/Parallel 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.

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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 care should be taken when enabling this setting on a
Real Time system. When the BIOS is configured to boot LabVIEW
Real-Time, Hyper-Threading will be automatically disabled. In order
to manually enable Hyper-Threading performance when in LabVIEW
Real-Time mode, see the LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides
Submenu.
• Enabled CPU Cores—This setting selects the number of active CPU
cores for the processor. Valid values are 2 or 1. The default value is 2.
• 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 can also
increase application jitter, so care should be taken 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 will be
automatically disabled. In order to manually enable Turbo Boost
performance when in LabVIEW Real-Time mode, see 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 care should be taken when enabling
this setting on a Real Time system. When the BIOS is configured to
boot LabVIEW Real-time, C-States will be automatically disabled. In
order to manually enable C-States when in LabVIEW Real-Time
mode, see the LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu.
• Hardware Prefetcher—This setting enables or disables CPU cache
hardware prefetching. The default value is Enabled when booting
LabVIEW Real-Time, enabled when booting other OSs. Enabling
hardware prefetching can increase system performance for some
applications, but can cause control algorithms to behave less
deterministically.

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• Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch—This setting enables or disables

prefetching of adjacent cache lines from memory to the CPU cache.
The default value is Enabled when booting LabVIEW Real-Time,
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.
The video adapater can also be disabled by selecting Disabled.
Disabling video can increase system performance for some
applications by allowing some control algorithms to behave more
deterministically.

Clock Generator Configuration Submenu

Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to the controller’s
onboard clock generator. Normally, you do not need to modify these
settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and
optimal configuration possible.
• Spread Spectrum—This setting enables or disables Spread Spectrum
clocking for each onboard clock generator used on the controller. The
default value is Enabled. This option should be set to Disabled to use
Jumbo Frames with the Intel 82577 LAN adapter.

ExpressCard Configuration Submenu

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 will be 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 most
compatible and optimal configuration possible.
• ExpressCard Resources—This setting enables or disables the setting
of the Reserved Buses, Reserved Memory, and Reserved I/O

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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
that will be reserved by the BIOS 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 will be reserved by the BIOS 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 will be reserved by the BIOS 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.

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 most compatible and optimal configuration possible.
• 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 or not 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.

Note Certain real-time applications may require you to disable this setting to reduce loop
time jitter. When the controller is configured to boot LabVIEW RT, legacy USB support is
automatically disabled.

• Overcurrent Reporting—This setting enables or disables USB

overcurrent reporting. The default 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 will wait for a USB mass storage device to
start. The default is 20 seconds.

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• Device Power-Up Delay—This setting specifies the maximum time a

device will take 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. 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 will wait for a USB device
or hub to power on. This setting is only visible 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 will present
the USB mass storage device to the system. This option can be used 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/Parallel Port Configuration Submenu

Use this submenu to apply alternate configurations to the serial and
parallel ports. 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. Refer to the Serial Port Configuration
Submenu section for more information.
• Parallel Port Configuration—Use this setting to access the Parallel
Port Configuration submenu. Refer to the Parallel Port
Configuration Submenu section for more information.

Serial Port Configuration Submenu

• Serial Port—This setting enables or disables the onboard serial port.
The default value is Enabled.
• Device Settings—This item displays the current base address and
interrupt request level (IRQ) information for the onboard serial port.
• Change Settings—This setting changes the base address and interrupt
request level (IRQ) information for the onboard serial port. The default
value is Auto.

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Parallel Port Configuration Submenu

• Parallel Port—This setting enables or disables the onboard parallel
port. The default value is Enabled.
• Device Settings—This item displays the current base address and
interrupt request level (IRQ) information for the onboard parallel port.
• Change Settings—This setting changes the base address and interrupt
request level (IRQ) information for the onboard parallel port. The
default value is Auto. Note that the options available vary based upon
the Device Mode selected for the parallel port.
• Device Mode—This setting enables alternate modes of operation for
the parallel port. Usually the default setting works for all applications.
The default is STD Printer Mode.

LabVIEW RT 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 Figure 2-4,
LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches. 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 will automatically attempt 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 or 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.
• 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.

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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. For more information on these
settings and the switches that control them, refer to the LabVIEW RT
Configuration Switches section of this chapter.

LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu

In order to minimize jitter when booting into LabVIEW Real-Time mode,
the following features are automatically disabled. These features can be
manually enabled. Refer to the CPU Configuration Submenu 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 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.
• SCSI Drive Boot—This setting specifies whether or not boot support
is enabled for legacy mass storage devices, such as SCSI drives. When
enabled, legacy mass storage controllers with boot support will be
displayed in the Boot Option Priorities menu. The default value is
Enabled.
• PXE Network Boot—This setting specifies whether or not the PXE
network boot agent is enabled. When enabled, the Intel Boot Agent
will be 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. The system must be restarted 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 will first attempt to
boot from the device associated with Boot Device #1, followed by
Boot Device #2, and Boot Device #3. If multiple boot devices are not
present, the BIOS setup will not display all of these configuration

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options. To select a boot device, press <Enter> on the desired

configuration option and select a boot device from the resulting menu.
You can also disable certain boot devices by selecting Disabled.

Note Only one device of a given type will be 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 will be 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 will wait 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.

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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

• Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, Boot Option #3—These settings
specify the boot 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

• Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, Boot Option #3—These settings
specify the boot priority of floppy 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.

Network Device BBS Priorities Submenu

• Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, Boot Option #3—These settings
specify the boot priority of network 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.

Security Menu
Use this menu to enable BIOS security options.
• Setup Administrator Password—This setting specifies a password
that must be entered to access the BIOS setup. If only the
Administrator’s password is set, then this only limits access to the
BIOS setup program and is only asked for 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 or to boot the system. If only the
User’s password is set, then 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 will have Administrator rights. By default,
no password is specified.

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Save & Exit Menu

The Save & Exit 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 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. The <F10> key can also be used 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. The <Esc> key can also
be used 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, are also restored to their factory defaults.
The <F9> key can also be used 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 will continue booting to the selected device without
first rebooting. If BIOS setup options have been changed and saved,
a reboot will be required and the boot override selection will not be
valid.

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BIOS Diagnostic Utilities

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

Accessing BIOS Diagnostic Utilities

Complete the following steps to start the BIOS Diagnostic Utility.
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 is tested first upon entry into the BIOS Diagnostic Utilities.
A quick test is performed initially, and a more comprehensive test is
performed second. The user 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, the user is presented with the testing results. If both tests have
succeeded or been skipped, Press any key to continue is displayed.
In order to continue with testing, user interaction is required to press a key
on the keyboard.

Note If either hard drive test fails, the controller is not permitted to boot, and the user is
instructed to turn off the controller and replace the hard drive.

Memory Diagnostic Utility

The memory diagnostic utility is started immediately after the user presses
a key to exit the hard drive diagnostic utility. The user 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, the user is presented
with the testing result. If the memory test was successful or skipped, Press
any key to continue is displayed. In order to continue to boot the
controller, user interaction is required to press a key on the keyboard.

Note If the memory test fails, the controller is not permitted to boot, and the user is
instructed to turn off the controller and replace the memory.

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System CMOS
The NI PXI-8109 contains memory back 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 Figure 2-3.
4. Wait one second.
5. Reinstall the controller in the chassis.

1 Push-Button Switch SW2

Figure 2-3. Clearing the CMOS Contents

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LabVIEW RT Installation
This section explains software installation and switch configuration for
LabVIEW RT on your PXI controller.

