RT deployment problem, cannot set the desktop PC

[mortezahaydari]

Hi fellows,

 

 I am trying to set a desktop PC as a RT, but I'm very disappointed with the results as I tested everything and got no progress...

...would you please please help me out here?!
 

These are PC spec,
motherboard: Asus P5Q SE PLUS (has IDE)
Processor: Intel Core 2 duo, 3000Hz, E8400
PCI ethernet: Intel pro 1000GT (chipset 8254x)
HDD: either WD-40GB(20-pin and 40-pin cables tested) or WD-250GB(40-pin) (not both are connected simultaneously)
RAM: tested  with 1GB or 2GB DDR2-800
Video card: some fancy card is there (does it affect anything?)

BIOS options:
-floppy used with and without USB legacy enabled, for many diffrent cases
-USB is set as hard drive (otherwise it fails)
-tested when extra serial ports are disabled/enabled, audio card disabled/enabled, onboard PCIE lan disabled
-HDD's are not SATA, but anyways, SATA is set to campatible IDE
-ACPI 2.0 support disabled
-Plug 'n Play disabled
-BIOS EHCI hand-off ???
-I couldn't find any other maybe-related option to change

 network setup:
      some address is provided in my workgroup subnet... (169.100.115.239=ip1)
 local setup:
      didn't have a crossover cable to test...

 USB recognizes primay ip address as 169.100.115.239(ip1) which is in a different subnet as local connection)
 floppy gives primary as 0.0.0.0

Tests performed:
Labview versions 8.2,  8.5.1, 8.6.1

finding IDE hard drive failed:
-formatted using numerous fdisk and format versions (win95, win98, xp, freefdisk, free bla bla, Ultimate boot CD)
-tried only-primary, primary with logic, fat 16, fat32, active/non-active drives
-tested via USb and floppy v. 8.2 8.5.1 8.6.1
-floppy says can only reformat FAT16 and FAT32, please use USB...
-USb says : Error -1: No ATA/SATA drive detected, format failed (or IDE not found in evaluation)

evaluating through USB and floppy leads to the HDD problem only...

using safemode:
-usb: reaches to
 mac xx...: ip1 (primary)
  ...safemode ... (user directed)
-floppy:
  mac xx...: 0.0.0.0 (primary)
  System state: Unconfigured

PC found through MAX using floppy disk (0.0.0.0) and a new ip is set...or USB is found as ip1 and then changed to admin-assigned ip...
...BUT when rebooted, we are at the first place, the new ip is not set
(in all cases HDD is not found)

...for usb case, MAX recognizes ip1 but as inconsistent ip (this isset automatically bu USB boot), and it is not possible to install softwares (the PC name does not expand in remote systems)

PROBLEM1: HDD not found at all
PROBLEM2: New ip is not saved, and turns back to default after reboot

Thanks
Morteza

[mortezahaydari]

anyone? Dont tell me we spent several thousand dollars for nothing!

[George_P_Burdell]

Morteza-

A few questions for you:

1.    What operating system are you currently running on your system? 
2.    What version of LVRT are you using?
3.    Did you build this computer yourself, or was it bought prebuilt from a company?
4.    Has your HDD ever been recognized by your computer?
5.    Can you get into the BIOS of the system and see the HDD?
6.    Is this system on a network?

From there we can continue troubleshooting your issue.

[mortezahaydari]

 @goerge

1.    What operating system are you currently running on your system? 

you mean the RTOS, it is phar lap ETS (I guess version 13)

 The host is xp

2.    What version of LVRT are you using?

tested the one supported in labview version 8.6.1 (phar lap ETS guessing 13), 8.5.1, 8.2

3.    Did you build this computer yourself, or was it bought prebuilt from a company?

 it is not prebuilt by a company working for labview

4.    Has your HDD ever been recognized by your computer?

yes, always, in three different PCs

5.    Can you get into the BIOS of the system and see the HDD?

yes

6.    Is this system on a network?

yes, the MAX finds it in remote, but as told the new ip returned to default after reboot (which I assume because HDD is not recognized)

[mortezahaydari]

Some progress here,

 (1)  I used a very old PC (dell, 16MB ram!) , and I was able to format the HDD...

  (2) Using a router, I'm able to automatically (using USB) have a consistent ip address, and reach the point "Connected - No software installed" in MAX

   ...Still the PC doesn't recognize the HDD, these are some clues:

   (1) HDD is alright, problem is from somewhere else...

   (2) PC can boot from reformatted HDD, but it doesn't even can find itself!!

   (3) using floppy/USB the HDD is not found

   (4) using floppy safemode, I reach to 0.0.0.0 (primary), I set a new ip, reboot, -> nothing is changed

   (5) using USB safemode and router, the ip is set automatically (no ip reset, set, reboot is required)...

    ...BUT when installing software it says:"it cannot update /ni-rt/..., possible problem:disk full

   ...obviously, now that HDD is reformatted through some other PC, it still cannot recognize the HDD, but it is not the HDD problem

[George_P_Burdell]

If it is booting from your Bios, then the HDD is being recognized. 

Please take a look at the Converting A Desktop PC to a LabVIEW Real-Time Target National Instruments Developer Zone article to ensure it is configured correctly.  I think there may be something wrong in the configuration.

[G-Money]

Did you try the PC evaluator before you started trying to use the boot drive? (https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA00Z0000019LwrSAE&l=en-US)

Sometimes there might be a little issue that isn't supported that you don't catch on the list.

Do you know if you hard drive meets the requirements here (https://www.ni.com/en/support/documentation/supplemental/08/requirements-for-desktop-pcs-as-phar-lap...)?

You could always reformat again if there was some weird issue during the boot up.