USB GPIB interface is not usable if connected at boot time

[Larry Martell]

I have a GPIB-USB interface in a Mandrake linux system. If the interface is
connected to the computer when it is booted it is not seen by the OS, and
cannot be used. But if the GPIB interface is connected after the machine has
booted it works just fine. What can I do so that the interface is seen at boot up?

TIA!
-larry

[ni_n_hp_fan]

Which GPIB-USB interface?  HS? B? A?  What version of the NI-488.2 driver are you using?  What version of Mandrake?  What kernel? 

[Larry Martell]

I have the HS interface. I am using version 2.3 of the NI-488.2 driver. I have version 10.0 Official of Mandrake, which has kernel

version 2.6.8.1-12.

-larry

[Matt_S.]

Hi Larry,

You shouldn't be having problems with that. It should just work when you start your system. I'm going to try to get my hands on a GPIB-USB-HS and a Mandrake system and test this out for you. We may need to try a different driver version for you or something. I'll get back with you as soon as I have tested this.

Regards,
Matt S.

[ScottieB]

Couple of things:

1) The GPIB-USB-HS is not officially supported with the Linux driver.  According to the README, only the GPIB-USB-B is supported
2) It appears that you may not have Mandrake 10.0.  Your kernel version is quite a bit newer.  Run "cat /etc/*-release" and post the output, as well as the output from "uname -a".  If you're running 10.1, that isn't officially supported either.

I'd still like to know more about your problem, but I want to warn you that this may not be fixable since it's not supported.

Scott B.
GPIB Software

[Larry Martell]

Yes, I know that the README says the HS is not supported under linux, but on 11/17/05, prior to me ordering this part I called and

spoke to an application engineer (who's name I don't seem to have in my notes) and he told me the HS would work just fine with version 2.3

of the 488 driver.

As far as the version of linux I have, you are correct I do have 10.1, but on 5/18/04 I called and

spoke to Evan Robinson, who told me that the 488 driver does work with 10.1.

In fact I have been using the 488 driver with 10.1 with a PCI GPIB card for over 1 year with no problems at all.

As far as the USB-GPIB interface goes, as I noted in my initial post, if I connect it after the box has booted up it works flawlessly.

So getting it to be seen at boot time should be doable.

-larry

[ScottieB]

Larry,

The HS is not officially supported in the current v2.3 driver, but yes, you're right, it will probably work in most cases.  We have not tested the HS on Linux, and so therefore there is not official support.

WIth respect to your 10.1 issue, though, the driver is not supported.  We haven't tested it with this distribution, and I apologize for any misinformation you were given.  Are you sure that you called in mid-2004 to ask about Mandrake 10.1?  I'm not sure exactly when it released, but I believe it was late 2004/early 2005.  Also, our support policy describing which Linux distribution versions has changed as of July 1, 2005, and we released the 2.3 driver in early 2005.

The fact that you can successfully use the driver on Mandrake 10.1 for PCI doesn't mean that you will be as successful with the USB-HS products.  I have filed a bug report on your behalf so that we examine this issue in the future when we do officially support 10.1 / Mandriva 2006 and/or the GPIB-USB-HS.  So that I can be more precise in my bug report, can you give me more information? Such as:

1) You start with a system with only the NI-488.2 software installed, and you have never installed a USB-HS.  From the system's powered-down state, you install an HS.  When you boot up, the HS is not recognized in the 'gpibtsw' utility and you can't use it from 'gpibintctrl'.  Is this correct?

2) Once you have booted, you can unplug and replug the HS and it will then begin functioning correctly, showing up in 'gpibtsw' and working from 'gpibintctrl'.  Is this correct?

3) If you ever reboot the system with a working HS installed, that HS will stop working.  Is this correct?

Scott B.

GPIB Software

Message Edited by ScottieB on 02-15-2006 10:54 AM

[Larry Martell]

I sorry, I made a typo - I spoke to Evan Robinson (who told me 488 driver does work with 10.1) on 5/18/05, nor 2004.

Re using the driver with the USB-HS under 10.1, I have quite a few apps that I have written, and they all work flawlessly (at least so far).

[ScottieB]

Thanks for the clarification.  Would you please answer my technical questions so that we can record this issue?

Scott B.
GPIB Software

[Larry Martell]

The answer to all 3 of your questions is yes.

-larry