LabVIEW RT Software Installation

The following section describes the necessary steps to get your PXI
embedded controller setup to run LabVIEW Real-Time. In this section you
will configure the boot mode of the controller, verify or change IP settings,
and install LabVIEW Real-Time software.

Complete the following steps to install the LabVIEW RT software.

1. Boot the NI PXI embedded controller into the real-time operating
system. Refer to the LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches section or
the LabVIEW RT Menu section in this manual to configure the
controller for booting into LabVIEW RT.
The PXI controller will automatically boot into LabVIEW RT Safe
Mode when no software is installed. LabVIEW RT Safe Mode loads
with the basic real-time operating system and will automatically
attempt to connect to the network using DHCP. If DHCP is not
available, it will then connect to the network with a link-local
IP address.

Tip You can connect a monitor to the desktop PC to display startup messages such as the
IP address and MAC address.

2. Open Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) on another

computer in the same subnet and expand the Remote Systems
branch. MAX lists the PXI controller as the model name of the
controller followed by the partial MAC address (for example,
NI-PXI8109-2F108562).

Note The other computer must have LabVIEW, LabVIEW RT, and any desired drivers
installed.

Tip Record the PXI Express controller MAC address, located on the side of the controller,
for use in identifying the controller. The label also can be removed and placed on the front
of the controller for easier access.

3. Click on the appropriate PXI controller entry to access the Network

Settings tab in the right pane view.

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4. (Optional) Enter a name for the RT target in the Name text box.
5. (Optional) Set the network configuration options of the RT target in the
IP Settings section and click the Apply button.
For information about configuring network settings, refer to the
Configuring Network Settings book, accessible by browsing to
MAX Remote Systems Help»LabVIEW Real-Time Target
Configuration»Configuring Network Settings from the Contents
tab of MAX Help.

Note When any IP or identification settings are changed, you will be prompted to reboot
the controller for the changes to take effect. Click Yes to automatically reboot the RT
target. You may also reboot the controller by right-clicking on the target name under
Remote Systems and selecting Reboot.

After rebooting the PXI controller it will appear in the Remote Systems
category with the assigned name.

6. Expand the PXI controller view in the Remote Systems branch and
select Software.
7. Click the Add/Remove Software button in the toolbar to launch the
LabVIEW Real-Time Software Wizard.
8. Install the LabVIEW Real-Time software and device drivers that you
require on the RT target. Refer to the NI Web site at ni.com/info and
enter the Info Code etspc for the latest information about supported
software.

After installation of the software the controller will automatically reboot

and you will now be able to program it using LabVIEW Real-Time.

Note Refer to the RT Getting Started Guide available on your host computer for more
information about setting up your RT target.

LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches

Use the LabVIEW RT configuration switches to configure LabVIEW RT
if it is installed on the controller. If you are not using LabVIEW RT, these
switches should remain in the OFF position. The controller reads these
switches only after a system reset.

Note You must reboot the controller for any changes to take place.

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The NI PXI-8109 controller includes the following LabVIEW RT

configuration switches:
• Switch 1—Boot LabVIEW RT: Set this switch to ON to boot
LabVIEW RT.
• Switch 2—Boot Safe Mode: Set this switch to ON to boot LabVIEW
RT into safe mode to reconfigure TCP/IP settings and to download or
update software from a host computer. This switch overrides the
behavior of Switch 1. Booting the controller into safe mode does not
start the embedded LabVIEW RT engine. After changing the settings
or software, reboot the controller with this switch OFF to resume
normal operation.
• Switch 3—Disable Startup VI: Set this switch to ON to prevent VIs
from automatically running at startup if the controller becomes
inaccessible because of a startup VI.
• Switch 4—Reset IP Address: Set this switch to ON to reset the
IP address and other TCP/IP settings to their factory defaults. Use this
switch if moving the controller to a different subnet or if the current
TCP/IP settings are valid.

Note By default, the target will automatically attempt 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 or 169.254.x.x.

© National Instruments 2-21 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

Figure 2-4 shows the location of the LabVIEW RT configuration switches.

The switches are shown in the OFF position.

3
2
1

1 Switch 1—Boot LabVIEW RT 3 Switch 3—Disable Startup VI

2 Switch 2—Boot Safe Mode 4 Switch 4—Reset IP Address

Figure 2-4. LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches

Drivers and Software

Files and Directories Installed on Your Hard Drive
Your hard drive includes a directory called images in its root that
contains software and soft copies of manuals for the peripherals. The
directory structure under the images directory is logically organized
into several levels.

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 Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

In the images directory, you will find a manuals directory, an

os directory, and a drivers directory.

The manuals directory contains quick reference guides, technical

reference manuals, and National Instruments software manuals, all in
Adobe Acrobat format. To access any manual, change your directory
to c:\images\manuals and list the contents of that directory.

The os directory contains a subdirectory corresponding to the operating

system installed on your computer.

The drivers directory contains driver installers for the system

peripherals. These files and directories are copied exactly from the
manufacturer distribution disks, so the naming conventions vary from
peripheral to peripheral.

PXI Features
PXI Trigger Connectivity
The SMB connector on the NI PXI-8109 front panel can connect to or from
any PXI backplane trigger line. A trigger allocation process is needed to
prevent two resources from connecting to the same trigger line, resulting in
the trigger being double-driven and possibly damaging the hardware. At
the time of this manual’s publication, this software is not yet available for
Windows. Contact National Instruments for more information.

PXI Chassis Configuration

The PXI Platform Services software installed on your controller and
available on the National Instruments Driver DVD or PXI Platform
Services CD included with your kit automatically identifies your PXI
system components to generate a pxisys.ini file. You can configure
your entire PXI system and identify PXI-1 chassis through Measurement &
Automation Explorer (MAX), included with your controller. MAX creates
the pxisys.ini file, which defines your PXI system parameters. MAX
also provides an interface to route and reserve triggers so dynamic routing,
through drivers such as DAQmx, avoids double-driving and potentially
damaging trigger lines. For more information about routing and reserving
PXI triggers, refer to KnowledgeBase 3TJDOND8, Using PXI Timing and
Triggering Functionality, at ni.com/support.

© National Instruments 2-23 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

The configuration steps for single or multiple-chassis systems are the same.
An example of a multichassis configuration is shown in Figure 2-5.

Figure 2-5. Multichassis Configuration in MAX

Basic PXI System Configuration

1. Launch Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX).
2. In the Configuration tree, expand Devices and Interfaces.
3. In the Devices and Interfaces tree, expand PXI System. Your
PXI Express chassis is already identified and appears in the
PXI System tree.
4. For each unidentified PXI chassis in the PXI System tree, right-click
on the chassis and select the appropriate chassis model through the
Identify As submenu. Further expanding the PXI System branch
shows all devices in the system that NI-VISA can recognize.

The PXI specification allows for many combinations of PXI chassis and
system modules. To assist system integrators, PXI chassis and system
module manufacturers must document their products’ capabilities.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 2-24 ni.com

 Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

The NI PXI Platform Services software uses the system module driver,
chassis driver, and chassis.ini files to generate the PXI system
description file (pxisys.ini). Device drivers and other utility software
read the pxisys.ini file to obtain system information. For detailed
information about initialization files, refer to the PXI specification at
www.pxisa.org.

Upgrading RAM
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXI-8109 by
upgrading the SO-DIMMs.

To upgrade the RAM, remove the NI PXI-8109 from the PXI chassis. To
optimize both memory capacity and system performance, use the same size
and speed memory module in each of the two module slots. The use of
different size modules in each slot is supported, but system performance
will be slower than using two matched modules. However, two mismatched
modules could result in better performance than using a single module.

