PCI-GPIB Conflicts with 3rd Party PCI-e Card; Cannot Change IRQ in BIOS

[TimFrisk]

We have two PCI-GPIB NI-488.2 cards in our Dell Optiplex GX620 (Windows XP SP3).  They provide the interface between our VG9000 glow-discharge mass spectrometer (analytical instrument) and its controlling software.

We tried to install a PCI-e card that would provide the computer with another parallel port (in addition to its on-board parallel port).  Windows' Device Manager indicated that there were no conflicts with the PCI-e or GPIB cards.  However, when we tried to run the spectrometer's software, we received this error message:

NI counter card initialisation fail : phase=0
Measurements: Device cannot be accessed.  Possible causes:

Device is no longer present in the system.
Device is not powered.
Device is powered, but was temporarily without power.
Device is damaged.

Ensure the device is properly connected and powered.  Turn the computer off and on again.  If you suspect that the device is damaged, contact National Instruments at ni.com/support.

Device Specified: dev1

Task name:_unnamedTask<0>

Status Code: -201003

If we remove the PCI-e card, the spectrometer's software operates normally.

We have tried to use the advice given in NI's FAQ documents 3R7FK5Y3 and 0XLDC7EO (changing the PCI's IRQ within the BIOS).  However, the Optiplex's BIOS does not allow changing a PCI slot's IRQ.  We cannot move the PCI-e card to another slot because there is only one PCI-e slot. 

Do you have any further advice on how to resolve this conflict?

[Marand]

Hi,

Have you tried to connect your PCIe card to another computer in order to check if it is damaged?

Regards,

[Dennis_Knutson]

You also need to check with the vendor of the software. The error refers to a counter and that has nothing to do with a GPIB card. I also don't see why you need more than one GPIB card for a single instrument so I wonder if there are other details you haven't provided.

[Dennis_Knutson]

I wish I could edit a post from my phone.

I wanted to ask ask why you used up a PCIe slot for a parallel port instead of just plugging in a USB parallel port.

[TimFrisk]

I am porting a BASIC program to VB.NET for a colleague who operates the GDMS.  The BASIC program uses the OUT command to send data to the parallel port (i.e. OUT &H378, &H10).  To duplicate that in VB.NET, I am using the inpout32.dll to send the same data to the parallel port.  I don't know how to do this with USB to Parallel cable, though I did search for that info on the internet.  If you can recommend how to send that signal throught the USB/Parallel cable, I'd appreciate it.

[Dennis_Knutson]

I don't know how to use the parallel port with that api. It can be done with VISA, though.

[TimFrisk]

Thanks, Dennis.  Can you point me to some resources on VISA?

[Dennis_Knutson]

Here

[TimFrisk]

I haven't verified if the card is damaged by installing it in another PC.  Right now, I don't know where I can find another available PC with a PCI-e slot, but I will try your suggestion if I find one.  Thanks!