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PCI-SIG Test Card

The new and improved PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG) test card (also called the FoxFire II) is available to help validate PCI designs. FoxFire II features and associated test software are provided below. The FoxFire II can be purchased for US$995. If you are interested in purchasing a FoxFire II card, please view Ordering information.

FoxFire II

The FoxFire II PCI Test Card provides features that are used to run tests at compliance workshops. The tests can also be run by system and card vendors prior to the workshops. The FoxFire II card can be ordered from the PCI-SIG and the test software can be downloaded (free) from this web site. Features of the FoxFire II PCI Test Card include:

  • Monitoring of write-latency (same as FoxFire)
  • Monitoring of TRDY latency (same as FoxFire)
  • BIOS testing (same as FoxFire)
  • Power Management compliance testing

Note that the PCI Maximum Completion Time (latency) testing feature of the FoxFire II is identical to the latency testing functionality of the previous PCI-SIG Test Card. Therefore, PCI device manufacturers that purchased the earlier Test Card version for latency testing do not need to upgrade to the FoxFire II Test Card in order to run this test and PCI add-in card WHQL test kits at this time.

For more information, please view FoxFire II Test Adapter FAQ.

PCI-SIG Testing

The Foxfire (and FoxFire II) PCI Test Card, with its associated PCI-SIG software provide testing in two areas:

The first is validating that the system BIOS support in a PCI platform can properly handle PCI add-in devices. The card poses different configurations to the machine each time it boots. For instance, the number, type and size of Base Address Registers is changed from one boot to the next. It also tests the BIOS ability to handle expansion ROMs on PCI add-in cards. It also does some validation of the interrupt routing on the platform. The card comes with the complete software test package (including source). All testing is DOS based, and basically runs standalone.

All PC-compatible PCI platforms should have their system BIOSes tested with this card to validate correct operation of the BIOS. To do this testing, the test card should be placed behind a PCI-to-PCI (P2P) bridge to make sure that the system BIOS can properly P2P bridges.

The second test capability tests two features. The first is that it monitors all PCI traffic, looking for PCI transactions that do not meet the 16-clock initial latency requirement. If a violation is detected, the offending address is captured. The second feature tests the Maximum Completion Time requirement that is an ECR to the 2.1 spec and a part of the PCI 2.2 spec. The card monitors PCI memory write transactions and will flag any write transaction that does not make progress for 10 microseconds. Software for these tests is available for both Win9x and NT4.0.

Anyone building a PCI component should use this test card as part of their qualification testing to be sure that their product conforms with the Initial Latency and Maximum Completion Time requirements.

The test card is a standard 32-bit, 33 MHz PCI add-in card. All software is for PC-compatible machines. Hardware documentation is included so that test software can be written for other machine architectures. The test card is built for the PCI-SIG by Annapolis Micro Systems, Inc.