National Instruments offers the following SO-DIMM for use with the
NI PXI-8109 controller.
• PC3-8500 (DDR3 1066) 2 GB, 256 MB × 64, CL 7, 1.18 in. max
(NI part number 781508-2048)
• PC3-8500 (DDR3 1066) 4 GB, 512 MB × 64, CL 7, 1.18 in. max
(NI part number 781509-4096)

Notes National Instruments has tested and verified that the DDR3 SO-DIMMs we sell
work with the NI PXI-8109. We recommend you purchase your DDR3 SO-DIMM
modules from National Instruments. Other off-the-shelf DDR3 SO-DIMM modules
are not guaranteed to work properly.

When installing memory modules into the memory sockets, the lower socket must be
populated first, followed by the upper socket. If a single memory module is used, it must
be installed in the lower socket.

© National Instruments 2-25 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

1 DDR3 SO-DIMM Module in Lower Socket 2 DDR3 SO-DIMM Sockets

Figure 2-6. Installing a DDR3 SO-DIMM in an NI PXI-8109 Controller

Hard Drive Recovery

NI PXI-8109 controllers 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 PXI-8109
controller also ships with an OS Recovery CD that allows you to
reinstall your operating system onto your hard drive through an external
USB CD/DVD-ROM. For more information on 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 CD,

you can use the included OS re-installation CD with an external
USB CD/DVD-ROM drive. Boot the PXI Express controller using the

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 2-26 ni.com

 Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

OS re-installation CD to recover the OS. You also may need to reinstall

other software after using the CD to recover the OS.

Note Recovering the OS erases the contents of your hard disk. Back up any files you want
to keep.

Installing an OS
NI PXI-8109 controllers include a pre-installed 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 PXI-8109 supports the installation of Windows 7 or Windows XP
from a USB CD/DVD-ROM. As an alternative to a USB CD/DVD-ROM
drive, you can use an external SCSI CD-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.

ExpressCard
This section provides information on the installation and removal of
ExpressCard™ modules.

Installing an ExpressCard
You can install an ExpressCard module while the NI PXI-8109 is running.
The NI PXI-8109 will automatically detect 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, simply 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.

© National Instruments 2-27 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

The NI PXI-8109 will automatically recognize the ExpressCard and load

the appropriate driver(s). Third-party cards may require that you install
additional drivers. Contact your ExpressCard vendor for more information.

Removing an ExpressCard
To remove the ExpressCard module push in the module and then release to
eject the card. Slide the card out of the slot.

Caution To avoid data loss and other potential issues, stop communication with your
ExpressCard device before removing it from the NI PXI-8109. In Windows, use the Safely
Remove Hardware tool to safely stop the ExpressCard.

Power Budgeting
The NI PXI-8109 is a high power, high performance controller. It may
be necessary to perform power budgeting to ensure that the chassis
can adequately power all of the modules in the system. Refer to
KnowledgeBase 3K69SDQT, Performing a Power Budget on a
PXI System, for tips on budgeting power.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 2-28 ni.com

I/O Information
3
Front Panel Connectors
Table 3-1 lists various I/O interfaces and their corresponding NI PXI-8109
external connectors, bus interfaces, and functions.

Table 3-1. NI PXI-8109 Peripherals Overview

Peripheral External Connector Description

Video DVI-I ATI Radeon E2400 Embedded GPU
(24-pin DSUB)
Serial COM1 16550 RS-232 serial port
(9-pin DSUB)
Ethernet Port 1 LAN 10/100/1000 Ethernet
(RJ45, dual stacked) Intel 82577
Ethernet Port 2 LAN 10/100/1000 Ethernet
(RJ45, dual stacked) Intel 82574
Parallel Parallel Port IEEE 1284
(36-pin champ)
USB USB 4-pin Series A USB 2.0 capable
stacked receptacle
(4 ports)
PXI trigger Trigger Routing PXI triggers to or from the
(SMB) backplane trigger bus
GPIB device GPIB General-Purpose Interface Bus,
(25-pin Micro D) IEEE 488.2
ExpressCard/34 module ExpressCard/34 slot ExpressCard/34 expansion

© National Instruments 3-1 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 3 I/O Information

Front Panel
Figure 3-1 shows the front panel layout and dimensions of the
NI PXI-8109. Dimensions are in inches [millimeters].

1.205 [30.62]
1.540 [39.12]
1.875 [47.62]

2.781 [70.64]
.871 [22.12]
.341 [8.66]

4.392 [111.56]

3.727 [94.66]
3.553 [90.26]
3.390 [86.11]

3.002 [76.25]

2.064 [52.43]

1.650 [41.91]

1.256 [31.9]

.000 [0]
.000 [0]

.902 [22.91]
.977 [24.8]
1.460 [37.07]

1.876 [47.65]

Figure 3-1. NI PXI-8109 Front Panel Layout and Dimensions

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 3-2 ni.com

 Chapter 3 I/O Information

DVI-I
Figure 3-2 shows the location and pinouts for the DVI-I connector on the
NI PXI-8109. Table 3-2 lists and describes the DVI-I connector signals.

17 9 1

24 8
C3 C1
C5
C4 C2
NI PXI-8109
Embedded Controller

Figure 3-2. DVI-I Connector Location and Pinout

Table 3-2. DVI-I Connector Signals

Pin Signal Name

1 TMDS Data2–
2 TMDS Data2+
3 TMDS Data2/4 Shield
4 Reserved
5 Reserved
6 DDC Clock [SCL]
7 DDC Data [SDA]
8 Analog vertical sync
9 TMDS Data1–
10 TMDS Data1+

© National Instruments 3-3 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 3 I/O Information

Table 3-2. DVI-I Connector Signals (Continued)

Pin Signal Name

11 TMDS Data1/3 Shield
12 Reserved
13 Reserved
14 +5 V Power
15 Ground (for +5 V)
16 Hot Plug Detect
17 TMDS Data0–
18 TMDSData0+
19 TMDS Data0/5 Shield
20 Reserved
21 Reserved
22 TMDS Clock Shield
23 TMDS Clock+
24 TMDS Clock–
C1 Analog Red
C2 Analog Green
C3 Analog Blue
C4 Analog Horizontal Sync
C5 Analog GND Return: (analog R, G, B)

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 3-4 ni.com

 Chapter 3 I/O Information

COM1
Figure 3-3 shows the location and pinouts for the COM1 connector on the
NI PXI-8109. Table 3-3 lists and describes the COM1 connector signal.

9 5

COM1

6 1

NI PXI-8109
Embedded Controller

Figure 3-3. COM1 Connector Location and Pinout

Table 3-3. COM1 Connector Signals

Pin Signal Name Signal Description

1 DCD Data Carrier Detect
2 RXD Receive Data
3 TXD Transmit Data
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

© National Instruments 3-5 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 3 I/O Information

Ethernet
Figure 3-4 shows the location and pinouts for the Ethernet connector on the
NI PXI-8109. Table 3-4 lists and describes the Ethernet connector signals.

1 8

Ethernet

8 1

NI PXI-8109
Embedded Controller

Figure 3-4. Ethernet Connector Location and Pinout

Table 3-4. 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 automatic crossover, thus eliminating the need
for crossover cables.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 3-6 ni.com

 Chapter 3 I/O Information

Table 3-5. 10/100/1000 LAN Connector LED States

LED Color LED State Condition

Off LAN link is not established.
Top Green On (steady state) LAN link is established.
On (brighter and pulsing) The controller is communicating with
another computer on the LAN.
Unlit Off 10 Mbit/sec data rate is selected.
Bottom Green On 100 Mbit/sec data rate is selected.
Orange On 1000 Mbit/sec data rate is selected.

