NI PXI-5154 module undetected

[rpbrn]

Hello,

I'm currently trying to use a NI PXIe 1071 chassis with a NI PXI-5154 scope. 

At first everything was working well. But a few days ago the NI PXI-5154 scope stopped working. To be more precise : It's not detected anymore, neither by NI MAX nor the computer's peripheral manager. When turned on, both leds (ACCESS and ACTIVE) are off. And nothing appears on both NI MAX and windows' peripheral manager.

I used with the NI PXIe 1071 chassis a NI PXIe-8370 controller and a PXIe-5413 AWG. Both of them are working well and are still detected.

I tried using NI MAX to repair all the drivers but nothing changed.  

Moreover, there are 3 other computers in the lab that have the same setup (same chassis and same 3 modules). I tried using the undetected NI PXI-5154 scope on another setup and it worked. In the mean time I used another NI PXI-5154 scope (that was working on another setup) on the defectuous setup and it also went undetected. 

So I know that the module is working and that the problem comes from my computer. But I don't know what's wrong. 

I added some pictures of NI MAX, the peripheral manager and the chassis. 

Any help would be much appreciated !

[Robert__R]

Hi rpbrn,

Can you clarify about when you tried the PXI-5154 with other computers, did you only swap the module or did you swap the whole chassis? I'm wondering if there's a backplane problem.

Do you often change out modules or are they always left in the same chassis? I'm wondering if a backplane pin could have been bent.

- Robert

[rpbrn]

Hello Robert,

Thank you for your answer,

No I didn't swap the whole chassis, I only swapped the modules between a chassis and another. Do you think I should try swapping two whole chassis ? 

We don't swap modules often, we only do it when a problem (like this one) occurs. 

-Raphaël

[Robert__R]

Hi Raphaël,

Since the device doesn't show up in Device Manager (either as a PXI-5154 or an unknown device) then it's almost certainly a hardware problem. There's a bridge on the backplane that converts from PCI Express to PCI, and I suspect it's not working. It could be functional but have a damaged connection (bent pins) but it sounds like you weren't swapping modules when it started failing so that seems unlikely.

The hardware problem could be on the backplane or the PXIe-8370. If you swap the whole chassis with another chassis then you can show that it's not your computer. You've already proven it's not the PXI-5154. You could also swap PXIe-8370 modules to narrow it down to the problem hardware (chassis vs PXIe-8370). Then you'll know what's broken.

If you select the PXIe-5413 in device manager, then select "view -> devices by connection" which should be the 2nd option, it will expand the tree hierarchically to that device. On a working system you should be able to find the PXI-5154 near the 5413. On a non-working system it won't be there, and the question is whether the bridge above the 5154 is there or not. This doesn't give much more information but it helps validate the theory that it's hardware.

- Robert

[rpbrn]

I've swapped chassis and everything works. 

I also tried (with the old chassis) to use a different PXIe-8370 but the NI PXI-5154 module was still undetected. 

I even tried to use it without the NI PXIe-5413 AWG but the module was also undetected. 

So the chassis IS the problem. 

What I don't understand is that the NI-PXIe-5413 AWG works on each one of the three available module slots. Accordingly, the PCI express to PCI conversion seems to work on this module so I don't think it's the problem.

Where could the hardware malfunction be ?

Thank you for your advices, now we know that there's an issue with the chassis and not the drivers or the module.

-Raphaël

[Robert__R]

Hi Raphaël,

The PXIe-5413 is native PCI Express so it doesn't require the PCI Express to PCI conversion. You can see the difference in the modules by looking at the connectors -- the small connector on top is the same (for triggers), but the other connectors are different between the PXI-5154 and PXIe-5413.

- Robert

[rpbrn]

Hello Robert,

Thank you it's clearer now. Do you know how I could locate this conversion bridge ? Is there any plan I could find of the backplane board ? 

-Raphaël