usb-gpib hangs my system

[yafoteer]

My USB-GPIB-HS has screeched to a halt again. 

The software using the adapter simply stops and is unresponsive.  The only thing that works is unplugging the adapter from the USB.  That includes NI-MAX, which can hang while starting.  Unplug - NI-MAX starts and runs.  Plug in and discover instruments (or any other GPIB transaction) - freeze.  Unplug - unfreeze.

The first time was on XP SP3 and LV 9, with older versions of 488.2 and VISA.  The adapter was removed and replaced with a different one.  No problems there any more.

The questionable adapter was moved to a computer with NI-MAX 5.4, NI-488.2 3.1.1, and NI-VISA 5.3  It is used by a Python script.  It worked fine for a few weeks, until today the same behavior again.

Any suggestions before I toss it and buy a new one?

Thanks

Ed K

[Alex-D]

Is the cable fairly new? Also could you check the pins on the cable to make sure none of them are damaged. It sounds like there is something wrong with the cable. Let me know the age of the cable and I will be able to advise you further. Have a good day.  

[yafoteer]

Hi Alex - thanks for the reply.

The unit looks as if it is new - no bent pins or other wear at all.  It is probably 2 years old.

Earlier today it was working fine, now it is failing again.  I have some more data:

1: The Active LED turns on, but my software stops.

2: The I/O timeout of the 488.2 is 10 seconds.  The problem remains for longer than that, and disappears only when the cable is unplugged.

3: I can start NI-MAX and it sees the cable.  When I scan for instruments it freezes.  When I unplug the cable, it unfreezes, and there is a message at the bottom of the MAX screen.  It disappears immediately, but I can read "There was an error..."  The rest of the message is cut off by the column divider of the window.

4: The instrument does not show any GPIB activity (the front panel is still enabled).

5: I get the same behavior if the GPIB is not connected to an instrument.

I don't have NI-SPY installed or I would check that.

What else?

[Alex-D]

This sounds like an issue that you should contact support directly for help on. The cable may be failing and should be handled off of the forums. Since you were able to encounter the problem on multiple computers and fix the problem with another cable I am pretty sure that there is a problem with the cable.