Parallel Port
Figure 3-5 shows the location and pinouts for the IEEE 1284 (parallel)
connector on the NI PXI-8109. Table 3-6 lists and describes the IEEE 1284
connector signals.

Parallel port adapter cables are available from National Instruments,

part number 777169-01.

19 1

Parallel Port

36 18

NI PXI-8109
Embedded Controller

Figure 3-5. Parallel Port Connector Location and Pinout

© National Instruments 3-7 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 3 I/O Information

Table 3-6. Parallel Port Connector Signals

Default Configuration (LPT)

Pin Signal Name Signal Description
1 BUSY Device Busy
2 SLCT Select
3 ACK# Acknowledge
4 FAULT#(ERROR#) Fault
5 PAPEREND Paper End
6 PD0 Data Bit 0
7 PD1 Data Bit 1
8 PD 2 Data Bit 2
9 PD3 Data Bit 3
10 PD4 Data Bit 4
11 PD5 Data Bit 5
12 PD6 Data Bit 6
13 PD7 Data Bit 7
14 INIT# Initialize Printer
15 STROBE# Strobe
16 SLCTIN# Select Input
17 AUTOFD# Auto Line Feed
18 +5V +5 V
19–35 GND Ground
36 NC Not Connected

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 3-8 ni.com

 Chapter 3 I/O Information

Universal Serial Bus

Figure 3-6 shows the location and pinouts for the Universal Serial Bus
(USB) connectors on the NI PXI-8109. Table 3-7 lists and describes the
USB connector signals.

1
USB
4

NI PXI-8109
Embedded Controller

Figure 3-6. USB Connector Location and Pinout

Table 3-7. USB Connector Signals

Pin Signal Name Signal Description

1 VCC Cable Power (+5 V)
2 D– USB Data –
3 D+ USB Data +
4 GND Ground

© National Instruments 3-9 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 3 I/O Information

Trigger
The TRIG connector is the software-controlled trigger connection for
routing PXI triggers to or from the backplane trigger bus.

Figure 3-7 shows the TRIG connector location on the NI PXI-8109.

Table 3-8 lists and describes the trigger connector signals.

2
1

NI PXI-8109
Embedded Controller

Figure 3-7. TRIG Connector Location and Pinout

Table 3-8. TRIG Connector Signals

Pin Signal Name Signal Description

1 TRIG Trigger
2 (Shield) GND Ground

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 3-10 ni.com

 Chapter 3 I/O Information

GPIB (IEEE 488.2)

Figure 3-8 shows the location and pinouts for the GPIB connector on
the NI PXI-8109. Table 3-9 lists and describes the GPIB connector signals.

National Instruments provides a GPIB mating connector, part

number 183285-0R2.

13 25
GPIB

1 14
NI PXI-8109
Embedded Controller

Figure 3-8. GPIB Connector Location and Pinout

Table 3-9. GPIB Connector Signals

Pin Signal Name Signal Description

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

© National Instruments 3-11 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 3 I/O Information

Table 3-9. GPIB Connector Signals (Continued)

Pin Signal Name Signal Description

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
18–25 GND Logic Ground

ExpressCard/34 Slot
The NI PXI-8109 controller is equipped with an ExpressCard/34 slot on the
front panel, which provides I/O expansion and options for removable
storage, Ethernet, and a variety of other I/O.

Figure 3-9 shows the location and pinouts for the ExpressCard/34 slot on
the NI PXI-8109. Table 3-10 lists and describes the ExpressCard connector
signals.

26

ExpressCard/34 Slot

NI PXI-8109
Embedded Controller

Figure 3-9. ExpressCard/34 Slot Location and Pinout

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 Chapter 3 I/O Information

Table 3-10. ExpressCard Connector Signals

Pin Signal Name Signal Description

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 PERn PE Data Receive –
22 PERp PE Data Receive +
23 GND Ground
24 PETn PE Data Transmit –
25 PETp PE Data Transmit +
26 GND Ground

© National Instruments 3-13 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 3 I/O Information

Front Panel Features

The NI PXI-8109 controller has the following front-panel features:
• A system reset pushbutton (press the button to generate a reset to the
controller)
• Two front panel LEDs that show PC status
– The PWR OK/FAULT LED indicates the status of the controller.
The LED will indicate one of the following states:
• Green ON steady—PXI and onboard power is on and within
regulation limits.
• Green BLINKING—One of the onboard power supplies is
operating outside of the normal limits or the system power
supply is out of regulation. The LED will also blink green if
Windows has been shut down but the chassis power is still on.
• OFF—The controller is powered off.
• Red BLINKING—The controller detected a power rail fault
when trying to boot.
– The DRIVE LED indicates when an access to the internal hard
disk is occurring.

Data Storage
The NI PXI-8109 has the following data storage features:
• Internal Serial ATA hard drive
– 120 GB or larger 2.5 in. notebook hard drive
– Supports Native Command Queuing
– Supports transfer rates up to 150 MB/s
• USB storage support—USB CD/DVD-ROM, mass storage device,
or floppy drive

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 3-14 ni.com

Common Configuration
4
Questions
This chapter answers common configuration questions you may have when
using the NI PXI-8109 embedded controller.

General Questions
What do the LEDs on the NI PXI-8109 front panel mean?
Refer to the LED status descriptions in the Front Panel Features section of
Chapter 3, I/O Information.

How do I check the configuration of the memory, hard drive,

time/date, and so on?
You can view these parameters in the BIOS setup. To enter the BIOS setup,
reboot the NI PXI-8109 and press <Delete> during the memory tests. Refer
to the Accessing BIOS Setup section of Chapter 2, Installation and
Configuration, for more information.

Can I use the internal hard drive and an external hard drive at the
same time?
Yes. Refer to the BIOS Setup section of Chapter 2, Installation and
Configuration, for more information.

Boot Options
What devices can I boot from?
The NI PXI-8109 can boot from the following devices:
• The internal Serial ATA hard drive
• An external SCSI hard drive or SCSI CD/DVD-ROM if a
SCSI adapter, such as the NI 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

© National Instruments 4-1 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions

• An external USB floppy drive

• Most PCI or PCIe-based devices that provide an Option ROM

Note There are some limitations when booting from a USB device. Windows XP
can be installed from a USB CD/DVD-ROM, but earlier versions of Windows cannot.
The NI PXI-8109 BIOS configures the USB devices so that they will work in a DOS
environment.

How do I configure the controller to boot from these devices?

There are two methods.
• 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 Boot Option #1, Boot Option #2, and
Boot Option #3 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.

Cables and Connections

How do I plug both a PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard into the
controller?
The NI PXI-8109 has no PS/2 connector, and you need to use a USB
Y-splitter cable as shown in Figure 4-1, or a similar device, to connect
both a PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard. National Instruments part
number 778713-01 is such a cable and is available through the online
catalog at ni.com/products.

Figure 4-1. Y-Splitter Cable

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 4-2 ni.com

 Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions

What if I don’t have a Y-splitter cable? Can I still use a mouse and
keyboard?
If you do not have a Y-splitter cable, plug a USB keyboard into any
USB connector. You can also plug a USB mouse into any USB connector.

How do I connect a standard 25-pin LPT cable to the

NI PXI-8109?
The NI PXI-8109 uses a type C LPT connector. Most parallel port
devices use a type A connector. To use a device with a standard type A
LPT connector, you need to use a type C-to-type A LPT adapter. Parallel
port adapter cables, part number 777169-01, are available through the
online catalog at ni.com/products.

