cannot talk to a GPIB instrument

[Jasmine1688]

Hi,

I have a PCI-GPIB card installed in my PC. It controls a GPIB instrument. The PC program is in visual c++. It was working well for a while. A few days ago, the instrument was not responding as I expected. I found that the PCI device was not  recognized in Device Manager. So I tried to install the driver, which is NI-488.2 version 3.1.1. I think I didn't install it successfully. After that I still could not see the controller in Device Manager. So I played with Scan new hardware a few times and then I used "Choose the file myself" and pick a windows default driver. Then I can see the controller in Device Manager. However, I still cannot see this controller in NI's software. It worked for one day and now it stops working again. I think I need to install NI-488.2 properly. I don't know how. I hope there is a step by step instruction somewhere.

When I extracted NI-488.2 version 3.1.1, I ran this autorun.exe. Then I chose Install software. Then I chose to install a package for c/c++. What did I do wrong? I don't remember seeing driver mentioned anywhere.

Please help.

[Dennis_Knutson]

I think I would have done a repair instead of what you did.

The installation directions are exactly what you did. By choosing to install software, you chose to install the driver. When you reran the installer, you didn't get any messages about things already installed? If you didn't, that points to something wrong with windows. Try doing a complete uninstall. Install the driver on another pc and move the pci card there. That will tell you if there is a problem with the card.

[Jasmine1688]

Hi, Dennis,

I followed your instruction and uninstalled everything then reinstalled NI488 2. Now after I restarted the computer, the PC was asking for the driver. I let windows look for it itself but it couldn't find anything.

In MAX, my PCI GPIB card is not shown. Please see the attached screen shot.

In windows device manger, this is the info for this board: PCI\VEN_1093&DEV_1340&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_00\4&F65FC6E&0&78F0

In this posting, someone mentioned that there are different variants of PCI GPIB boards. Does my problem have something to do with that?

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Instrument-Control-GPIB-Serial/gpib-windows-xp-pci/m-p/2340790/highlight/tru...

What should I do next?

Thanks.

[Dennis_Knutson]

Since it was working at one time, and assumimg you installed the same version of NI488.2, then you don't have a problem with the version of the card. Did you try the board on another pc? Do you have another board to try? Have you tried moving the board to another slot?

[Jasmine1688]

I don't have another PC to try this. I don't have another card either. Yes, it worked for quite some time. Then it stopped working. I fixed it by moving this card to another slot. It worked one day. But after that, it stopped working again. I guess something was lost after I powered down the PC. I can move it to another slot for now. But I am worried it would be a temporary solution again. It is also a pain to pull the PC out and move the card. Windows cannot find the driver for it. I think it is wrong. So I want to fix it once and for all. 

Thanks a lot. I conacted an NI app engineer I know. Hopefully, they will look into this and find a solution for me.

[M.J]

Hi Jasmine,

I have a few questions:

1. Did you install all software (488.2 3.1.1 and NI-VISA) without the NI PCI-GPIB connected in your computer? I ask because procedure is to install software first and then hardware as outlined in http://www.ni.com/gettingstarted/installsoftware/ 

2. What version of NI software are you using and on what on operating system? 

[Jasmine1688]

Hi, MJ,

My operating system windows XP.

The system was working for a while. Then it stopped working maybe after I restarted the machine. I then went in Device Manager and found that the device was shown as a PCI device with a yellow question mark. Then I downloaded NI488.2 version 3.1.1 and started debugging. I even rolled back to version 2.7.0. 

But long story short, I have figured out a solution already.

What happened is that the driver recognized two GPIB cards even though I have only one installed. They both were listed under National Instrument... in device manager. One of them has a device ID C801 and the other 1403. I needed to delete the one with 1403 and keep the C801 one. And then everything worked. But then that 1403 device will be listed as a PCI device as a question mark. If you restart the computer, windows will ask you to install the driver for it. I just ignored it. I compared this system with our working systems. That's how I figured it out. There is something magic about C801. Maybe you can pass this information to your driver department.

Version 3.1.1 and Version 2.7.0 behaved the same regarding device manager. However, when I use version 2.7.0, I could see this card as GPIB0 in your MAX software. In version 3.1.1, I cannot.

 I think I am all set. Thanks.