NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

PXI
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual
February 2005
370747C-01
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Important Information
Warranty
The NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded PXI computers are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from
the date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace equipment that
proves to be defective during the warranty period. This warranty includes parts and labor.
The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming instructions, due to defects
in materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National
Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace software media that do not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives
notice of such defects during the warranty period. National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be
uninterrupted or error free.
A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the outside of the package before
any equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will pay the shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are
covered by warranty.
National Instruments believes that the information in this document is accurate. The document has been carefully reviewed for technical
accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National Instruments reserves the right to make changes to subsequent
editions of this document without prior notice to holders of this edition. The reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected.
In no event shall National Instruments be liable for any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained in it.
EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES , EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE . C USTOMER’S RIGHT TO RECOVER DAMAGES CAUSED BY FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF
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negligence. Any action against National Instruments must be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues. National Instruments
shall not be liable for any delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control. The warranty provided herein does not cover
damages, defects, malfunctions, or service failures caused by owner’s failure to follow the National Instruments installation, operation, or
maintenance instructions; owner’s modification of the product; owner’s abuse, misuse, or negligent acts; and power failure or surges, fire,
flood, accident, actions of third parties, or other events outside reasonable control.
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Patents
For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file
on your CD, or ni.com/patents.
WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS

(1) NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS AND TESTING FOR A LEVEL OF
RELIABILITY SUITABLE FOR USE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH SURGICAL IMPLANTS OR AS CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN
ANY LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS WHOSE FAILURE TO PERFORM CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT
INJURY TO A HUMAN.
(2) IN ANY APPLICATION, INCLUDING THE ABOVE, RELIABILITY OF OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS CAN BE
IMPAIRED BY ADVERSE FACTORS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FLUCTUATIONS IN ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY,
COMPUTER HARDWARE MALFUNCTIONS, COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE FITNESS, FITNESS OF COMPILERS
AND DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE USED TO DEVELOP AN APPLICATION, INSTALLATION ERRORS, SOFTWARE AND
HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS, MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING OR CONTROL
DEVICES, TRANSIENT FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS (HARDWARE AND/OR SOFTWARE), UNANTICIPATED USES OR
MISUSES, OR ERRORS ON THE PART OF THE USER OR APPLICATIONS DESIGNER (ADVERSE FACTORS SUCH AS THESE ARE
HEREAFTER COLLECTIVELY TERMED “SYSTEM FAILURES”). ANY APPLICATION WHERE A SYSTEM FAILURE WOULD
CREATE A RISK OF HARM TO PROPERTY OR PERSONS (INCLUDING THE RISK OF BODILY INJURY AND DEATH) SHOULD
NOT BE RELIANT SOLELY UPON ONE FORM OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DUE TO THE RISK OF SYSTEM FAILURE. TO AVOID
DAMAGE, INJURY, OR DEATH, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MUST TAKE REASONABLY PRUDENT STEPS TO
PROTECT AGAINST SYSTEM FAILURES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO BACK-UP OR SHUT DOWN MECHANISMS.
BECAUSE EACH END-USER SYSTEM IS CUSTOMIZED AND DIFFERS FROM NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS' TESTING
PLATFORMS AND BECAUSE A USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MAY USE NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS IN
COMBINATION WITH OTHER PRODUCTS IN A MANNER NOT EVALUATED OR CONTEMPLATED BY NATIONAL
INSTRUMENTS, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING AND VALIDATING
THE SUITABILITY OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS WHENEVER NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE
INCORPORATED IN A SYSTEM OR APPLICATION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE APPROPRIATE DESIGN,
PROCESS AND SAFETY LEVEL OF SUCH SYSTEM OR APPLICATION.
Compliance
Compliance with FCC/Canada Radio Frequency Interference

Regulations
Determining FCC Class
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rules to protect wireless communications from interference. The FCC
places digital electronics into two classes. These classes are known as Class A (for use in industrial-commercial locations only)
or Class B (for use in residential or commercial locations). All National Instruments (NI) products are FCC Class A products.
Depending on where it is operated, this Class A product could be subject to restrictions in the FCC rules. (In Canada, the
Department of Communications (DOC), of Industry Canada, regulates wireless interference in much the same way.) Digital
electronics emit weak signals during normal operation that can affect radio, television, or other wireless products.
All Class A products display a simple warning statement of one paragraph in length regarding interference and undesired
operation. The FCC rules have restrictions regarding the locations where FCC Class A products can be operated.
Consult the FCC Web site at www.fcc.gov for more information.
FCC/DOC Warnings
This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in strict accordance with the instructions
in this manual and the CE marking Declaration of Conformity*, may cause interference to radio and television reception.
Classification requirements are the same for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Canadian Department
of Communications (DOC).
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by NI could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment under the
FCC Rules.
Class A
Federal Communications Commission
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated
in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user is required to correct the interference
at their own expense.
Canadian Department of Communications

This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.
Compliance with EU Directives

Users in the European Union (EU) should refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for information* pertaining to the
CE marking. Refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for this product for any additional regulatory compliance
information. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit ni.com/certification, search by model number or product line,
and click the appropriate link in the Certification column.
* The CE marking Declaration of Conformity contains important supplementary information and instructions for the user or
installer.
Contents
About This Manual

How to Use the Documentation Set...............................................................................vii
Conventions ...................................................................................................................vii
Related Documentation..................................................................................................viii
Chapter 1
Introduction
Benefits of PXI ..............................................................................................................1-1
NI PXI-8186/8187 .........................................................................................................1-2
Description ......................................................................................................1-2
Functional Overview .......................................................................................1-2
National Instruments Software ......................................................................................1-4
Chapter 2
Installation and Configuration
Installing the NI PXI-8186/8187 ...................................................................................2-1
How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Chassis ....................................2-4
BIOS Setup ....................................................................................................................2-4
Entering BIOS Setup .......................................................................................2-4
Main Setup Menu ............................................................................................2-5
Advanced Setup Menu ....................................................................................2-6
PXI Setup Menu ..............................................................................................2-9
Boot Setup Menu.............................................................................................2-9
Exiting BIOS Setup .........................................................................................2-9
System CMOS ...............................................................................................................2-10
LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches..........................................................................2-11
Drivers and Software .....................................................................................................2-13
Files and Directories Installed on Your Hard Drive........................................2-13
PXI Features ..................................................................................................................2-14
PXI Trigger Connectivity ................................................................................2-14
Upgrading RAM ............................................................................................................2-14
Hard Drive Recovery .....................................................................................................2-15
Installing an OS .............................................................................................................2-16
Installing from a CD-ROM .............................................................................2-16
Installing from a Network ...............................................................................2-16
© National Instruments Corporation v NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

Contents
Chapter 3
I/O Information
Front Panel Connectors ................................................................................................. 3-1
Front Panel..................................................................................................................... 3-2
VGA ................................................................................................................ 3-3
COM1 and COM2........................................................................................... 3-4
Ethernet ........................................................................................................... 3-5
Parallel Port..................................................................................................... 3-6
Universal Serial Bus........................................................................................ 3-8
PS/2 ................................................................................................................. 3-9
Trigger............................................................................................................. 3-10
GPIB (IEEE 488.2) ......................................................................................... 3-11
Front Panel Features ...................................................................................................... 3-12
Data Storage .................................................................................................................. 3-12
Chapter 4
Common Configuration Questions
General Questions ......................................................................................................... 4-1
Boot Options.................................................................................................................. 4-1
Cables and Connections ................................................................................................ 4-2
Software Driver Installation .......................................................................................... 4-3
Chassis Configuration ................................................................................................... 4-4
Basic PXI System Configuration .................................................................... 4-5
Upgrade Information ..................................................................................................... 4-6
PXI Configuration ......................................................................................................... 4-8
Chapter 5
Troubleshooting
Appendix A
Specifications
Appendix B
Technical Support and Professional Services
Glossary
Index
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual vi ni.com

