downloading data files from pxi-8106

[bbarnes]

I am working on a data acquisition system that is centered around a PXI-8106 controller running RT.  During tests the system will generate approximately 50GB of data that need to be transfer to another device (laptop, or ext hard drive).  I can transfer the data other the ethernet connection but it is very slow.  It takes about 1 hour to transfer 10GB.  Is there a way to connect an external hard drive to quickly dump the data from the controller's hard drive between tests?

I have tried to connect a USB hard drive but RT doesn't recognize it.  Would RT regonize an external HD connected through the Express Card interface.  Or is my only option to install Windows and make this system a dual boot system so that I can boot in Windows to use the USB HD?

Thanks you help will be greatly appreciated,

Bruce

[GerardoG]

Hello Bruce,

LabVIEW Real-Time 8.2 and later supports external USB hard drives and memory sticks. You have to install the USB drive support to the controller from MAX. The first drive you connect will be assigned letter U, you can read more about it here. 

Best Regards,

Gerardo

[bbarnes]

Gerardo,

Thanks for the help.  The links to the attachments do not work, is there somewhere else I can download these files?  Or could someone email them to me?  My email address is:

bruce.w.barnes@nasa.gov

Thanks,

Bruce

[bbarnes]

Reviewing my last post I realized I should have been more clear on which attachments I need.  They are:

USB-enable.ini

USB.cdf

These are the attachments that are referred to in the Knowledgebase under "Why is USB Support Missing on My LabVIEW Real-Time 8.5 PXI Target?"

Thanks,

Bruce

[Hillary_C_E]

Hi Bruce,

Here are the files. Sorry they don't work on Knowledge Base. I'm working on fixing that now. When I saved the .cdf file it saved as a .xml. I modified the extension so I attached both versions.

[bbarnes]

Thanks for the files Hillary.  I have installed them and my USB hard drive appears to be recognized by the PXI-8106.  I say that because the indicator light on my Seagate Free Agent 500GB stays lit just as it does when connected to a PC.  Before installing the files the indicator would only light briefly when the drive was connected.

Now the question is how to a access it?  I tried a simple VI that returns the free space on the requested volume.  The only volume that it returns a value for is c:\, the controller's built in hard drive.  What am I missing?  How do a access the drive for downloading my data to it?

I am running LV 8.5.

Thanks,

Bruce

[Hillary_C_E]

Bruce,

Have you tried accessing the U: drive? I think that should be what it is called. You should be able to do a simple write (from the Functions»Programming»File I/O palette). Are you able to get this to work? If not, do you get an error message?

[bbarnes]

Yes I have tried to read and write to drive U: with no success.  When I tried to read from it, I simply tried to read the free space available.  This return an error #7 File not found.  When I tried to copy a file from c:\ to u:\, it returned an error #6, general file I/O error.

I when through the entire alphabet trying to read the free space available on each to find which letter the drive was assigned to.  Only c:\ didn't return an error.

Any thoughts?  Thanks,

Bruce

[MarkBlack]

bbarnes,

Are you able to FTP to the USB drive?  For example:

ftp://(IP address of controller)/u:/

I also would like you to verify the 8106 has been configured for USB support.  If you expand Remote System » Your PXI controller » Software you should see USB Support 1.0 listed. 


Message Edited by BLAQmx on 03-04-2008 03:12 PM

[bbarnes]

Mark,

USB support was not installed!  I installed USB support 1.0 and now I can access a USB flash drive from the RT controller but it still does not recognize my USB hard drive.  This is a must, I have to be able to transfer large amounts of data (30-50GB) from the RT controller at the end of each test.  This must be done as quickly as possible to allow for the next test to run.  If it is not possible to access a USB hard drive what are my other options for downloading this data?

Thanks,

Bruce