Chapter 4
Common Configuration Questions
4-2
ni.com
Boot Options
What devices can I boot from?
The NI PXIe-8105 can boot from the following devices:
•
The internal Serial ATA hard drive
•
An external SCSI hard drive or USB CD/DVD-ROM if an SCSI
adapter, such as the PXI-8214, is used
•
A network PXE server on the same subnet
•
An external USB mass storage device such as a USB hard drive or USB
CD/DVD-ROM
•
An external USB floppy drive
•
Most PCI or PCIe-based devices that provide an Option ROM
Note
There are some limitations when booting from a USB device. Windows XP
can be installed from a USB CD/DVD-ROM, but earlier versions of Windows cannot.
The NI PXIe-8105 BIOS configures the USB devices so that they will work in a DOS
environment.
How do I configure the controller to boot from these devices?
There are two methods.
•
Enter Setup and select the
Boot
menu. You will see a list of all bootable
devices, ordered by device type. You can set the boot order using <+>
and <–>. Set the order by device type and set the order for the devices
listed within the device type.
•
To boot from a different device without permanently changing the boot
order, press <Esc> during POST. After the BIOS completes the POST
and just before the controller boots the OS, the
Boot
menu is displayed.
You can select the device type you want to boot from.
Cables and Connections
How do I plug both a PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard into the
controller?
The NI PXIe-8105 has no PS/2 connector, and you need to use a USB
Y-splitter cable as shown in Figure 4-1, or a similar device, to connect both
a PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard. National Instruments Part Number
778713-02 is such a cable and is available through the online catalog at
ni.com/products
.