About This Manual
This manual contains detailed instructions for installing and configuring

your National Instruments NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded computer kit.
How to Use the Documentation Set

Begin by reading the NI PXI-8186/8187 Installation Guide, a brief
quick-start guide that describes how to install and get started with your
controller.
This 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 File»Page Setup»Options directs you to
pull down the File menu, select the Page Setup item, and select Options
from the last dialog box.
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. This font also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word
or value that you must supply.
© National Instruments Corporation vii NI PXI-8186/8187 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 2.2, PCI Special Interest Group
• PXI Hardware Specification, Revision 2.1, 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.
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual viii ni.com

Introduction
1
Benefits of PXI
The PXIbus specification defines a compact modular PC platform for
industrial instrumentation. PXI leverages the PCI bus, which is the de facto
standard for today’s desktop computer software and hardware designs. As
a result, PXI users receive all the benefits of PCI within an architecture that
supports mechanical, electrical, and software features tailored to industrial
instrumentation, data acquisition, and automation 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 Corporation 1-1 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction
NI PXI-8186/8187
Description
The NI PXI-8186/8187 PXI/CompactPCI embedded computer is a
high-performance PXI/CompactPCI-compatible system controller.
The NI PXI-8186/8187 controller integrates standard I/O features in
a single unit by using state-of-the-art packaging. Combining an
NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded controller with a PXI-compatible chassis,
such as the PXI-1042, results in a fully PC-compatible computer in a
compact, rugged package.
The standard I/O on each module includes video, two RS-232 serial ports,
a parallel port, two high-speed USB 2.0 ports, 10/100 ENET, PS/2 mouse
and keyboard port, a reset button, a PXI trigger, and a PCI-based GPIB
controller.
The NI PXI-8186 has a 2.2 GHz processor, all the standard I/O, and a
30 GB (or larger) hard drive.
The NI PXI-8187 has a 2.5 GHz processor, all the standard I/O, and a
30 GB (or larger) hard drive.
Functional Overview
This section contains functional descriptions of each major logic block on
the NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded computer.
NI PXI-8186/8187 Functional Description

The NI PXI-8186/8187 is a modular PC in a PXI 3U-size form factor.
Figure 1-1 is a functional block diagram of the NI PXI-8186/8187.
Following the diagram is a description of each logic block shown.
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual 1-2 ni.com

Socket 478
CPU
Chip Set
SO-DIMM Graphics
DDR SDRAM VGA
Memory
PC 2100 Connector
Controller
Hub
GPIB
Hub Interface
ATA 100
IDE Interface
PXI
2 Hi-Speed Chip Set Connector
USB 2.0 I/O
PCI Bus
Connectors Controller
Hub PXI
10/100BaseT Triggers
Ethernet
Flash
LPC Bus
ROM
SMB to
PXI Trigger
LPT 1
Super I/O
COM 1 Watchdog
COM 2
PS/2
Keyboard/
Mouse SMB
Figure 1-1. NI PXI-8186/8187 Block Diagram

The NI PXI-8186/8187 consists of the following logic blocks on the CPU

module and the I/O (daughter card) module. The CPU module has the
following logic blocks:
• Socket 478 CPU is the socket definition for the Intel Pentium 4
processor families.
• The SO-DIMM block consists of a 64-bit DDR SDRAM socket that
can hold up to 1 GB.
• The Chip Set GMCH connects to the CPU, DDR SDRAM, and video.
• The SMB to PXI Trigger provides a routable connection of the
PXI triggers to/from the SMB on the front panel.
• The Watchdog Timer block consists of a watchdog timer that can reset
the controller or generate a trigger.
• The Chip Set ICH4 connects to the PCI bus USB, IDE, LPC, and
Ethernet ports.
• The USB Connector connects the chip set to the Hi-Speed USB 2.0
interface.
• The PXI Connector connects the NI PXI-8186/8187 to the
PXI/CompactPCI backplane.
• The Keyboard/Mouse block contains the PS/2 keyboard and mouse
interface.
• The Super I/O block represents the other peripherals supplied by the
NI PXI-8186/8187. The NI PXI-8186/8187 has two serial ports, an
ECP/EPP parallel port, and a PS/2 keyboard and mouse port.
• The IDE block is dedicated PCI-IDE circuitry providing fast ATA-100
transfers to the internal hard drive. The IDE feature is built into the
chip set.
• The 10/100 Enet connects to either 10 Mbit or 100 Mbit Ethernet
interfaces.
• The 2.5 in. hard drive is 30 GB or larger.
• The GPIB block contains the GPIB interface.
National Instruments Software

National Instruments has developed several software kits you can use with
the NI PXI-8186/8187.
NI-DAQ has an extensive library of functions that you can call from your
application programming environment. These functions include routines
for 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, RTSI, self-calibration,
messaging, and acquiring data to extended memory.
NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA
specification. VISA is a uniform API for communicating and controlling
Serial, GPIB, PXI, VXI, and various other types of instruments. This API
aids in the creation of more 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.
You also can use the National Instruments LabVIEW, Measurement Studio,
and LabWindows™/CVI™ application programs and instrument drivers to
ease your programming task. These standardized programs match the
modular virtual instrument capability of PXI and can reduce your PXI
software development time. These programs feature extensive libraries of
GPIB, Serial, and VXI instrument drivers written to take full advantage of
direct PXI control. LabVIEW and Measurement Studio include all the tools
needed for instrument control, data acquisition, analysis, and presentation.
LabVIEW is an easy-to-use, graphical programming environment you can
use to acquire data from thousands of different instruments, including
IEEE 488.2 devices, VXI devices, serial devices, PLCs, and plug-in data
acquisition boards. After you have acquired raw data, you can convert it
into meaningful results using the powerful data analysis routines in
LabVIEW. LabVIEW also comes with hundreds of instrument drivers,
which dramatically reduce software development time, because you do not
have to spend time programming the low-level control of each instrument.
Measurement Studio allows you to choose from standard environments
such as Microsoft Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Visual Studio .NET to
create your application, using tools specific for each language. With
Measurement Studio, you can write programs quickly and easily and
modify them as your needs change.
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.

Installation and Configuration
2
This chapter contains information about installing and configuring your
NI PXI-8186/8187 controller.
Installing the NI PXI-8186/8187

This section contains general installation instructions for the
NI PXI-8186/8187. Consult your PXI chassis user manual for specific
instructions and warnings.
1. Plug in your chassis before installing the NI PXI-8186/8187. 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-8186/8187 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.
4. Remove the protective plastic covers from the four bracket-retaining
screws as shown in Figure 2-1.