How do I connect a VGA monitor to the NI PXI-8109?

A VGA-to-DVI-I adapter (National Instruments part number 762559-01) is
included with your kit. You can use this adapter to connect a VGA monitor
to the DVI-I port.

Software Driver Installation

How do I install or reinstall the video driver?
Refer to KnowledgeBase 3H3COSD8 at ni.com/support.

How do I install or reinstall the Ethernet driver?

Refer to KnowledgeBase 3H3COSD8 at ni.com/support.

How do I install or reinstall the GPIB driver?

The NI-488.2 driver for your GPIB port is installed by default when your
controller is first shipped from the factory. To change the default installed
driver, complete the following steps:
1. Download the latest GPIB driver from ni.com/downloads.
2. Install the driver and verify that the driver has properly detected the
GPIB driver in the Device Manager. If you need more assistance, refer
to ni.com/support/install.

© National Instruments 4-3 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions

How do I install software from a CD?

The compact size of the NI PXI-8109 does not allow for an integrated USB
CD/DVD-ROM drive. If you are using Windows XP, you have the
following options:
• USB CD/DVD-ROM—Windows XP supports installing from a
USB CD/DVD-ROM using a bootable installation CD.
• SCSI CD-ROM—Windows XP supports installing from a
SCSI CD-ROM using a bootable installation CD.
• Mapped network drive—You can use the Ethernet to connect to
another computer. If you share the USB CD/DVD-ROM drive on the
other computer, you can map the shared USB CD/DVD-ROM drive to
a drive letter on the NI PXI-8109.

A USB CD/DVD-ROM drive is available from National Instruments,

part number 778492-01.

Upgrade Information
How do I upgrade system memory?
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXI-8109 by
upgrading the DDR3 SO-DIMMs.

To upgrade the RAM, remove the NI PXI-8109 from the PXI chassis. To
optimize both memory capacity and system performance, use the same size
and speed memory module in each of the two module slots. The use of
different size modules in each slot is supported, but system performance
will be slower than using two matched modules. However, two mismatched
modules will result in better performance than using a single module.

National Instruments offers the following types of SO-DIMMs for use with
the NI PXI-8109 controller.
• PC3-8500 (DDR3 1066) 2 GB, 256 MB × 64, CL 7, 1.18 in. max
(NI part number 781508-2048)
• PC3-8500 (DDR3 1066) 4 GB, 512 MB × 64, CL 7, 1.18 in. max
(NI part number 781509-4096)

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 4-4 ni.com

 Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions

Notes National Instruments has tested and verified that the DDR3 SO-DIMMs we sell
work with the NI PXI-8109. We recommend you purchase your DDR3 SO-DIMM
modules from National Instruments. Other off-the-shelf DDR3 SO-DIMM modules
are not guaranteed to work properly.

When installing memory modules into the memory sockets, the lower socket must be
populated first, followed by the upper socket. If a single memory module is used, it must
be installed in the lower socket.

1 DDR3 SO-DIMM Module in Lower Socket 2 DDR3 SO-DIMM Sockets

Figure 4-2. Installing a DDR3 SO-DIMM in an NI PXI-8109 Controller

How do I flash a new BIOS?

You can download the new BIOS from ftp.ni.com/support/pxi.
For more information, refer to KnowledgeBase 2GIGKD0Z, Determining
and Upgrading PXI and VXI Embedded Controller BIOS Versions.

© National Instruments 4-5 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions

What is the purpose of the W1 jumper on the NI PXI-8109?

3
2

2
1

1 2

1 Default Position 2 Reserved

Figure 4-3. The W1 Jumper on an NI PXI-8109 Controller

The W1 jumper enables reserved features for National Instruments factory

testing only. The W1 jumper is not needed for normal operation, and the
shunt should be left in the default position (with the shunt on pins 1 and 2,
or with the shunt removed entirely). If the shunt is in the wrong position,
the BIOS will display a warning message.

Where do I get the latest software drivers?

The latest National Instruments software is available from ni.com/
downloads. For peripheral drivers, refer to KnowledgeBase 3H3COSD8,
What Peripheral Drivers Should I Use with My PXI or VXI Controller?,
at ni.com.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 4-6 ni.com

 Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions

My NI PXI-8109 does not have an internal floppy drive. Is there a way

to use an external drive?
Yes. The NI PXI-8109 controller supports and can boot from USB floppy
drives. Refer to the Boot Options section for more information.
A USB floppy drive is available from National Instruments, part
number 778492-02.

PXI Configuration
How do I use the SMB trigger on the front panel?
For details, refer to the PXI Features section of Chapter 2, Installation and
Configuration.

Why doesn’t the NI PXI-8109 work with the PXI-8220 or PXI-8221?

The serialized IRQ line is not routed to the Intel 5 Series chipset on the
NI PXI-8109. This prevents PC cards using ISA interrupts from working
with the NI PXI-8109.

© National Instruments 4-7 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Troubleshooting
5
This chapter answers common troubleshooting questions you may have
when using the NI PXI-8109 embedded computer.

What if the NI PXI-8109 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. Does your monitor work with a
different PC? If it hangs, note the last screen output that you saw for
reference when consulting National Instruments 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 user manual 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 this same chassis.
• Clear the CMOS. (Refer to the System CMOS section of Chapter 2,
Installation and Configuration.)

© National Instruments 5-1 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Chapter 5 Troubleshooting

• Recover the hard drive on the controller. (Refer to the Hard Drive
Recovery section of Chapter 2, Installation and Configuration.)
• Make sure the RAM is properly seated.

My controller boots fine until I get to Windows, at which point I cannot

read the screen. This may include garbled output, white screen, black
screen, or an out of synch message from the monitor.
This problem usually results from having the video card output set past the
limits of the monitor. You will need to boot Windows in Safe Mode. To do
this, reboot the controller. As Windows begins to boot, hold down <F8>.
You should now be able to reset the video driver to lower settings. Try
setting the resolution to 800 × 600 and the refresh rate to 60 Hz. Once you
reboot, you can raise these values again, using the test option in Windows.
These settings are accessible through the Advanced tab of the Display item
in the Control Panel. Alternately, you can try a different monitor,
preferably a newer and larger one.

My system boots fine as long as a particular module is not in my

chassis.
The most common cause of this 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.
Refer to the KnowledgeBase or product manuals section at ni.com for
more information specific to the chassis and controller with which you are
having difficulties.

My CMOS is corrupted. How do I set it back to default?

1. Enter the BIOS setup program as described in the Accessing BIOS
Setup section of Chapter 2, Installation and Configuration.
2. Press <F9> to load BIOS defaults.
3. Answer Y (Yes) to the verification prompt.
4. Select Save and Exit Setup.

As an alternative method, complete the following steps:

1. Power off the chassis.
2. Remove the controller from the chassis.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual 5-2 ni.com

 Chapter 5 Troubleshooting

3. Press the Clear CMOS button (SW2) as shown in Figure 5-1.

4. Wait one second.
5. Reinstall the controller in the chassis.

1 Push-Button Switch SW2

Figure 5-1. Clearing the CMOS Contents

© National Instruments 5-3 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Specifications
A
This appendix lists the electrical, mechanical, and environmental
specifications of the NI PXI-8109 embedded computer.

