Appendix B Common Questions
MXI-Express Series User Manual B-2 ni.com
General Software
Under which operating systems will MXI-Express work?
MXI-Express is a PCI-to-PCI bridge that is recognized by the majority of
operating systems. It should automatically work with most systems like
Windows, Macintosh OS X, Linux, and Solaris, but only Windows XP has
been verified in the initial release of MXI-Express.
What software is required to use my MXI-Express kit?
For Windows and LabVIEW RT, the required software is included as part
of the latest version of NI-VISA included with your kit. The software for
your MXI-Express controller enhances the product, allowing you to
viewinformation about the organization of your PXI system and
programmatically retrieve data about the chassis and modules you have
installed.
If the MXI-Express software does not support your operating system,
you can still use MXI-Express and the operating system will provide a
mechanism for you to ignore the MXI-Express configuration device that is
built into the MXI-Express hardware.
MXI-3 required optimization software. Does MXI-Express require
the same?
No. The necessary optimization is now done automatically by the
MXI-Express hardware.
How does my MXI-Express board show up in the Windows Device
Manager?
MXI-Express 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 when the correct MXI-Express driver is installed. This
second device provides configuration information for the software.
The NI PCIe-8360 includes three PCI standard PCI-to-PCI bridges. The
NIPXI-83 60 includes two additional bridges and one NI PXI-8360 device.
If the MXI-Express software is not installed, the PCI-to-PCI function will
still be detected and work correctly, but the MXI-Express configuration
device will be detected as an unknown device.