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration
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-8186/8187 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-8186/8187.
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.
7. Raise the injector/ejector handle until the module firmly seats
into the backplane receptacle connectors. The front panel of the
NI PXI-8186/8187 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-8186/8187 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, use the Y-splitter adapter
(refer to Figure 4-1, Y-Splitter Cable) included with your controller to
connect both to the PS/2 connector.
Note The PS/2 connector will operate a keyboard without an adaptor.
11. Connect the VGA monitor video cable to the VGA connector.
12. Connect devices to ports as required by your system configuration.
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-8186/8187 does not boot? section of
Chapter 5, Troubleshooting.
Figure 2-2 shows an NI PXI-8186 installed in the system controller slot of

a National Instruments PXI-1042 chassis. You can place PXI devices in any
other slot.
2
NI
PX
I-1
04
2
1 PXI-1042 Chassis 2 NI PXI-8186 Controller 3 Injector/Ejector Rail
Figure 2-2. NI PXI-8186 Controller Installed in a PXI Chassis

How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Chassis

The NI PXI-8186/8187 controller is designed for easy handling. To remove
the unit from the PXI chassis, complete the following steps:
1. Power off the chassis.
2. Remove the bracket-retaining screws in the front panel.
3. Press the injector/ejector handle down.
4. Slide the unit out of the chassis.
BIOS Setup
You can change the NI PXI-8186/8187 configuration settings in the BIOS
setup. The BIOS is the low-level interface between the hardware and PC
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-8186/8187 controller features.
Most users do not need to use the BIOS setup program, as the
NI PXI-8186/8187 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.
Entering BIOS Setup

To start the BIOS setup utility, complete the following steps:
1. Power on or reboot your NI PXI-8186/8187 controller.
2. When the message Press <DEL> to enter SETUP appears, press
<Delete> or <Del> on the numeric keypad. The message Entering
Setup… appears, and the setup program is loaded after a short delay.
3. When you first enter the BIOS setup program, it displays the Main
menu.
Use the following keys to navigate through the BIOS setup:

• 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 need to 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 the parent menu of a submenu.
At the top-level menus, this key serves as a shortcut to the Exit menu.
• <+> and <–>—Use these keys to cycle between all available settings
for a selected configuration option.
• <Tab>—Use this key to select time and date fields.
Main Setup Menu

The most commonly accessed and modified BIOS settings are in the Main
setup menu. The Main setup menu includes the following settings:
• System Time & Date—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.
• DMI Event Logging—This setting brings up the DMI Event
Logging submenu. (Refer to the DMI Event Logging Submenu
section.)
• Require Keyboard to Boot—When Yes, a missing or malfunctioning
keyboard causes the BIOS to halt with an error. When No, the BIOS
allows booting without a keyboard. If you are using a USB keyboard,
you may attach it at any time during the powered up state. If you are
using a PS/2 keyboard, you must power down the controller and then
attach the keyboard. To use this controller in a “headless” mode, you
must set this option to No. The default value is Yes.
• Num Lock—This setting indicates whether you turn on Num Lock at
boot time. The default value is On.
• Primary/Secondary Master/Slave—These items display the
IDE/ATA devices detected in the system. Normally, you do not
need to modify these items. However, if an IDE/ATA device is not
autodetected properly, you can specify it manually by pressing
<Enter> on an item.
• System Information—This setting displays a screen containing
important system information about the NI PXI-8186/8187 controller.

DMI Event Logging Submenu

Major errors that occur during the BIOS booting process are stored in
battery-backed memory on the controller, and remain there until you view
and clear them using this submenu. This logging capability allows a system
administrator to detect the historical occurrence of faults on a controller.
This submenu includes the following items:
• View DMI Event Log—This setting displays a window containing all
logged system errors and the time at which they occurred.
• Mark DMI Events as Read—This setting prevents any current
logged entries from being displayed again. However, all entries remain
in battery-backed memory, and you can retrieve them using other
DMI software that is beyond the scope of this document.
• Clear All DMI Event Logs—When set to Yes, this setting clears all
entries from the DMI event log on reboot.
• Event Logging—This setting controls whether events are logged.
Disabling logging has no impact on system performance. The default
is Enabled.
Advanced Setup Menu

This menu contains BIOS settings that normally do not require
modification. If you have specific problems such as unbootable disks
or resource conflicts, you may need to examine these settings.
Caution Changing settings in this menu may result in an unstable or unbootable controller.
If this happens, follow the procedures outlined in the System CMOS section to restore
BIOS settings to their factory defaults.
The Advanced setup menu includes the following settings:

• Reset Configuration Data—A portion of the EEPROM on the
controller is designated as the Extended System Configuration Data
region (ESCD). The BIOS and Plug-and-Play operating systems use
this table to store the Last Known Good configuration of system
peripherals. If you experience resource conflicts or peripheral
malfunction, set this setting to Yes to force the BIOS to recreate the
ESCD on the next reboot. This is rarely necessary.
• Integrated Peripherals—Use this setting to bring up the Integrated
Peripherals submenu. (Refer to the Integrated Peripherals Submenu
section.)

• LabVIEW RT Options—Use this setting to bring up the LabVIEW

RT Options submenu. (Refer to the LabVIEW RT Options Submenu
section.)
• Local Bus IDE Adapter—The NI PXI-8186/8187 controller has
two integrated IDE/ATA channels (Primary and Secondary), each
capable of supporting two ATA devices (Master and Slave). Use this
setting to disable one or more of these integrated channels. You should
modify this setting only if specified in other sections of this manual.
The default is Both.
• Quick Boot Mode—When you enable this option, certain lengthy
BIOS tests that rarely fail are skipped to shorten controller boot time.
The default is Enabled.
• Summary Screen—This setting controls the display of the summary
screen shown after BIOS completes its initialization, but before
booting takes place. You can disable this screen in the interest of
shortening controller boot time. The default is Disabled.
• PXE Network Boot—This setting enables the option for booting from
a network PXE server on the subnet. The default is Disabled.
• Write Protect Boot Sector—When set to Yes, this setting prevents
modification of a hard disk boot sector via INT 13h services, which
may help prevent certain computer viruses from infecting the
controller. This setting does not prevent boot sector modification
by 32-bit operating system drivers that access the hard disk directly.
The default is No.
Integrated Peripherals Submenu

Use this submenu to apply nondefault configurations to the front panel
peripherals of an NI PXI-8186/8187 controller. Normally, you do not need
to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most
compatible and optimal configuration possible.
• Serial Port A & B—This setting enables or disables COM1 and
COM2, respectively. You also can change this setting to Enabled and
modify the base address and Interrupt Request Level (IRQ) of a port.
The default is Auto, which places COM1 at 0x3F8 IRQ 4 and COM2
at 0x2F8 IRQ 3.
• Parallel Port—Use this setting to enable or disable LPT1. You also
can change this setting to Enabled and modify the base address,
IRQ level, and ISA Direct Memory Access (DMA) channel of the
port. The default is Auto, which places LPT1 at 0x378, IRQ 7, using
ISA DMA Channel 3 if necessary.

• Parallel Port Mode—The PC industry has created several different

modes of operation for this port over the years. Usually, the default
setting works for all applications. However, if a parallel port device
specifically requires a nondefault setting, you can change it here.
The default is Bidirectional, for full IEEE 1284 capabilities.
• Legacy USB Support—Use this setting to use a USB keyboard and
mouse as if they were standard PS/2-style peripherals. You must enable
this setting to use these devices in operating systems with no USB
support and to boot from a USB floppy or CD-ROM. The BIOS setup
screen always works with USB keyboards regardless of this setting.
Certain real-time applications may require you to disable this setting
to reduce loop time jitter. The default is Enabled.
LabVIEW RT Options Submenu

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 as default.
Note These settings override the behavior of the switches on S1. Refer to the LabVIEW
RT Configuration Switches section for more information. To use the settings from the
switches, select Use Hardware Switch 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 XP. The default is Use Hardware Switch.
• 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 Hardware Switch.
• 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 to 0.0.0.0 during
LabVIEW RT startup. The default is Use Hardware Switch.

