Frequently Asked Questions

SPX Series (PCI Express)
STX Series (SAS and SATA)
SBAE Series (USB)
TA Series (PCI/PCI-X)
 

 

SPX Series (PCI Express)

What is the meaning of the E2E and P2P events in the capture?

These are summary indications of bus traffic.  The P2P summary encapsulates transaction layer packets and corresponding data link responses.  The E2E encapsulates related P2P’s.  For example, a typical configuration read request from the root complex to a device will consist of a TLP (CFGRD) from the root complex, a data link layer packet (ACK) from the device, then a completion with data (CPLd) from the device with a corresponding ACK from the root complex.   One E2E will summarize all of these packets.  If you expand the E2E, you will see two P2P’s (one for the request and one for the completion).  If you expand the P2P’s, you’ll see the individual packets.  Keep in mind that packets may be re-ordered in the display to create these summaries (although the time stamp will remain correct on each packet).  To see purely chronological packet progression, simply click on the P2P and E2E icons at the top of the display to turn them off.

The link fails to train with the exerciser installed in a system, or talking to my device on the PXP-100 development platform.

There are several possible causes to this, but generally, you should check your exerciser settings before assuming anything amiss with the exerciser or your device:

1.  Ensure you have selected the correct link width in the Settings page.

2.  If your system is using Spread Spectrum Clocking (SSC), make sure you have selected the correct setting for “Reference Clock” in the Settings page.

3.  Make sure you have “Platform Mode” or “Endpoint Mode” selected as appropriate in the Setting page.  The SPX will train as an endpoint or as an upstream device.

4.  Check polarity reversal and lane reversal settings.

5.  Make sure LTSSM is enabled in the Setting page.

How can I tell if the Exerciser has link trained with my device?

In the Settings tab, select the Link Status button then click on Update.  The SPX software will tell you which state the Link Training State Status machine (LTSSM) is in (polling, configuration, L0, etc.).  It will also advise you on the polarity of the links and the data link state.

Analyzer (or Exerciser) does not capture reliable data

Make sure you have the correct settings selected for Reference Clock (Settings page).  If SSC is enabled, ensure “External Reference Clock” is selected in the SPX software.

The Analyzer (or Exerciser) triggers, but nothing shows up in the capture.

Ensure you have post filters turned off in the capture display.  Also, check your pre-filter settings and ensure they are correct.  The analyzer will trigger on bus traffic that you have pre-filtered from the capture.

How do I obtain and install updated software for my Catalyst product?

For all Catalyst products, you can download the latest version of application software from www.getcatalyst.com.  Download and install the software application on the system that will host your application.  Saved projects and sample files will not be overwritten with a new install.  After installing and re-booting the system, attach the hardware and launch the software.  Any updates to the hardware will take place transparently at this time.

Packets displayed in the capture are not chronological.

Certain packets are reoriented in time to show relational events, such as an ACK packet being reoriented to show association with the corresponding transaction layer packet.  To show captured packets purely chronologically, deselect the Point-to-Point and End-to-End icons at the top-left of the display, which removes the P2P and E2E summaries in the display.

When sending transaction layer packets using the exerciser, completions always come back as unsupported requests.

There can be many causes for this, but some of the more common fixes are listed here:

1.  Ensure you are not sending a non-supported function number in the outgoing TLP.

2.  If the TLP is an IO request, ensure your device allows such requests.  Non legacy PCI Express devices will not accept IO requests (legacy PCI Express devices will).

Is there a way to set default project settings?

Yes.  Select Default Settings from the Configuration drop-down menu.

Is there a way to set default display settings?

Yes, select the Viewer Configuration settings from the Configuration drop-down menu and select the preferred settings.  You can also right-click packet field headers on displayed packets and show/hide various packet fields. 

The byte order is not correct in the payload fields.

Right-click the header field above the data field and select the appropriate big endian/little endian order, as well as the preferred MSb/LSb ordering.

How do I view the 10b codes for each byte?

Select the list view toggle icon at the top left of the capture display.  In the list view, position the mouse over the desired byte to view 10b, name, hex, and description decodes, or select DESC from the top menu to set the default display.

STX Series (SAS and SATA)

I get an "Illegal System DLL Relocation Error" when I try to run the software.

Due to a recent change in the way Microsoft Windows stores program information, some users may get this message due to installing a software update without the program patch which followed the update. There is a document which describes this problem and how to resolve it here, and some software you may need to install the program patch here.