Features
NI PXI-8109
CPU Intel Core i7-620 M

CPU Frequency 2.66 GHz (base), 3.33 GHz (single-core Turbo mode)

On-die L2 cache 256 KB x2 (256 KB per core)

On-die L3 cache 4 MB shared between cores

Dual-Channel DDR3 RAM, PC3 8500 2 GB Standard

8 GB Maximum
Hard Drive 120 GB or larger Serial ATA*

Ethernet 10/100/1000 BaseTX, 2 ports

GPIB (IEEE 488 Controller) Yes

Serial Ports (RS-232) Yes (1)

Parallel Port Yes (1)

Hi-Speed USB (2.0) Ports Yes (4)

ExpressCard/34 Slot Yes

PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Connector No

PXI Trigger Bus Input/Output Yes

Installed Operating System Windows 7 Professional,

Windows XP Professional SP3 for Embedded Systems
* Extended-temperature 24/7 option provides 80 GB minimum hard drive.

© National Instruments A-1 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Appendix A Specifications

Electrical
Current (A)
Voltage (V) Typical Maximum
+3.3 2A 3A
+5 (+5 VDC and +5 VIO)* 8A 9.5 A
+12 .050 A .150 A
–12 0A 0A
* Does not include any attached USB devices or ExpressCard.

Physical
Board dimensions ...................................PXI 3U-size module
8.1 cm × 13 cm × 21.6 cm
(3.2 in. × 5.1 in. × 8.5 in.)

Slot requirements ....................................One system slot plus

three controller expansion slots

Compatibility ..........................................Fully compatible with

PXI specification

Weight ....................................................1.30 kg (2.87 lb) typical

Environment
Maximum altitude...................................2,000 m (800 mbar)
(at 25 °C ambient temperature)

Pollution Degree .....................................2

Indoor use only.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual A-2 ni.com

 Appendix A Specifications

Operating Environment
Ambient temperature1,2
Base................................................. 5 to 50 °C 3
(Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2)
Extended temperature ..................... 0 to 55 °C
(Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2)
Relative humidity............................ 10% to 90%, noncondensing
(Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-56.)

Caution Clean the NI PXI-8109 with a soft nonmetallic brush. Make sure that the device
is completely dry and free from contaminants before powering-on the controller again.

Storage Environment
Ambient temperature
Base................................................. –40 to 65 °C
(Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2.)
Extended temperature .................... –40 to 70 °C
(Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2.)
Relative humidity ........................... 5% to 95%, noncondensing
(Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-56.)

1 For chassis that are not available in the online catalog at ni.com, contact National Instruments for supported operating
temperatures.
2 Processor should not throttle CPU frequency under reasonable, worst case processor work loads in high operating
temperatures.
3 5 to 40 °C for the NI PXI-1000B DC.

© National Instruments A-3 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Appendix A Specifications

Shock and Vibration

Operational shock ...................................30 g peak, half-sine, 11 ms pulse
(Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-27. Test profile
developed in accordance with
MIL-PRF-28800F.)

Random vibration
Operating .........................................5 to 500 Hz, 0.3 grms
(with solid-state hard drive)
Nonoperating ...................................5 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.)

Note Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Safety
This product is designed to meet the requirements of the following
standards of safety for electrical equipment for measurement, control,
and laboratory use:
• 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
• AS/NZS CISPR 11: Group 1, Class A emissions
• FCC 47 CFR Part 15B: Class A emissions
• ICES-001: Class A emissions

NI PXI-8109 User Manual A-4 ni.com

 Appendix A Specifications

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 generates 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:
• 2006/95/EC; Low-Voltage Directive (safety)
• 2004/108/EC; Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC)

Online Product Certification

To obtain product certifications and the Declaration of Conformity (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 NI and the

Environment 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 products must be sent to a WEEE
recycling center. For more information about WEEE recycling centers, National
Instruments WEEE initiatives, and compliance with WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC on
Waste and Electronic Equipment, visit ni.com/environment/weee.

© National Instruments A-5 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Appendix A Specifications

Battery Replacement and Disposal

This device contains a long-life coin cell battery. If you need to replace it, use the Return
Cd/Hg/Pb

Material Authorization (RMA) process or contact an 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.

⬉ᄤֵᙃѻક∵ᶧ᥻ࠊㅵ⧚ࡲ⊩ ˄Ё೑ RoHS˅

Ё೑ᅶ᠋ National Instruments ヺড়Ё೑⬉ᄤֵᙃѻકЁ䰤ࠊՓ⫼ᶤѯ᳝ᆇ⠽䋼ᣛҸ (RoHS)DŽ
݇Ѣ National Instruments Ё೑ RoHS ড়㾘ᗻֵᙃˈ䇋ⱏᔩ ni.com/environment/rohs_chinaDŽ
(For information about China RoHS compliance, go to ni.com/environment/rohs_china.)

NI PXI-8109 User Manual A-6 ni.com

Technical Support and
B
Professional Services
Log in to your National Instruments ni.com User Profile to get
personalized access to your services. Visit the following sections of
ni.com for technical support and professional services:
• Support—Technical support at ni.com/support includes the
following resources:
– Self-Help Technical Resources—For answers and solutions,
visit ni.com/support for software drivers and updates,
a searchable KnowledgeBase, product manuals, step-by-step
troubleshooting wizards, thousands of example programs,
tutorials, application notes, instrument drivers, and so on.
Registered users also receive access to the NI Discussion Forums
at ni.com/forums. NI Applications Engineers make sure every
question submitted online receives an answer.
– Standard Service Program Membership—This program
entitles members to direct access to NI Applications Engineers
via phone and email for one-to-one technical support, as well as
exclusive access to eLearning training modules at ni.com/
elearning. All customers automatically receive a one-year
membership in the Standard Service Program (SSP) with the
purchase of most software products and bundles including
NI Developer Suite. NI also offers flexible extended contract
options that guarantee your SSP benefits are available without
interruption for as long as you need them. Visit ni.com/ssp for
more information.
For information about other technical support options in your
area, visit ni.com/services, or contact your local office at
ni.com/contact.
• Training and Certification—Visit ni.com/training for training
and certification program information. You can also register for
instructor-led, hands-on courses at locations around the world.
• System Integration—If you have time constraints, limited in-house
technical resources, or other project challenges, National Instruments

© National Instruments B-1 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Appendix B Technical Support and Professional Services

Alliance Partner members can help. To learn more, call your local
NI office or visit ni.com/alliance.
• Declaration of Conformity (DoC)—A 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.
• Calibration Certificate—If your product supports calibration,
you can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at
ni.com/calibration.

You also can visit the Worldwide Offices section of ni.com/niglobal

to access the branch office Web sites, which provide up-to-date contact
information, support phone numbers, email addresses, and current events.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual B-2 ni.com

Glossary

Symbol Prefix Value

n nano 10 –9
μ micro 10 – 6
m milli 10 –3
k kilo 10 3
M mega 10 6
G giga 10 9
T tera 10 12

Symbols
° Degrees.

Ω Ohms.

% Percent.

A
A Amperes.

AC Alternating Current.

ASIC Application-specific integrated circuit.

© National Instruments G-1 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Glossary

B
B Bytes.

backplane An assembly, typically a printed circuit board, with connectors and signal
paths that bus the connector pins.

BIOS Basic Input/Output System—BIOS functions are the fundamental level

of any PC or compatible computer. BIOS functions embody the basic
operations needed for successful use of the computer’s hardware resources.

C
C Celsius.

cache Small portion of high-speed memory used for temporary storage of

frequently used data.

CMOS Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor—A type of integrated circuit.

CompactPCI An adaptation of the PCI specification for industrial and/or embedded

applications that require a more robust mechanical form factor than desktop
PCI. CompactPCI provides a standard form factor for those applications
requiring the high performance of PCI as well as the small size and
ruggedness of a rack-mount system.