PXI Setup Menu

Use this menu to control and route certain signals on the PXI backplane.
Normally, you do not need to modify these settings. However, other
sections of this manual may indicate that modifications are necessary
and may lead to unpredictable behavior.
• INTP Routing—You can route INTP to ISA IRQ 14, for use by
a PXI device functioning as a Primary IDE Controller. The default
setting is Not Routed.
• INTS Routing—You can route INTS to ISA IRQ 15, for use by a PXI
device functioning as a Secondary IDE Controller. You also can route
it to the controller’s 21-frame serialized IRQ input, for use by certain
PXI carrier cards. The default setting is Not Routed.
Note If INTS or INTP is routed to an ISA IRQ, you must disable one or both channels of
the integrated IDE/ATA controller for correct operation of this routing.
Boot Setup Menu

This screen displays the boot order of devices associated with the
controller. The BIOS proceeds down this list in search of a bootable device.
If the BIOS fails to find any bootable device, the message Operating
System Not Found is displayed, and the system halts.
• Removable Devices—The boot list includes floppy drives, ZIP drives,
and some USB-based devices.
• Hard Drive—The boot list includes all IDE/ATA and USB hard disks
detected on the system. Press <Enter> on this entry to expand it to
select the boot priority of individual IDE/ATA hard drives.
• CD-ROM Drive—The boot list includes all classes of CD-ROM
drive, including USB drives and IDE/ATA drives.
Note If an SCSI host adapter exists in the system, this menu has an additional entry for
SCSI devices.
Note If PXE Network Boot is enabled, this menu has an additional entry for the Ethernet
interface.
Exiting BIOS Setup

The Exit setup menu includes all available options for exiting, saving, and
loading the BIOS default configuration. As an alternative to this screen,
press <F9> to load BIOS default settings and <F10> to save changes and
exit setup.

The Exit setup menu includes the following settings:

• Exit Saving Changes—Any changes made to BIOS settings are stored
in the battery-backed System CMOS. The setup program then exits
and reboots the controller.
• Exit Discarding Changes—Any changes made to BIOS settings
during this session of the BIOS setup program are discarded. The setup
program then exits and boots the controller without rebooting first.
• Load Setup Defaults—This setting restores all BIOS settings to the
factory default. This 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
keyboardless operation are restored to their factory defaults. This may
produce undesirable behavior, and in heavily customized cases, may
cause the controller to malfunction or fail to boot.
• Discard Changes—Any changes made to BIOS settings during
this session of the BIOS setup program are discarded. Unlike Exit
Discarding Changes, however, the BIOS setup continues to be active.
• Save Changes—Changes made to BIOS settings during this session
are committed to battery-backed System CMOS. The setup program
remains active, allowing further changes.
System CMOS
The NI PXI-8186/8187 contains a backed-up memory used to store BIOS
configuration information.
Complete the following steps to clear the CMOS contents:

2. Remove the controller from the chassis.
3. Move the jumper on W1 from pins 1-2 to pins 2-3, as shown in
Figure 2-3.
4. Wait one second. Move the jumper back to pins 1-2.
5. Reinstall the controller in the chassis.
Caution Do not leave the jumper on pins 2-3. Doing so decreases battery life. Also, the
controller will not boot.

1 2
1 Normal Operation (Default) 2 Clear CMOS Contents 3 Pin 1
Figure 2-3. Clearing the CMOS Contents
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. You must reboot the controller for any
changes to take place.
The NI PXI-8186/8187 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 to 0.0.0.0 and other TCP/IP settings to their defaults.
Use this switch if moving the controller to a different subnet or if
the current TCP/IP settings are invalid.
Figure 2-4 shows the location of the LabVIEW RT configuration switches.

The switches are shown in the OFF position.
4
F
OF
3 ON
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.
In the images directory, you will find a manuals directory,

an os directory, and directories for each computer peripheral.
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\pxi-8180\manuals and list the contents of that directory.
You will see several files, one corresponding to each peripheral.
The os directory contains a subdirectory corresponding to the operating

system installed on your computer.
The rest of the directories correspond to each peripheral in your system.

Within each of these directories are the drivers for the peripherals. These
files and directories are copied exactly from the manufacturer distribution
disks, so the naming conventions vary from peripheral to peripheral.
Because the naming conventions may not be completely straightforward,

National Instruments provides a text file named drivers.txt in the
c:\images\pxi-8180 directory. The drivers.txt file explains how
to install support for each peripheral. You may want to print this file for
reference when you install your peripheral device drivers.

PXI Features
PXI Trigger Connectivity
The SMB connector on the NI PXI-8186/8187 front panel can connect to
or from any PXI backplane trigger line through software. 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; however, an interim trigger routing
software utility is available from National Instruments. Contact National
Instruments or refer to KnowledgeBase 2RCBPFWD at ni.com/support
for more information.
Upgrading RAM
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXI-8186/8187 by
upgrading the SO-DIMM.
To upgrade the RAM, remove the NI PXI-8186/8187 from the PXI chassis.
Remove the old SO-DIMM module and install the new SO-DIMM in
the socket as shown in Figure 2-5.
National Instruments offers the following types of SO-DIMMs for use with
the NI PXI-8186/8187 controller.
• 512 MB, 64 MB × 64, CL 2.5, 1.25 in. max
• 1 GB, 128 MB × 64, CL 2.5, 1.15 in. max
Note National Instruments has tested and verified that the DDR SO-DIMMs we sell work
with the NI PXI-8186/8187. We recommend you purchase your DDR SO-DIMM modules
from National Instruments. Other off-the-shelf DDR SO-DIMM modules are not
guaranteed to work properly.

1
2
1 DDR SO-DIMM Module 2 DDR SO-DIMM Socket
Figure 2-5. Installing a DDR SO-DIMM in an NI PXI-8186/8187 Controller
Hard Drive Recovery

NI PXI-8186/8187 controllers include Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
Firstware tools, either Recover or Vault, or both. These tools allow you to
recover the original factory condition of the hard disk from a small
protected area of your hard drive. This protected area contains an image of
the hard disk provided to you at the time of shipment. Should you need to
restore your software to its original condition, you can access that image by
pressing a hot key during the initial boot process. For more information
regarding these tools, refer to the documentation on your hard drive in the
c:\Images\Firstware directory.
Note Your system hot key is <F4>. To access the Phoenix Firstware Recover 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 CD-ROM
drive such as a USB CD-ROM drive. Boot the PXI controller using the

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 using Firstware or the re-installation CD erases the contents of
your hard disk. Back up any files you want to keep.
Installing an OS
NI PXI-8186/8187 controllers include a preinstalled OS. In some cases,
you may want to reinstall the OS or install a different OS. When doing so,
consider the following guidelines.
Installing from a CD-ROM

The NI PXI-8186/8187 supports the installation of Windows XP from a
USB CD-ROM. However, many other operating systems do not support
installation from a USB CD-ROM. For example, Windows 2000 aborts
during the install process because it does not have drivers for the CD-ROM
device.
With DOS drivers, you can install Windows 9x operating systems.
However, only a few USB CD-ROM drives have DOS drivers.
As an alternative to a USB CD-ROM drive, you can use an external SCSI
CD-ROM with a PXI-SCSI adapter.
Installing from a Network

Complete the following steps to install an OS from a network:
1. Create a network bootdisk. (Refer to the readme.txt file in the
netboot folder on your OS installation CD.)
2. Use another PC on the network with a CD-ROM drive. Share the drive
and load the OS installation CD.
3. Boot your NI PXI-8186/8187 using the network boot disk.
4. Run the net utility from the a: drive. Map the shared CD-ROM
(for example, drive z:).
5. Run winnt.exe from the \os\i386 directory.
Note To launch the installation in unattended mode, type:

z:\os\i386\winnt.exe /u:z:\os\pxi8180.txt /s:z:\os\i386
Note For additional assistance with installing or changing an operating system, refer to
KnowledgeBase 2ZKC02OK at ni.com/support.