Usage of Cross-Over Cables When Working with Expanders

A crossover cable may be necessary when connecting your analyzer to an expander.  If you are having difficulty capturing traffic while working with expanders, try swapping your straight-through cable for a crossover cable (or vice versa).

How do you setup the analyzer on both sides of an expander when the target side is 1.5Gb/s and the initiator side is 3.0Gb/s?

This is necessary when rate matching across an expander (the signal is 1.5Gb/s until the expander processes it, so if your analyzer is on the downstream side of the PHY pair, it must be set to 1.5Gb/s).  The initiator side in this case would have PHY pair set to 3.0Gb/s and the target side PHY pair would be set to 1.5Gb/s.  See the Settings page in your STX application software for speed selections.

Can you run native SATA, directly connected to a SAS HBA?

Yes.  SAS Host Bus Adapters will support SATA devices.  The STX is configured to support SATA protocol tunneled over a SAS interface (SATA Tunneling Protocol – STP).  The STX can also support a purely SATA environment, where a SATA initiator is communicating with a SATA device.  Keep in mind that a SATA initiator, conversely, will not support a SAS device.

How do I obtain and install updated software for my Catalyst product?

For all Catalyst products, you can download the latest version of application software from www.getcatalyst.com.  Download and install the software application on the system that will host your application.  Saved projects and sample files will not be overwritten with a new install.  After installing and re-booting the system, attach the hardware and launch the software.  Any updates to the hardware will take place transparently at this time.

SBAE Series (USB)

No LEDs Lit on Power-up

If no LEDs are lit the on SBAE30 on power-up, ensure power switch is in the on position and the power plug is installed and plugged into the wall socket.  If the problem persists, please contact Catalyst technical support.

The bus goes idle after the exerciser completes it script.

In the settings menu of the exerciser project, ensure you have checked "Generate SOFs/Keep Alives when Exerciser Program Ends."

I would like to generate a split transaction, but the menu icon for these transactions is grayed out.

Ensure you have selected "High Speed" in the drop-down menu at the right of the exerciser window.

Many Protocol Errors PE14 (Truncated Transaction) and PE37 (Data 0/1 not found) in the trace before and after Reset.

You are probably sharing the USB host controller with other devices besides your Device Under Test, including the SBAE interface.  Either filter the device that is generating this error or disconnect these other devices.

“Hardware Not Found” message when trying to connect to SBAE

The Hardware Not Found message is issued if any of the following conditions are not met:

1.  Make sure to reboot your PC after software installation.

2.  Reboot the PC and power cycle the SBAE.

3.  The parallel port (if used) is not set to bi-directional, ECP, or EPP.

4.  The parallel cable (if used) is not Catalyst's DB25 to SCSI II cable.

6.  Interface cable not connected

6.  Wrong port selected in connection dialog

7.  Required voltage not being supplied to the Analyzer

8.  Wrong Software is being used. Check website for newer software.

9. Check the Windows Device manager to make sure SBAE is properly installed. If there is a question mark on it, update the driver and manually point it to USB driver folder in the software.

Authorization code problems:

1- Make sure power is available.

2- If connected through LPT port, make sure LPT port is in one of the modes described in Installing Your Analyzer section.

3- Disconnecting the unit and booting the system sometimes solves this problem.

No Trigger

If after starting a project, the SBAE-20/SBAE-30 does not trigger for a long time, click Stop in the 'Waiting for Data' dialog box.  Ensure that your project has the trigger on flag set (advanced mode), ensure the trigger condition does occur as programmed, ensure enough traffic is available to meet the number of samples defined.

Active Session Conflict

When attempting to run more than 1 SBAE-20/SBAE-30 at the same time, while using the parallel port. Care must be taken to prevent opening the 2nd copy of the software on the SBAE-20/SBAE-30.

To operate more than 1 SBAE-20/SBAE-30 at the same time:

1.  Ensure when opening the first copy of the software than only 1 unit is connected to the parallel port.

2.  After the software has completed loading, disconnect the parallel port cable. Reduce the software window.

3.  Connect the 2nd SBAE-20/SBAE-30 using the USB port or another parallel port.

4.  Open a 2nd copy of the software.

5.  Reconnect the Parallel Port of the 1st unit.

The performance analysis does not display any information.

Make sure you have selected the correct speed for your device or system under test in the settings menu of the performance analysis project (low, full, or high speed).

How do I obtain and install updated software for my Catalyst product?

