User Guide

Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions
NI PXI-8108 User Manual 4-2 ni.com
• An external USB mass storage device such as a USB hard drive or
CD-ROM
• An external USB floppy drive
• Most PCI-based boards 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-ROM, but earlier versions of Windows cannot. The
NI PXI-8108 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 <F10> 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 PXI-8108 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
778713-01 is such a cable and is available through the online catalog
at
ni.com/products.
Figure 4-1. Y-Splitter Cable