I/O Information
3
Front Panel Connectors
Table 3-1 lists various peripherals and their corresponding
NI PXI-8186/8187 external connectors, bus interfaces, and functions.
Table 3-1. NI PXI-8186/8187 Peripherals Overview
Peripheral External Connector Description

Video VGA (15-pin DSUB) Intel Extreme Graphics controller
Serial COM1 (9-pin DSUB) 16550 RS-232 serial port
Serial COM2 (9-pin DSUB) 16550 RS-232 serial port
Ethernet LAN (RJ45) 10/100 Ethernet connection
Parallel Parallel Port (36-pin champ) IEEE 1284
USB USB 4-pin Series A stacked USB 2.0 capable
receptacle
Keyboard/mouse PS/2 (5-pin Din) PS/2-style keyboard and mouse
(mouse requires PS/2 Y splitter)
PXI trigger Trigger (SMB) Routing PXI triggers to or from the
backplane trigger bus
GPIB device GPIB (25-pin Micro D) General-Purpose Interface Bus,
IEEE 488.2

Chapter 3 I/O Information
Front Panel
Figure 3-1 shows the front panel layout and dimensions of the
NI PXI-8186/8187. Dimensions are in inches [millimeters].
0.82 [20.8]
2.00 [50.8]
2.29 [58.2]
2.33 [59.2]
1.49 [37.8]
3.93 [99.8]
3.69 [93.7]
3.46 [87.9]
2.79 [70.9]
2.10 [53.3]
1.83 [46.5]
0.89 [22.6]
NI PXI-8186
Embedded Controller
0.00 [0]
0.00 [0]
2.32 [58.9]
0.76 [19.3]
2.22 [56.4]
1.26 [32.0]
0.83 [21.1]
Figure 3-1. NI PXI-8186/8187 Front Panel Layout and Dimensions

VGA
Figure 3-2 shows the location and pinouts for the VGA connector on the
NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-2 lists and describes the VGA connector
signals.
AMP manufactures a mating connector with part numbers 748364-1

(housing) and 748333-2 (pin contact).
11 6 1
VGA
15 10 5
NI PXI-8186
Embedded Controller
Figure 3-2. VGA Connector Location and Pinout
Table 3-2. VGA Connector Signals
Pin Signal Name Signal Description

1 R Red
2 G Green
3 B Blue
4 NC Not Connected
5 GND Ground
6 GND Ground
7 GND Ground
8 GND Ground
9 +5V 5V

Table 3-2. VGA Connector Signals (Continued)

10 GND Ground
11 NC Not Connected
12 SD Serial Data
13 HSync Horizontal Sync
14 VSync Vertical Sync
15 SC Serial Clock
COM1 and COM2

Figure 3-3 shows the location and pinouts for the COM1 and COM2
connectors on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-3 lists and describes the
COM1 and COM2 connector signal.
AMP manufactures a serial port mating connector, part number 745491-5.
6 1 6 1
COM1 COM2
9 5 9 5
NI PXI-8186
Embedded Controller
Figure 3-3. COM1 and COM2 Connector Location and Pinout

Table 3-3. COM1 and COM2 Connector Signals

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
Ethernet
Figure 3-4 shows the location and pinouts for the Ethernet connector on the
NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-4 lists and describes the Ethernet connector
signals.
AMP manufactures a mating connector, part number 554739-1.
Ethernet
NI PXI-8186
Embedded Controller
Figure 3-4. Ethernet Connector Location and Pinout

Table 3-4. Ethernet Connector Signals
Pin Signal Description

1 Differential Transmit
2 Differential Transmit
3 Differential Receive
4 NC
5 NC
6 Differential Receive
7 NC
8 NC
Parallel Port
Figure 3-5 shows the location and pinouts for the IEEE 1284 (parallel)
connector on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-5 lists and describes the
IEEE 1284 connector signals.
Parallel port adapter cables are available from National Instruments,

part number 777169-01.
36 18
Parallel Port
19 1
NI PXI-8186
Embedded Controller
Figure 3-5. Parallel Port Connector Location and Pinout

Table 3-5. Parallel Port Connector Signals
Default Configuration (LPT)

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

Universal Serial Bus

Figure 3-6 shows the location and pinouts for the Universal Serial Bus
(USB) connector on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-6 lists and describes
the USB connector signals.
AMP manufactures a USB mating connector, part number 787633.
4
USB
1
NI PXI-8186
Embedded Controller
Figure 3-6. USB Connector Location and Pinout
Table 3-6. USB Connector Signals

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

PS/2
Figure 3-7 shows the location and pinouts for the PS/2 connector on the
NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-7 lists and describes the PS/2 connector
signals.
To connect both a PS/2 keyboard and PS/2 mouse to the NI PXI-8186/8187,

use the Y-splitter adapter cable included with your controller (refer to
Figure 4-1, Y-Splitter Cable).
Replacement Y-splitter adapter cables are available from National

Instruments, part number 778713-01.
4 6
2
PS/2
1
NI PXI-8186
3 5 Embedded Controller
Figure 3-7. PS/2 Connector Location and Pinout
Table 3-7. PS/2 Connector Signals
Y-Splitter Y-Splitter
Pin Signal Name Signal Description Keyboard Mouse
1 DATA Data Keyboard Data Keyboard Data Mouse
2 NC Data Mouse NC NC
3 GND Ground GND GND
4 +5V +5 V +5 +5
5 CLK Clock Keyboard Clock Keyboard Clock Mouse
6 NC Clock Mouse NC NC

Trigger
The TRG connector is the software-controlled trigger connection for
routing PXI triggers to or from the backplane trigger bus.
Figure 3-8 shows the TRG connector location on the NI PXI-8186/8187.

Table 3-8 lists and describes the trigger connector signals.
2
1
NI PXI-8186
Embedded Controller
Figure 3-8. TRG Connector Location and Pinout
Table 3-8. TRG Connector Signals

1 TRIG Trigger
2 (Shield) GND Ground

GPIB (IEEE 488.2)

Figure 3-9 shows the location and pinouts for the GPIB connector on
the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-9 lists and describes the GPIB connector
signals.
ITT Canon manufactures a GPIB mating connector, part number

MDSM-25SC-Z11-V51.
14 1
GPIB
25 13
NI PXI-8186
Embedded Controller
Figure 3-9. GPIB Connector Location and Pinout
Table 3-9. GPIB Connector Signals

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

Table 3-9. GPIB Connector Signals (Continued)

10 SRQ* Service Request
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
Front Panel Features

The NI PXI-8186/8187 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 POWER OK LED indicates that the power is on and reset
is no longer asserted.
– The DRIVE LED indicates when an access to the internal hard
disk is occurring.
Data Storage
The NI PXI-8186/8187 has the following data storage features:
• Internal IDE hard drive
– 2.5 in. notebook hard drive
– Supports up to ATA-5 (UDMA 100)
• USB storage support—USB CD-ROM, mass storage device, or floppy
drive

Common Configuration
4
Questions
This chapter answers common configuration questions you may have when
using the NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded controller.
General Questions
What do the LEDs on the NI PXI-8186/8187 front panel mean?
The green LED indicates the power supplies to/on the NI PXI-8186/8187
are within spec. The supplies monitored are 3.3 V, 5 V, +12 V.
The hard drive LED lights when there is hard drive activity on the
NI PXI-8186/8187.
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-8186/8187 and press <Delete> during the memory tests.
Refer to the Entering BIOS Setup section of Chapter 2, Installation and
Configuration, for more information.
Can I use the internal IDE drive and an external SCSI hard drive at
the same time?
Yes.
Boot Options
What devices can I boot from?
The NI PXI-8186/8187 can boot from the following devices:
• The internal IDE hard drive
• An external SCSI hard drive or CD-ROM if an SCSI adapter, such
as the PXI-8214, is used
• A network PXE server on the same subnet

Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions
• An external USB mass storage device such as a USB hard drive or

CD-ROM
• An external USB floppy drive
Note There are some limitations when booting from a USB device. Windows XP
can be installed from a USB CD-ROM, but earlier versions of Windows cannot. The
NI PXI-8186/8187 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 Setup and select the Boot menu. You will see a list of all bootable
devices, ordered by device type. You can set the boot order using <+>
and <–>. Set the order by device type and set the order for the devices
listed within the device type.
• To boot from a different device without permanently changing the boot
order, press <Esc> 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-8186/8187 has a combined PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard
connector, so you need to use the PS/2 Y-splitter cable shipped with the
NI PXI-8186/8187, shown in Figure 4-1, to connect both a PS/2 mouse and
PS/2 keyboard.
Figure 4-1. Y-Splitter Cable

How do I get a replacement Y-splitter cable?

