MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility 2023 Q1 Readme

January 2023

This file contains installation instructions and compatibility information for MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility 2023 Q1.

You can find more release information on ni.com.

Supported Operating Systems

Installation Instructions

Product Security and Critical Updates

New Features

Supported Hardware

Accessing the Documentation

Finding Examples

Automating the Installation of NI Products

Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 11

Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10

Unsupported Windows Operating Systems

Supported Operating Systems

MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility 2023 Q1 supports the following operating systems:

  • Windows 10

Installation Instructions

When should I install NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software?

Use this software only if you are experiencing problems connecting your PXI or PXI Express chassis to your computer using MXI-Express. NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software works around common BIOS limitations using functionality available on MXI-Express hardware.

Install NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software if your computer does not boot when connected to your PXI chassis through MXI-Express, or if Windows does not properly discover your devices. (For example, there is a yellow exclamation point on a PCI to PCI bridge in Windows Device Manager, despite drivers for all devices being installed.) These situations often are due to programming errors in PCI Express device configuration of the BIOS. To use this software, you need a MXI-Express device that supports Mode 1 operation. Refer to Supported Hardware for more information.

Do not install NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software if your computer connects without error to your PXI or PXI Express chassis using MXI-Express. In this case, installing the software needlessly increases the system complexity and may cause errors.

Download the MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility installer from ni.com/downloads.

Note   Install this software only on a system that cannot boot with a MXI-Express connection or recognize PXI or PXI Express devices behind this connection.

Follow these steps to install the software:

  1. Run setup.exe and follow the instructions to install the software.
  2. Shut down your PC.
  3. Enable Mode 1 operation on your hardware:
    • For the NI ExpressCard-8360 and NI PCIe-8398:
      1. Disconnect any MXI-Express cable attached to your NI ExpressCard-8360 or NI PCIe-8398.
      2. If using NI ExpressCard-8360 remove it from your computer.
      3. Boot your computer into Windows Normal Mode.
        Note   You cannot configure your MXI-Express device in Safe Mode. Refer to Troubleshooting for more information.
      4. If using NI ExpressCard-8360, when the computer finishes booting, plug your NI ExpressCard-8360 into your computer and wait for Windows to discover the hardware.
      5. From the Windows Start menu, select All Programs»National Instruments»NI MXI Configuration.
      6. Click Scan for Devices and select your serial number from the menu.
      7. Click Enable. If you cannot click the Enable button after selecting the correct serial number, your device already is in Mode 1.
      8. To configure multiple NI ExpressCard-8360 or NI PCIe-8398 boards on the same host computer system, repeat the previous three steps for each board.
      9. Shut down and connect the MXI-Express cable and chassis to the NI ExpressCard-8360 or NI PCIe-8398. The NI ExpressCard-8360 or NI PCIe-8398 must be present and connected to the chassis, and you must power on the chassis before powering on the host computer. In normal operation, hot plugging the NI ExpressCard-8360 is not supported. Hot plugging is supported only for changing modes. Hot plugging is not supported at all for the NI PCIe-8398.
    • For all other supported devices:
      1. While your computer is powered off, find the bank of DIP switches on the PCI Express MXI-Express board.
        Note   For the PXIe-8388 and PXIe-8389, the bank of DIP switches is on the PXI Express remote controller, not the PCI Express MXI-Express board.
      2. Set DIP switch 1 to the On position, as shown below. Leave the other DIP switches in their default positions.
        Note   The number of DIP switches on hardware may vary.
        A bank of four DIP switches, where the first switch is set to the ON position.
      3. Replace the board and connect your chassis and devices.
  4. Power on your chassis and boot your computer. Depending on your PXI system size, Windows may take several minutes to load on the first boot, as it configures resources the BIOS did not configure. Future boots with the same hardware configuration will not take as long.

You can use the above procedures to place the device back in Mode 0 (the default) for use without NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software. To do this, follow the above steps, but set DIP switch 1 back to the Off position, or for the ExpressCard-8360 or NI PCIe-8398 click the Disable button in the NI MXI Configuration program.

Note   All MXI-Express devices, including the ExpressCard-8360, retain their mode settings even after removing the board from the slot or plugging it into a different computer.

What if I have problems?

NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software detaches from a running system when booting Windows into Safe Mode. This allows a system to boot without the software affecting it, and thus allows you to uninstall the software if you run into problems.

If you have correctly configured your MXI-Express hardware for Mode 1 operation (refer to Installation Instructions) and still experience difficulties, you can either:

  • Physically disconnect/remove any MXIe hardware from your computer, reboot the computer and uninstall the software through Add/Remove Programs in the Windows Control Panel, OR
  • Boot into Windows Safe Mode and remove the software through Add/Remove Programs in the Windows Control Panel. If the system boots into Normal Mode without problems, booting into Safe Mode is not required to uninstall the software.