For all Catalyst products, you can download the latest version of application software from www.getcatalyst.com.  Download and install the software application on the system that will host your application.  Saved projects and sample files will not be overwritten with a new install.  After installing and re-booting the system, attach the hardware and launch the software.  Any updates to the hardware will take place transparently at this time.

TA Series (PCI/PCI-X)

No LEDs on Power-up

If no LEDs are lit the on TA700/800 on power-up, set the +3.3V Power source jumper for on board regulator operation.

Hardware Not Found

The Hardware Not Found message is issued if any of the following conditions are not met:

1.  Make sure to reboot PC after software installation.

2.  Reboot PC and power cycle SBAE.

3.  The parallel port being used is not set to bi-directional, ECP, or EPP.

4.  The parallel cable being used is not Catalyst's DB25 to SCSI II cable.

5.  Interface cable not connected

6.  Wrong port selected

7.  Required voltage not being supplied to the Analyzer

8.  Check Windows Device manager to make sure SBAE is properly installed. If there is a question mark on it, update the driver and manually point it to USB driver folder in the software.

 9.  Wrong Software is being used.  Visit http://www.getcatalyst.com to get latest software.

Card on top of TA700 not found during system boot up:

If the system frequency is below 66 MHz and the card on top is not recognized during system boot up, it might be because IDSEL signal is delayed. On motherboards that have very tight timing margins, the extra trace length of the analyzer, along with a large IDSEL resistor delay this signal long enough that it is not present at the rising clock edge. In order to remedy this situation you can exchange the IDSEL resistor with a smaller one or even short this resistor.

Authorization code problems:

Make sure +5V and +3.3V are available.  If connected through LPT port, make sure LPT port is in one of the modes described in Installing Your Analyzer section.  Disconnecting the unit and booting the system sometimes solves this problem.

No System Clock

If after entering the TA700/800 software the reported frequency is zero, it is indicative of a BIOS that views the TA700/800 as transparent to the slot used and shuts off the clock to that slot.  To correct this condition, ensure the agent/transparent jumper (TA700) or switch (TA800) is in the agent position, and on TA700 PCI boards, the mechanical switch is in the OFF/Down position.

No Trigger

If after starting a project, the TA700/800 does not trigger for a long time, click Stop in the 'Waiting for Data' dialog box.  If the software displays only 2 captured locations, it is indicative of a BIOS that views the TA700/800 as transparent to the slot used and shuts off the clock to that slot.  To correct this condition, ensure the agent/transparent jumper (TA700) or switch (TA800) is in the agent position, and on TA700 PCI boards, the mechanical switch is in the OFF/Down position. If software displays more than 2 capture locations, ensure that your project has the trigger on flag set (advanced mode), ensure the trigger condition does occur as programmed, and ensure enough traffic is available to meet the number of samples defined.

How do I obtain more information on the compliance checklist?

The Compliance Checklist is provided by the PCI-SIG, and can be downloaded from www.pci-sig.com.  It is also available in PDF format in the application software by selecting "view checklist" from the Compliance drop-down menu (which will not appear unless the analyzer/exerciser mode is selected in the drop-down menu at the center of the application's top menu).

TA700 and Configuration Space after running TA700 software

The TA700 configuration space data will remain until the software is run, when the software is loaded, the configuration space data for the TA700/800 will be erased and the TA700/800 will not act as PCI agent anymore.

Device Under Test Not Found by System

When performing a configuration registers scan some devices on the bus are not found. Verify that the TA700/800 is not located downstream of the bridge.

PCI-X 100 MHz Inoperative

Verify that there is no DUT in the TA700 test connector. The TA700 will not operate at 100 MHz with a device in the test connector.

Power Present on Test Connector

When an external power supply is used, and the power supply is off, the host bus +12V and -12V rails will be present on the test connector. (TA700 Rev. C and above)

Recommendations:

1.  Apply the external power prior to powering up the host bus.

2.  Insert/remove the UUT from the test connector with no power applied to the host bus.

Active Session Conflict

When attempting to run more than 1 TA700/800 at the same time, while using the parallel port. Care must be taken to prevent opening the 2nd copy of the software on the TA700/800.  To operate more than 1 TA700/800 at the same time:

1.  Ensure when opening the first copy of the software than only 1 unit is connected to the parallel port.

2.  After the software has completed loading, disconnect the parallel port cable. Reduce the software window.

3.  Connect the 2nd TA700/800 using the USB port or another parallel port.

4.  Open a 2nd copy of the software.

5.  Reconnect the Parallel Port of the 1st unit.

Extenders and Adapters