Y-splitter cables, part number 778713-01, are available through the online
catalog at ni.com/products.
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 PS/2 keyboard into the
PS/2 combo connector. However, you cannot use a PS/2 mouse without
the Y-splitter, so use a serial or USB mouse.
How do I connect a standard 25-pin LPT cable to the

NI PXI-8186/8187?
The NI PXI-8186/8187 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.
Software Driver Installation

How do I install or reinstall the video driver?
Refer to the Drivers.txt file on the hard drive or recovery CD-ROM.
How do I install or reinstall the Ethernet driver?

Refer to the Drivers.txt file on the hard drive or recovery CD-ROM.
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.
Note Click the Scan for Hardware Changes in the Device Manager button to force
redetection of the GPIB hardware after installing the driver.

How do I install software from a CD?

The compact size of the NI PXI-8186/8187 does not allow for an integrated
CD-ROM drive. If you are using Windows XP, you have the following
options:
• USB CD-ROM—Windows XP supports installing from a
USB CD-ROM using a bootable installation CD.
• SCSI, LPT, or PC Card-based CD-ROM—Other types of CD-ROM
drives are available. Check with the vendor to make sure Windows XP
supports the drive.
• Mapped network drive—You can use the Ethernet to connect to
another computer. If you share the CD-ROM drive on the other
computer, you can map the shared CD-ROM drive to a drive letter
on the NI PXI-8186/8187.
Chassis Configuration
How do I set up the NI PXI-8186/8187 to work with my chassis?
Configuration of the PXI system is handled through Measurement &
Automation Explorer (MAX), included with the software pre-installed
on your controller. MAX creates the pxisys.ini file, which defines
the layout and parameters of your PXI system.
The configuration steps for single or multiple-chassis systems are the same.

Figure 4-2. Multichassis Configuration in MAX
Basic PXI System Configuration

1. Launch MAX.
2. In the Configuration tree, click the Devices and Interfaces branch to
expand it.
3. If the PXI system controller has not yet been configured, it is labeled
PXI System (Unidentified). Right-click this entry to display the
pop-up menu, then select the appropriate controller model from the
Identify As submenu.
4. Click the PXI System controller. The chassis (or multiple chassis, in a
multichassis configuration) is listed below it. Identify each chassis by
right-clicking its entry, then selecting the appropriate chassis model
through the Identify As submenu. Further expanding the PXI System
branch shows all devices in the system that can be recognized by
NI-VISA. When your controller and all your chassis are identified,
the required pxisys.ini file is complete.

The PXI specification allows many combinations of PXI chassis and

system modules. To assist system integrators, the manufacturers of
PXI chassis and system modules must document the capabilities of their
products. The minimum documentation requirements are contained in
.ini files, which consist of ASCII text. System integrators, configuration
utilities, and device drivers can use these .ini files.
The capability documentation for the chassis is contained in a

chassis.ini file provided by the chassis manufacturer. The information
in this file is combined with information about the system controller to
create a single system initialization file called pxisys.ini (PXI System
Initialization). The NI PXI-8186/8187 uses MAX to generate the
pxisys.ini file from the chassis.ini file.
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.
Upgrade Information
How do I upgrade system memory?
You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXI-8186/8187 by
upgrading the DDR SO-DIMM.
To upgrade the RAM, remove the NI PXI-8186/8187 from the PXI chassis.
Remove the old SO-DIMM module and install the new SO-DIMM in the
socket as shown in Figure 4-3.
National Instruments offers the following types of DDR SO-DIMMs for

use with the NI PXI-8186/8187 controller.
• 512 MB, 64 MB × 64, CL 2.5, 1.25 in. max
• 1 GB, 128 MB × 64, CL 2.5, 1.15 in. max
Note National Instruments has tested and verified that the SO-DIMMs we sell work with
the NI PXI-8186/8187. We recommend you purchase your SO-DIMM modules from
National Instruments. Other off-the-shelf SO-DIMM modules are not guaranteed to work
properly.

1
2
1 DDR SO-DIMM Module 2 DDR SO-DIMM Socket
Figure 4-3. Installing a DDR SO-DIMM in an NI PXI-8186/8187 Controller
How do I flash a new BIOS?

You need to download the new BIOS from ni.com/support/
pxisupp.htm. To download the new BIOS, follow the instructions on
the Web site.
Where do I get the latest software drivers?

You can download the latest drivers from ni.com/support/
pxisupp.htm.

My NI PXI-8186/8187 does not have an internal floppy drive. Is there

a way to use an external drive?
Yes. The NI PXI-8186/8187 controller supports and can boot from USB
floppy drives. A USB floppy drive will not work with Windows NT4, but
will work with Windows 2000 or Windows XP. 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-8186/8187 work with the PXI-8220?

A serialized IRQ conflict with the PXI-8220 and the NI PXI-8186/8187
prevents PC cards using ISA interrupts from working with the
NI PXI-8186/8187 controllers. The PXI-8221 is designed to work with the
NI PXI-8186/8187 and should be used instead.

Troubleshooting
5
This chapter answers common troubleshooting questions you may have
when using the NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded computer.
What if the NI PXI-8186/8187 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 Power OK LED should stay lit.
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?
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.
• Recover the hard drive on the controller. (Refer to the Hard Drive
Recovery section of Chapter 2, Installation and Configuration.)
• Clear the CMOS. (Refer to the System CMOS section of Chapter 2,
Installation and Configuration.)

Chapter 5 Troubleshooting
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 640 × 480 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 Entering 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:

2. Remove the controller from the chassis.
3. Move the jumper on W1 from pins 1-2 to pins 2-3 as shown in
Figure 5-1.
4. Wait one second. Move the jumper back to pins 1-2.
5. Reinstall the controller in the chassis.

