Appendix B Common Questions
© National Instruments Corporation B-3 NI ExpressCard MXI Series User Manual
How does my NI ExpressCard MXI board show up in the Windows
Device Manager?
NI ExpressCard MXI boards contain two types of PCI devices onboard and
will have several listings in the Windows Device Manager (WDM). The
first devices show up in the WDM listed under System devices as PCI
standard PCI-to-PCI bridges. The second device type shows up in the
WDM as an NI PXI-8360 or NI PXIe-8360 SMBus Controller when the
correct NI ExpressCard MXI driver is installed. This second device
provides configuration information for the software.
The NI PXIe-8360 has up to 7 PCI standard PCI-to-PCI bridges and one
NIPXIe-83 60 SMBus Controller device.
The NI PXI-8360 includes two PCI standard PCI-to-PCI bridges and one
NI PXI-8360 device.
The NI ExpressCard-8360 does not include any devices that show up in the
Device Manager.
If the NI ExpressCard MXI software is not installed, the PCI-to-PCI
function will still be detected and work correctly, but the NI PXI-8360 or
NI PXIe-8360 SMBus Controller will be detected as an unknown device.
MXI-3 and MXI-4 to NI ExpressCard MXI Upgrade Questions
What are some of the improvements from MXI-3 and MXI-4 to
NI ExpressCard MXI?
NI ExpressCard MXI incorporates the latest technology to include:
• Laptop control of PXI and PXI Express.
• Support for ExpressCard slots.
• Improved performance.
Can a MXI-3, MXI-4, and NI ExpressCard MXI board be used
together directly?
No. MXI-3, MXI-4, and NI ExpressCard MXI boards use different cable
connectors and cannot be connected together. Additionally, the
board-to-board communication protocols differ.