Troubleshooting

Issue Troubleshooting Steps
I am seeing a code 12 or code 31 error in Device Manager on one of the devices in my chassis, or a PCI-PCI bridge or PCI Express Root Port. The Windows Event Log may contain more information about the error. The Event Log is in the Windows Control Panel under Administrative Tools. Look for events in the System log with nipximxk or nipxirfk listed as the source. Whether or not any relevant events exist in the log, contact National Instruments and report the issue.
I uninstalled the software, but now I cannot access my PXI devices. They are not present in Device Manager or MAX. Ensure that your MXI-Express device is in Mode 0. Refer to the Installation Instructions for mode setting instructions. If you are using an ExpressCard-8360, you must install NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software to access the mode setting.
I moved my MXI-Express device to another computer that does not have NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software installed. My devices in the chassis are not present in Device Manager or MAX. Ensure that your MXI-Express device is in Mode 0 for use without NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software. The configured mode is set on the device itself and follows the device when plugged into different systems. This is true for all MXI-Express devices, including those configured through software.
I cannot configure the mode of operation for my ExpressCard-8360 or NI PXIe-8398. The configuration software does not find the device. Ensure that your computer is booted into Normal Mode (not Safe Mode). MXI-Express devices are not detected in Safe Mode. If you have trouble booting into Normal Mode, be sure you have followed the instructions for changing modes in the Installation Instructions. Hot-plugging the ExpressCard-8360 solves most boot-time problems. Hot-plugging a NI PXIe-8398 is not supported.
The installer displayed a pop-up warning message about the detection of a limited bus number range. No troubleshooting steps are necessary yet. The purpose of the warning is to notify you of a BIOS setting that is limiting the amount of hardware you can attach to your computer. You may not run into this limit; however, if you do, code 12 or code 31 errors are likely to be present in Device Manager, as well as an error message in the Windows Event Log. Look for events in the System log with nipxirfk listed as the source.
I see a message in the Windows Event Log notifying me that the maximum bus number limit was reached. Not all of your PXI chassis could fit within the limitations of your motherboard, and therefore some of your devices may be missing or not working. When placing devices in your PXI system, filling the first connected chassis first ensures they are allocated resources first. Also, consolidating devices toward the left side of any non-full chassis in your system could help. If you still encounter issues with getting your devices to work, try removing some devices or a chassis. Contact National Instruments for more support on this issue.
The installer displayed a pop-up warning message about the detection of multiple PCI root buses. No troubleshooting steps are necessary yet. The purpose of the warning is to notify you of your computer's hardware configuration which divides PCI bus resources into independent segments. It is possible that the amount of hardware you can attach to your computer is limited by the size of these segments. You may not run into a limitation; however, if you do, code 12 or code 31 errors are likely to be present in Device Manager, as well as an error message in the Windows Event Log. Look for events in the System log with nipxirfk listed as the source. If you experience this problem, try inserting your MXI-Express device into a different PCI-Express slot attached to one of the other root buses.
I see a message in the Windows Event Log notifying me that the software has found a configuration that is currently not supported. Verify that the MXI-Express cable is attached to both your host PC and the PXI or PXI Express chassis, and that the PXI or PXI Express chassis is powered on at the time the host PC is powered on. It is possible to see this message if MXI-Express hardware is not detected.

Product Security and Critical Updates

Visit ni.com/security to view and subscribe to receive security notifications about NI products. For information about critical updates from NI, refer to Available Critical and Security Updates for NI Software.

New Features

  • Added support for NI PCIe-8363

Supported Hardware

Visit NI Hardware and Operating System Compatibility to view driver, desktop operating system, and real-time operating system support for individual hardware devices.

To view information for your device:

  • Select your hardware model in the dropdown list on the page to view compatibility information for your device.
  • Type your hardware model number in the dropdown list on the web page to filter the list of available devices.

Note: Some compatibility information may only be available in the archive attached to the NI Hardware and Operating System Compatibility page. For historic driver and OS support information, refer to the readme for the relevant driver version.

Additional Hardware Support Information

NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software 2023 Q1 requires one of the following boards with the specified part numbers listed on the MXI-Express Products and MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software Compatibility page:

  • NI ExpressCard-8360
  • NI PCI-8361
  • NI PCI-8366
  • NI PCIe-8361
  • NI PCIe-8363
  • NI PCIe-8362
  • NI PCIe-8371
  • NI PCIe-8372
  • NI PCIe-8375
  • NI PCIe-8381
  • NI PCIe-8382
  • NI PXIe-8388
  • NI PXIe-8389
  • NI PCIe-8398

The above hardware is available in several MXI and MXI-Express kits. Contact a customer sales representative for more information.

Automating the Installation of NI Products

You can automate the installation of most NI products using command-line arguments to suppress some or all of the installer user interface and dialog boxes.

If the NI product you are installing uses Microsoft .NET 4.6.2, the .NET installer may run before any NI software installs and may require a reboot before the installation of NI software begins. To avoid a .NET reboot, install .NET 4.6.2 separately before you install NI software.

For more information about automating the installation of NI products, refer to Automating an Installer in the NI Package Manager documentation.

Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 11

Microsoft Windows 11 is the latest version of the Windows operating system and features significant changes compared to previous versions. For more information about NI support for Windows 11, refer to NI Product Compatibility for Microsoft Windows 11.

Using NI Software with Microsoft Windows 10

For more information about NI support for Windows 10, refer to NI Product Compatibility for Microsoft Windows 10.

Unsupported Windows Operating Systems

MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility no longer supports Windows Vista/XP/7/8.x, Windows Server 2003/2008/2012, or any 32-bit Windows operating system. Versions of this product that ship after May 1, 2021, may not install or execute correctly on these operating systems. For detailed information about NI operating system support, visit https://www.ni.com/r/win32bitsupport.