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PIXIE-4 User’s Manual
V2.69
©
XIA
2015. All rights reserved.
v
2 Setting Up
2.1 Installation
2.1.1 Hardware Setup
The Pixie-4 modules can be operated in any standard 3U CompactPCI or PXI chassis. Chassis
following only the CompactPCI standard can be used to operate modules individually. To
operate several modules together, a backplane following the PXI standard must be present. Put
the host computer (or remote controller) in the system slot of your chassis. Place the Pixie-4
modules into any free slots with the chassis still powered down, then power up the chassis
(Pixie-4 modules are not hot swappable). If using a remote controller, be sure to boot the host
computer
after
powering up the chassis
1
.
2.1.2 Drivers and Software
System Requirements: The Pixie software is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, or
Windows 7. Restrictions apply to the 64 bit version of Windows 7
2
. Please contact XIA for
details on operating Pixie-4 modules with Linux.
When the host computer is powered up the first time after installing the controller and Pixie-4
modules in the chassis, it will detect new hardware and try to find drivers for it. (A Pixie-4
module will be detected as a new device every time it is installed in a new slot.) While there
is no required order of installation of the driver software, the following sequence is
recommended (users with embedded host computer skip to step 4):
1.
If you have a remote controller, first install the driver software for the controller itself.
Otherwise, skip to step 4.
Unless directed otherwise by the manufacturer of the controller, this can be done with
or without the controller and Pixie-4 modules installed in the host computer and/or
chassis. If the modules are installed, ignore attempts by Windows to install drivers until
step 7.
NI controllers come with a multi-CD package called “Device Driver Reference CD”.
For simplicity it is recommended to install the software on these CDs in the default
configuration.
2.
Unless already installed, power down the host computer, install the controller in both
the host computer and chassis, and power up the system again (chassis first).
3.
Windows will detect new hardware (the controller) and should find the drivers
automatically. Verify in Window’s device manager that the controller is properly
installed and has no “resource conflicts”.
4.
Install Igor Pro
1
In some systems, “scan for hardware changes” in the Windows device manager may detect and install a
remote chassis when the PC was booted first.
2
At the time of writing, these restrictions are: National Instrument's MXI-3 and MXI-4 controllers do not
support Windows 7 (64 bit) on systems with more than 4 GB RAM. Embedded PC controllers and the “MXI
Express” series of controller bridges appear to be fully compatible with Windows 7 (64 bit).