Controller An embedded computer module which configures and accesses a series of

devices connected to a chassis backplane.

D
DC Direct Current.

DDR3 Double Data Rate, 3rd generation.

DIMM Dual In-line Memory Module.

DMA Direct Memory Access—A method by which data is transferred between

devices and internal memory without intervention of the central processing
unit.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual G-2 ni.com

 Glossary

DRAM Dynamic RAM (Random Access Memory)—Storage that the computer

must refresh at frequent intervals.

DVI-I Direct Video Interface, Integrated—A video technology enabling the use of
both analog and digital video signals.

E
ECP Extended Capabilities Parallel.

EEPROM Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory.

EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility.

EMI Electromagnetic interference.

EPP Enhanced Parallel Port.

expansion ROM An onboard EEPROM that may contain device-specific initialization and
system boot functionality.

F
FCC Federal Communications Commission.

G
g 1. Grams.
2. A measure of acceleration equal to 9.8 m/s2.

GPIB General Purpose Interface Bus (IEEE 488).

grms A measure of random vibration—The root mean square of acceleration

levels in a random vibration test profile.

H
Hz Hertz—Cycles per second.

© National Instruments G-3 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Glossary

I
I/O Input/output—The techniques, media, and devices used to achieve
communication between machines and users.

IDE Integrated Drive Electronics—Hard disk and built-in controller.

IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

in. Inches.

instrument driver A set of routines designed to control a specific instrument or family of

instruments, and any necessary related files for LabWindows/CVI or
LabVIEW.

interrupt A means for a device to request service from another device.

interrupt level The relative priority at which a device can interrupt.

IRQ# Interrupt request signal.

ISA Industry Standard Architecture—The original PC bus architecture,

specifically the 16-bit AT bus.

K
kB Kilobytes of memory.

L
LAN Local Area Network—Communications network that serves users within
a confined geographical area. It is made up of servers, workstations,
a network operating system, and a communications link.

LED Light-emitting diode.

M
m Meters.

master A functional part of a PXI device that initiates data transfers on the
PXI backplane. A transfer can be either a read or a write.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual G-4 ni.com

 Glossary

MB Megabytes of memory.

MTBF Mean time between failure.

MTTR Mean time to repair.

N
NI-488 or NI-488.2 The National Instruments software for GPIB systems.

NI-DAQ The National Instruments software for data acquisition instruments.

NI-VISA The National Instruments implementation of the VISA standard—An

interface-independent software that provides a unified programming
interface for VXI, GPIB, and serial instruments.

NMI Non-maskable interrupt—High-priority interrupt that cannot be disabled.

It is used to report malfunctions such as parity, bus and math coprocessor
errors.

P
PCI Peripheral Component Interconnect—The PCI bus is a high-performance
32-bit or 64-bit bus with multiplexed address and data lines.

PCI Express Peripheral Component Interconnect Express—A faster, serialized version

of the PCI bus.

PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association.

peripheral Any hardware device connected to a computer, such as a monitor,

keyboard, printer, plotter, disk or tape drive, graphics tablet, scanner,
mouse, and so on.

POSC Power On Self Configuration.

PXI PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation—An open implementation of

CompactPCI that adds electrical features that meet the high-performance
requirements of instrumentation applications by providing triggering,
local buses, and system clock capabilities. PXI also offers two-way
interoperability with CompactPCI products.

© National Instruments G-5 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Glossary

R
RAM Random Access Memory—the computer’s primary workspace.

RAMDAC Random Access Memory Digital to Analog Converter—the VGA

controller chip that maintains the color palette and converts data from
memory into analog signals for the monitor.

resource Hardware settings used by devices in a computer system, including

ISA interrupt level, DMA channel, and I/O address.

RMS Root mean squared. See also grms.

RTC Real Time Clock—An electronic circuit that maintains the time of day and
also can provide timing signals for timesharing operations.

S
s Seconds.

slave A functional part of a PXI device that detects data transfer cycles initiated
by a PXI bus master and responds to the transfers when the address
specifies one of the device’s registers.

SO-DIMM Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Module.

SRAM Static RAM—A memory chip that requires power to hold its content.
It does not require refresh circuitry as a dynamic RAM chip, but it does
take up more space and uses more power.

U
USB Universal Serial Bus.

NI PXI-8109 User Manual G-6 ni.com

 Glossary

V
V Volts.

VGA Video Graphics Array—The minimum video display standard for all PCs.

W
W Watts.

© National Instruments G-7 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Index

A SATA Configuration menu, 2-7

Save & Exit menu, 2-16
Advanced menu, 2-6
Serial/Parallel Port Configuration
menu, 2-11
B Parallel Port menu, 2-12
basic PXI system configuration, 2-24 Serial Port menu, 2-11
battery replacement and disposal USB configuration menu, 2-10
information, A-6 Video Configuration menu, 2-9
BIOS Boot menu, 2-13
checking settings, 4-1 boot options, configuring controller, 4-2
Diagnostic Utilities, 2-17 Boot Settings Configuration menu, 2-14
flashing (figure), 4-6 budgeting, PXI system power, 2-28
flashing new BIOS, 4-5
setup
C
Advanced menu, 2-6
Boot menu, 2-13 calibration certificate (NI resources), B-2
Boot Settings Configuration CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities
menu, 2-14 menu, 2-15
CD-ROM drive, installing software from, 4-4
CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities
Configuration menu, 2-15 CE compliance specifications, A-5
Clock Generator Configuration Clock Generator configuration menu, 2-9
menu, 2-9 CMOS
CPU configuration menu, 2-8 clearing contents (figure), 2-18, 5-3
entering, 2-5 setting back to default, 5-2
ExpressCard Configuration COM1 connector
menu, 2-9 locations and pinout (figure), 3-5
Floppy Drive BBS Priorities signals (table), 3-5
Configuration menu, 2-15 common configuration questions
Hard Drive BBS Priorities boot options, 4-1
Configuration menu, 2-15 chassis configuration, 2-23
LabVIEW RT menu, 2-12 figure, 2-24
LabVIEW RT Setup menu driver installation, 4-3
LabVIEW RT Configuration general questions, 4-1
Overrides menu, 2-13 PXI configuration, 4-7
Main menu, 2-6 upgrade information, 4-4
Network Device BBS Priorities CompactPCI specification, 1-1
Configuration menu, 2-15

© National Instruments I-1 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Index

configuration, common questions NI resources, B-1

boot options, 4-1 related documentation, xii
cables and connections, 4-2 DRIVE LED, 3-14
chassis configuration, 2-23 drivers, 2-22
figure, 2-24 directory, 2-23
driver installation, 4-3 installation
general questions, 4-1 GPIB (IEEE 488.2), 4-3
PXI configuration, 4-7 video, 4-3
upgrade information, 4-4 NI resources, B-1
connectors obtaining latest drivers, 4-6
COM1 connector and signals, 3-5 DVI-I
DVI-I connector and signals, 3-3 connector signals (table), 3-3
Ethernet connector and signals, 3-6 location and pinout (figure), 3-3
ExpressCard connector and signals, 3-12
GPIB connector and signals, 3-11
parallel port connector and signals, 3-7 E
peripheral expansion overview electrical specifications, A-2
(table), 3-1 electromagnetic compatibility, A-4
trigger connector and signals, 3-10 environmental management specifications
Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector battery replacement and disposal, A-6
and signals, 3-9 overview, A-5
conventions used in the manual, xi WEEE information, A-5
CPU, 1-3 Ethernet, connector, 3-1
Configuration menu, 2-8 location and pinout (figure), 3-6
signals (table), 3-6
examples (NI resources), B-1
D ExpressCard, 2-27, 3-12
data storage, 3-14 configuration menu, 2-9
DDR SO-DIMMs, installing, 4-4 connector
DDR3 SO-DIMMs location and pinout (figure), 3-12
from National Instruments (note), 2-25, signals (table), 3-13
4-5 installing a module, 2-27
installing (figure), 2-26, 4-5 module connector, 3-1
Declaration of Conformity (NI resources), B-2 removing a module, 2-28
diagnostic tools (NI resources), B-1
directories and files installed on hard
drive, 2-22 F
documentation features, A-1
conventions used in manual, xi files and directories installed on hard
how to use this documentation set, xi drive, 2-22

