PCI-6533 Error -200251 and now Error -50150: sudden issue

[vroomy]

I am using a PCI-6533 (PCI-DIO-32HS) with LABVIEW 8.2, using the attached vi. The vi crashed after overnight use, and I had to restart the computer. The computer would not boot up, so I removed the cable going into the PCI-6533, and restarted again. This time, the computer booted:  I reconnected the cable and started the vi, and found the error code -200251 (DMA error).

The vi is designed to generate TTL timing pulses on 8 outputs. via a National Instruments CB-68LPR Connector Block (AS-184700C-01).I'm not sure why disconnecting the cable should have any effect on the computer bootup. And the vi has been working fine for a couple of days, not sure why it would suddenly crash like that.

I went into MAX, and tried the self-test, and it gave me the same error. After that, I tried resetting the device from MAX, at which point, my computer restarted spontaneously. It then gave me a -50150 error (software has entered an unknown state). There are two copies of the PCI-DIO-32HS in my device list in MAX, one in the DAQmx devices, and another in the NI DAQ Legacy devices -- could this be a source of the problem?

Now when I run the program, I get the same -50150 error. I'm not sure if I've made the problem worse by attempting to reset the device.

I'm a newbie to LABVIEW (especially to DAQ), trying to fix someone else's code -- so any sort of help would be appreciated.

[David S.]

Hi vroomy -

Hmm...the first error code you gave has a lengthier message than posted: 

Error -200251 occurred at an unidentified location
Possible reason(s):
No DMA channels or USB Bulk Endpoints are available.
Either shut down other tasks that might be using these resources or consider changing your data transfer mechanism to Interrupts if supported.

I'm not sure why your computer would suddenly have its DMA channels tied up.  It could be a bug in the Windows device manager or your NI-DAQ driver.  The dual-entry in MAX is expected, since each driver (NI-DAQmx and Traditional NI-DAQ) has the option of controlling the device.  Thus, it's listed under each driver's tree so you can configure it with either one of them.

If resetting the device forced your computer to restart, then the hardware (or management of that hardware) is most likely the cause of the problem.  Lets make it disappear from Windows and try again from scratch:

1. Open MAX and delete the entries for the card under the NI-DAQmx and Traditional NI-DAQ trees.
2. Find My Computer on your desktop or Start menu and right-click on it.  In the menu that appears, select Properties.  A window will open.  Click the Hardware tab, then the Device Manager button. In the next window, look for a subtree with the blue NI Eagle logo on it.  (It could be called "National Instruments Devices" or "Data Acquisition Devices", or even something else.) Expand that tree and delete any entries for your 6533 that you find.
3. If that tree isn't visible, look for a tree with a Yellow-Exclamation-Point logo.  Delete any entries in that tree.
   
4. Shut down the computer and remove the device.
5. Start the computer up again (without the card in it) and let Windows fully load.  Now shut it down again. 🙂
6. Put the card back in the computer, but put it in a different slot than before.  This forces the PCI bus master to enumerate a "new" device, which forces Windows to load a new instance of the device driver.  It effectively forces the OS (and MAX too) to completely refresh its view of the device.
7. Open MAX and try configuring the device.  Reset it, run the test panels, and perform a Self-Test.

If any of this goes wrong, try instaling the card in another computer.

[vroomy]

Hi David,

Thanks for your response. I tried everything you said -- removing the hardware from MAX and XP, using another PCI slot, I tried a different computer -- and I'm still getting the same error 50150 when I try to reset or self-test the device.

Any other suggestions or things to look for?

Joe.

Message Edited by vroomy on 03-05-2007 04:49 PM

[David S.]

Hi vroomy -

If you get the exact same message in a completely different computer system, then I suspect that the board is broken.  You should contact us by phone to discuss an RMA repair or replacement.