Whenever you have a problem with your 4pi system, we recommend that you check the following list of common problems. Most of our tech support issues are fixed by checking one or more of these items.

• Software Checks
  • There should be exactly ONE file called FPXdriver (or 4piDriver for the SEI) present in the Extensions folder.
  • There should NO duplicate file called FPXdriver (or 4piDriver for the SEI) in the Control Panels folder.
  • Imaging plugins (SEMImageScan, XRayImageScan) should be in your imaging program's Plugins folder.
  • The DTSA plugin (DTSA_SpectralEngine) should be in your DTSA program's Plugins folder.
  • Do you have more than one imaging program installed? If so, are the 4pi plugins in all plugins folders?
  • FPXdriver (or 4piDriver for the SEI) and all plug-ins must have the same version number. Check with Get-Info.
  • The latest release version of 4pi software is 4.4.1. Its driver is named FPXDriver. If you have 4piDriver, you have obsolete software!!

• Hardware Checks
  • Is the Scanning Interface Unit (SIU) plugged in?
  • Is the SIU power outlet live?
  • Is the SEII card firmly seated in the computer's PCI or NuBus slot?
  • Is the ribbon cable firmly plugged into both the SEII card and the 4pi SIU?
  • If you have EDS, is the PHA Logic I/O connector firmly plugged into the proper rear panel jack on the 4pi SIU?
  • If you have EDS, is the PHA Input BNC connected to the PHA Input jack on the 4pi SIU?
  • If you have EDS, is our PHA cable properly connected to your pulse processor?
  • If you have imaging, is the Scanning I/O B connector firmly plugged into the proper rear panel jack on the 4pi SIU?
  • If you have imaging, is the Scanning I/O B cable properly connected to your microscope?

• Operational Checks
  • Are the green LEDs on the SEII card both blinking after you finish booting the computer?
  • Does the SIU "click" when you activate the SEMImageScan plugin?

• EDS Instrumentation Checks
  • The microscope column and the pulse processor preamp must be electrically isolated.
  • With no electron beam, the pulse processor reset light should be blinking very slowly (on the order of once per second).
  • All pulse processors must have their discriminator(s) set according to their factory procedure.
    If this is not done then we solemnly guarantee that the Spectral Engine will faithfully record and present bogus data!

• Imaging Instrumentation Checks