Chapter 5 Troubleshooting
Caution Do not leave the jumper on pins 2-3. Doing so decreases battery life. Also, the
controller will not boot.
1 2
1 Normal Operation (Default) 2 Clear CMOS Contents 3 Pin 1
Figure 5-1. Clearing the CMOS Contents

Specifications
A
This appendix lists the electrical, mechanical, and environmental
specifications of the NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded computer.
Electrical
Current (A)
Typical Maximum
Voltage (V) NI PXI-8186 NI PXI-8187 NI PXI-8186 NI PXI-8187
+3.3 4A 4A 5A 5A
+5 6.5 A 7A 8A 9A
+12 0.15 A 0.15 A 0.2 A 0.2 A
–12 0A 0A 0A 0A
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
MTBF..................................................... 170,248 h
Weight.................................................... 1.0 kg (2.2 lb) typical
© National Instruments Corporation A-1 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

Appendix A Specifications
Operating Environment
Ambient temperature range
NI PXI-8186/8187 Extended
Chassis NI PXI-8186/8187 Temperature Option
PXI-1000B 5–40 °C 0–55 °C
PXI-1002 5–40 °C 0–50 °C
PXI-1006 5–45 °C 0–55 °C
PXI-1010 Not recommended 0–35 °C
PXI-1011 5–40 °C 0–55 °C
PXI-1042 5–40 °C 0–55 °C
PXI-1045 5–45 °C 0–55 °C
Note: Tested in accordance with IEC-60068-2-1 and IEC-60068-2-2.
Relative humidity range..........................10% to 90%, noncondensing

(Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-56.)
Altitude ...................................................2000 m (at 25 °C ambient

temperature)
Pollution Degree .....................................2
For indoor or enclosed area use only.
Caution Clean the PXI-8186/8187 with a soft nonmetallic brush. Make sure that the
device is completely dry and free from contaminants before returning it to service.
Storage Environment
NI PXI-8186/8187
Ambient temperature range .............–20 to 65 °C (Tested in
accordance with IEC-60068-2-1
and IEC-60068-2-2.)
NI PXI-8186/8187 Extended Temp. Option
Ambient temperature range .............–40 to 85 °C (Tested in
accordance with IEC-60068-2-1
and IEC-60068-2-2.)
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual A-2 ni.com

Relative humidity range ......................... 5% to 95% noncondensing

IEC-60068-2-56.)
Shock and Vibration

Operational shock .................................. 30 g peak, half-sine, 11 ms pulse
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 B.)
Note For full EMC compliance, operate this device with shielded cabling. In addition, all
covers and filler panels must be installed. Refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
for this product for any additional regulatory compliance information. To obtain the DoC
for this product, visit ni.com/certification, search by model number or product line,
and click the appropriate link in the Certification column.
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
• CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 61010-1
Note For UL and other safety certifications, refer to the product label or visit
ni.com/certification, search by model number or product line, and click the
appropriate link in the Certification column.
© National Instruments Corporation A-3 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

Electromagnetic Compatibility
Emissions................................................EN 55011 Class A at 10 m
FCC Part 15A above 1 GHz
Immunity ................................................EN 61326:1997 + A2:2001,

Table 1
CE, C-Tick, and FCC Part 15 (Class A) Compliant
Note For EMC compliance, operate this device with shielded cabling.
CE Compliance
This product meets the essential requirements of applicable European
Directives, as amended for CE marking, as follows:
Low-Voltage Directive (safety)..............73/23/EEC
Electromagnetic Compatibility
Directive (EMC) .....................................89/336/EEC
Note Refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for this product for any additional
regulatory compliance information. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit
ni.com/certification, search by model number or product line, and click the
appropriate link in the Certification column.
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual A-4 ni.com

Technical Support and
B
Professional Services
Visit the following sections of the National Instruments Web site at
ni.com for technical support and professional services:
• Support—Online technical support resources at ni.com/support
include the following:
– Self-Help Resources—For answers and solutions, visit the
award-winning National Instruments Web site 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.
– Free Technical Support—All registered users receive free Basic
Service, which includes access to hundreds of Application
Engineers worldwide in the NI Developer Exchange at
ni.com/exchange. National Instruments Application Engineers
make sure every question receives an answer.
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
self-paced training, eLearning virtual classrooms, interactive CDs,
and Certification program information. You also can 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
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 electronic compatibility (EMC) and product
safety. You can obtain the DoC for your product by visiting
ni.com/certification.
© National Instruments Corporation B-1 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

Appendix B Technical Support and Professional Services
• Calibration Certificate—If your product supports calibration,

you can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at
ni.com/calibration.
If you searched ni.com and could not find the answers you need, contact
your local office or NI corporate headquarters. Phone numbers for our
worldwide offices are listed at the front of this manual. 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-8186/8187 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
B
B Bytes
backplane An assembly, typically a printed circuit board, with connectors and signal
paths that bus the connector pins
© National Instruments Corporation G-1 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

Glossary
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 process used in making

chips
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.
D
DC Direct Current
DDR Double Data Rate
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
DRAM Dynamic RAM (Random Access Memory); storage that the computer must
refresh at frequent intervals
E
ECP Extended Capabilities Parallel
EDO Extended Data Out
EEPROM Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual G-2 ni.com

Glossary
embedded controller An intelligent CPU (controller) interface plugged directly into the PXI
backplane, giving it direct access to the PXI bus. It must have all of its
required PXI interface capabilities built in.
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
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

Glossary
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 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.
MB Megabytes of memory
MTBF Mean time between failure
MTTR Mean time to repair

Glossary
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 by

another interrupt. 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.
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.
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

Glossary
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.
ST Start Trigger
Star Trigger Slot This slot is located at Slot 2 in a PXI mainframe and has a dedicated trigger
line between each peripheral slot. This slot would be used for a module
with ST functionality that can provide individual triggers to all other
peripherals.
U
USB Universal Serial Bus
V
V Volts
VGA Video Graphics Array; the minimum video display standard for all PCs
W
W Watts

Index
A driver installation, 4-3

Advanced Setup menu, 2-6 general questions, 4-1
PXI configuration, 4-8
upgrade information, 4-6
B CompactPCI specification, 1-1
BIOS configuration, common questions
checking settings, 4-1 boot options, 4-1
flashing new BIOS, 4-7 cables and connections, 4-2
setup chassis configuration, 4-4
Advanced Setup menu, 2-6 driver installation, 4-3
Boot Setup menu, 2-9 general questions, 4-1
DMI Event Logging menu, 2-6 PXI configuration, 4-8
entering, 2-4 upgrade information, 4-6
Exiting BIOS Setup menu, 2-9 connectors
Integrated Peripherals menu, 2-7 COM1 and COM2 connectors and
Main Setup menu, 2-5 signals, 3-4
PXI Setup menu, 2-9 Ethernet connector and signals, 3-5
boot options, configuring controller, 4-2 GPIB connector and signals, 3-11
Boot Setup menu, 2-9 parallel port connector and signals, 3-6
peripheral expansion overview (table), 3-1
PS/2 connector and signals, 3-9
C trigger connector and signals, 3-10
calibration certificate (NI resources), B-2 Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector and
CD-ROM drive, installing software from, 4-4 signals, 3-8
CE compliance specifications, A-4 VGA connector and signals, 3-3
chip set GMCH, 1-4 conventions used in the manual, vii
chip set ICH, 1-4
CMOS
D
clearing contents (figure), 2-11, 5-3
data storage, 3-12
setting back to default, 5-2
DDR SO-DIMMs
COM1 and COM2 connectors
connector locations and pinout (figure), 3-4 from National Instruments (note), 2-14, 4-6
installing, 2-14, 4-6
connector signals (table), 3-5
figure, 2-15, 4-7
common configuration questions
boot options, 4-1 Declaration of Conformity (NI resources), B-1
diagnostic tools (NI resources), B-1
cables and connections, 4-2
chassis configuration, 4-4
© National Instruments Corporation I-1 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