NI PXI-8109 User Manual I-2 ni.com

 Index

Floppy Drive BBS Priorities menu, 2-15 images directory, 2-23

floppy drive, using external floppy drive, 4-7 installation
FPGA 998A Socket CPU, 1-3 See also configuration
front panel injector/ejector handle position
connectors, 3-1 (caution), 2-2
Ethernet, 3-1 NI PXI-8109 installed in a PXI chassis
ExpressCard, 3-1 (figure), 2-4
GPIB, 3-1 procedure, 2-1
parallel port, 3-1 removing NI PXI-8109 from PXI
PXI trigger, 3-1 chassis, 2-4
serial, 3-1 removing protective screw caps
USB, 3-1 (figure), 2-2
video, 3-1 installing an OS, 2-27
dimensions, 3-2 from USB CD/DVD-ROM, 2-27
features, 3-14 instrument drivers (NI resources), B-1
functional description of NI PXI-8109, 1-2 Intel 5 Series chipset, 1-4
functional overview of NI PXI-8109, 1-2
K
G keyboard, plugging PS/2 mouse and keyboard
GPIB (IEEE 488.2), 3-11 into controller, 4-2
KnowledgeBase, B-1
connector
location and pinout (figure), 3-11
signals (table), 3-11 L
device connector, 3-1
LabVIEW, 1-4
driver installation, 4-3
RT configuration switches, 2-20
figure, 2-22
H RT installation and configuration, 2-19
RT menu, 2-12
hard drive, 3-14
RT software installation, 2-19
files and directories installed on, 2-22
LabVIEW RT Setup Menu
recovery, 2-26
LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides
Hard Drive BBS priorities menu, 2-15
Submenu, 2-13
help, technical support, B-1
LabWindows/CVI, 1-5
LEDs, front panel LEDs, 3-14, 4-1
I Linux support, 1-6
IDE controller, using SCSI hard drive in LPT cable, connecting to NI PXI-8109, 4-3
addition, 4-1
IEEE 488.2, 3-11

© National Instruments I-3 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Index

M front panel
dimensions, 3-2
Main menu, 2-6
features, 3-14
manuals directory, 2-23
LEDs, 4-1
mating connector
system reset pushbutton, 3-14
GPIB (IEEE 488.2), 3-11
functional overview, 1-2
parallel port, 3-7
hard drive recovery, 2-26
Measurement Studio, 1-5
installing DDR3 SO-DIMMs
modular instruments, 1-5
(figure), 2-26, 4-5
mouse, plugging PS/2 mouse and keyboard
installing in a PXI chassis, 2-1
into controller, 4-2
figure, 2-4
multichassis configuration in MAX
(figure), 2-24 logic blocks, 1-3
peripheral expansion overview
(table), 3-1
N PXI trigger connectivity, 2-23
National Instruments removing from a PXI chassis, 2-4
software, 1-4 software, 1-4
support and services, B-1 specifications, A-1
Network Device BBS Priorities menu, 2-15 troubleshooting, 5-1
NI PXI-8109 upgrading RAM, 2-25, 4-4
benefits of PXI, 1-1 NI-DAQmx, 1-5
BIOS setup, 2-5 NI-VISA, 1-6
block diagram, 1-3
connectors, 3-1
O
COM1 connector and signals, 3-5
DVI-I connector and signals operating environment specifications, A-2,
(table), 3-3 A-3
ExpressCard connector and OS
signals, 3-12 directory, 2-23
GPIB (IEEE 488.2) connector and installation from USB
signals, 3-11 CD/DVD-ROM, 2-27
parallel port connector and installation overview, 2-27
signals, 3-7
trigger connector and signals, 3-10
P
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
connector and signals, 3-9 parallel port connector, 3-1
data storage, 3-14 location and pinout (figure), 3-7
description, 1-2 signals (table), 3-8
flashing the BIOS (figure), 4-6 peripheral expansion overview (table), 3-1

NI PXI-8109 User Manual I-4 ni.com

 Index

physical specifications, A-2 software

power budgeting for the PXI system, 2-28 See also drivers
programming examples (NI resources), B-1 installed on your hard drive, 2-22
protective screw caps, removing (figure), 2-2 installing from CD-ROM, 4-4
PS/2, plugging PS/2 mouse and keyboard into LabVIEW, 1-4
controller, 4-2 LabWindows/CVI, 1-5
PWROK/FAULT LED, 3-14 Measurement Studio, 1-5
PXI National Instruments software, 1-4
connectors, function (logic block), 1-4 NI resources, B-1
features, 2-23 NI-DAQmx, 1-5
trigger connectivity, 2-23 NI-VISA, 1-6
PXI trigger connector, 3-1 specifications
PXI-8220/PXI-8221, using NI PXI-8109 CE compliance, A-5
with, 4-7 electrical, A-2
electromagnetic compatibility, A-4
environmental management
R battery replacement and
RAM disposal, A-6
DDR3 SO-DIMMs from National overview, A-5
Instruments (note), 2-25, 4-5 WEEE information, A-5
upgrading, 2-25, 4-4 features, A-1
recycling online product certification, A-5
battery, A-6 operating environment, A-2, A-3
hardware, A-5 physical, A-2
related documentation, xii safety, A-4
shock and vibration, A-4
S storage environment, A-3
storage environment specifications, A-3
safety specifications, A-4
super I/O logic block, 1-4
SATA Configuration menu, 2-7
support, technical, B-1
Save & Exit menu, 2-16
system CMOS, 2-18
Serial ATA Hard Disk, 1-4
system power budgeting, 2-28
serial port, 3-1
system reset pushbutton, 3-14
Serial/Parallel Port Configuration menu, 2-11
Parallel Port menu, 2-12
Serial Port menu, 2-11
shock and vibration specifications, A-4
SO-DIMM logic block, 1-3

© National Instruments I-5 NI PXI-8109 User Manual

Index

T V
technical support, B-1 VGA overview (table), 3-1
training and certification (NI resources), B-1 video, 3-1
trigger, 3-10, 4-7 See also VGA
connector driver installation, 4-3
location and pinout (figure), 3-10 Video Configuration menu, 2-9
signals (table), 3-10
troubleshooting
CMOS reset, 5-2 W
controller does not boot, 5-1 W1 jumper, 4-6
damaged module, 5-2 Web resources, B-1
NI resources, B-1 WEEE information, A-5
video display, 5-2
Y
U Y-splitter cable
Universal Serial Bus (USB), 3-9 figure, 4-2
configuration menu, 2-10 using mouse and keyboard without, 4-3
connector using with PS/2 mouse and keyboard, 2-3
function, 1-4
location and pinout (figure), 3-9
signals (table), 3-9
overview (table), 3-1

NI PXI-8109 User Manual I-6 ni.com