Index
directories and files installed on hard G

drive, 2-13
GPIB (IEEE 488.2), 3-11
DMI Event Logging menu, 2-6
connector location and pinout
documentation
(figure), 3-11
conventions used in the manual, vii
how to use this documentation set, vii driver installation, 4-3
NI resources, B-1
related documentation, viii
DRIVE LED, 3-12 H
drivers, 2-13 hard drive, 3-12
installation files and directories installed on, 2-13
GPIB (IEEE 488.2), 4-3 recovery, 2-15
video, 4-3 help, technical support, B-1
obtaining latest drivers, 4-7
drivers (NI resources), B-1
I
IDE controller, using SCSI hard drive in
E addition, 4-1
electrical specifications, A-1 IDE logic block, 1-4
electromagnetic compatibility IEEE 488.2, 3-11
specifications, A-4 images directory, 2-13
Ethernet, connector installation
location and pinout (figure), 3-5 See also configuration
signals (table), 3-6 configuration in MAX (figure), 4-5
examples (NI resources), B-1 injector/ejector handle position
Exiting BIOS Setup menu, 2-9 (caution), 2-2
NI PXI-8186 installed in a PXI chassis
(figure), 2-3
F procedure, 2-1
files and directories installed on hard removing NI PXI-8186/8187 from PXI
drive, 2-13 chassis, 2-4
floppy drive, using external floppy drive, 4-8 removing protective screw caps
front panel (figure), 2-2
connectors, 3-1 instrument drivers (NI resources), B-1
dimensions, 3-2 Integrated Peripherals menu, 2-7
features, 3-12
functional overview of NI PXI-8186/8187, 1-2
K
keyboard and mouse
logic block, 1-4
overview (table), 3-1
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual I-2 ni.com

Index
keyboard, plugging PS/2 mouse and keyboard connectors, 3-1

into controller, 4-2 COM1 and COM2 connectors and
KnowledgeBase, B-1 signals, 3-4
GPIB (IEEE 488.2) connector and
signals, 3-11
L parallel port connector and
LabVIEW, 1-5 signals, 3-6
LabVIEW RT configuration switches, PS/2 connector and signals, 3-9
2-11, 2-12 trigger connector and signals, 3-10
LabWindows/CVI, 1-5 Universal Serial Bus (USB)
LEDs, front panel LEDs, 3-12, 4-1 connector and signals, 3-8
LPT cable, connecting to NI VGA connector and signals
PXI-8186/8187, 4-3 (table), 3-3
data storage, 3-12
front panel
M features, 3-12
Main Setup menu, 2-5 LEDs, 4-1
manuals directory, 2-13 system reset pushbutton, 3-12
mating connector front panel dimensions, 3-2
COM1 and COM2, 3-4 functional overview, 1-2
Ethernet, 3-5 hard drive recovery, 2-15
GPIB (IEEE 488.2), 3-11 installing DDR SO-DIMMs (figure),
parallel port, 3-6 2-15, 4-7
USB, 3-8 installing in a PXI chassis, 2-1
VGA, 3-3 (figure), 2-3
Measurement Studio, 1-5 logic blocks, 1-4
mouse, plugging PS/2 mouse and keyboard peripheral expansion overview
into controller, 4-2 (table), 3-1
PXI trigger connectivity, 2-14
removing from a PXI chassis, 2-4
N software, 1-4
National Instruments specifications, A-1
software, 1-4 troubleshooting, 5-1
support and services, B-1 upgrading RAM, 2-14, 4-6
NI PXI-8186/8187 using with chassis, 4-4
benefits of PXI, 1-1 NI support and services, B-1
BIOS setup, 2-4 NI-DAQ function library, 1-4
block diagram, 1-3 NI-VISA high-level programming API, 1-5

Index
O S
operating environment specifications, A-2 safety specifications, A-3
os directory, 2-13 serial ports, 3-1
OS installation See also COM1 and COM2 connectors
from CD-ROM, 2-16 shock and vibration specifications, A-3
from network, 2-16 socket 478 1 CPU, 1-4
SO-DIMM logic block, 1-4
software
P See also drivers
parallel port installed on your hard drive, 2-13
connector location and pinout installing from CD-ROM, 4-4
(figure), 3-6 LabVIEW, 1-5
connector signals (table), 3-7 National Instruments software, 1-4
overview (table), 3-1 NI-DAQ, 1-4
PCI bus, standard for desktop computer NI-VISA, 1-5
designs, 1-1 software (NI resources), B-1
peripheral expansion overview (table), 3-1 specifications, A-1
physical specifications, A-1 CE compliance, A-4
POWER OK LED, 3-12 electrical, A-1
programming examples (NI resources), B-1 electromagnetic compability, A-4
protective screw caps, removing (figure), 2-2 operating environment, A-2
PS/2 physical, A-1
connector location and pinout safety, A-3
(figure), 3-9
shock and vibration, A-3
connector signals (table), 3-9 storage environment, A-2
plugging PS/2 mouse and keyboard into
storage environment specifications, A-2
controller, 4-2
super I/O logic block, 1-4
PXI connectors, function (logic block), 1-4
support, technical, B-1
PXI features, 2-14
switches
PXI Setup menu, 2-9
LabVIEW RT configuration, 2-11
PXI trigger connectivity, 2-14
figure, 2-12
PXI-8220, using NI PXI-8186/8187 with, 4-8
system CMOS, 2-10
pxisys.ini file, 4-4
system reset pushbutton, 3-12
R T
RAM
technical support, B-1
DDR SO-DIMMs from National
training and certification (NI resources), B-1
Instruments (note), 2-14, 4-6
upgrading, 2-14, 4-6
related documentation, viii
NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual I-4 ni.com

Index
trigger, 3-10, 4-8 V

connector location and pinout VGA
(figure), 3-10
location and pinout (figure), 3-3
troubleshooting
CMOS reset, 5-2
video, 3-1
controller does not boot, 5-1
See also VGA
damaged module, 5-2
driver installation, 4-3
video display, 5-2
troubleshooting (NI resources), B-1
W
U Web resources, B-1
Universal Serial Bus (USB), 3-1, 3-8

connector function, 1-4 Y
connector location and pinout Y-splitter cable
(figure), 3-8 figure, 4-2
obtaining replacement, 4-3
using mouse and keyboard without, 4-3
using with PS/2 mouse and keyboard,
2-3, 3-9

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NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

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About This Manual

© National Instruments Corporation v NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual vi ni.com

This manual contains detailed instructions for installing and configuring

How to Use the Documentation Set

This manual contains more details about changing the installation or

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

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

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

© National Instruments Corporation vii NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual viii ni.com

Well-suited for industrial applications, PXI leverages from the

Additionally, PXI meets the more specific needs of instrumentation users

© National Instruments Corporation 1-1 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

NI PXI-8186/8187 Functional Description

NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual 1-2 ni.com

Figure 1-1. NI PXI-8186/8187 Block Diagram

© National Instruments Corporation 1-3 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

The NI PXI-8186/8187 consists of the following logic blocks on the CPU

National Instruments Software

NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual 1-4 ni.com

A/D conversion), analog output (D/A conversion), waveform generation,

© National Instruments Corporation 1-5 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

Installing the NI PXI-8186/8187

© National Instruments Corporation 2-1 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

1 Protective Screw Cap (4X)

Figure 2-1. Removing Protective Screw Caps

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

NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual 2-2 ni.com

9. Check the installation.

Note The PS/2 connector will operate a keyboard without an adaptor.

Figure 2-2 shows an NI PXI-8186 installed in the system controller slot of

1 PXI-1042 Chassis 2 NI PXI-8186 Controller 3 Injector/Ejector Rail

Figure 2-2. NI PXI-8186 Controller Installed in a PXI Chassis

© National Instruments Corporation 2-3 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Chassis

Entering BIOS Setup

Use the following keys to navigate through the BIOS setup:

NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual 2-4 ni.com

• Up Arrow, Down Arrow—Use these keys to move between the

Main Setup Menu

© National Instruments Corporation 2-5 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual

DMI Event Logging Submenu

Advanced Setup Menu

The Advanced setup menu includes the following settings:

NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual 2-6 ni.com

• LabVIEW RT Options—Use this setting to bring up the LabVIEW

Integrated Peripherals Submenu

© National Instruments Corporation 2-7 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual