Magma PCI Expansion System User Manual

If your computer “hangs” while being turned on and you can’t even start, 
follow these simple steps to try to fix this problem: 

1.  Shut off the computer (first) and then the Magma expansion 

system and verify that all cards and cables are installed 
correctly. Reapply power first to the expansion system and 
then to the computer. 

2.  If it still hangs, power everything back off and try switching the 

PCIe cables. Reapply power and see if it works. 

3.  If it still hangs, and you have added one or more hard drives in 

addition to several PCI cards, get ready to do some math. 
Compute the power requirements for each attached device to 
ensure that you have not exceeded the power capabilities of 
the expansion system power supply. You can verify the 
capacity of your power supply by checking the label on the 
power supply. It will provide all necessary capacity information. 
If you have exceeded these limits, remove something. If you 
have not, continue checking. 

4.  If it still hangs, remove all 3

rd

 Party PCI cards and try booting 

up without any cards installed. 

a.  If it still hangs, remove the Magma PCIe expansion host 

card from the computer and try booting up without the 
Magma expansion system attached. 

i. 

If it boots up OK without the Magma expansion 
system attached, call Mobility Technical Support. 

ii. 

If it still hangs, the problem is in the computer and not 
with the Magma expansion system or the 3

rd

 Party 

PCI cards.  

b.  If it boots up OK without any 3

rd

 Party PCI cards installed, 

try adding only one card and see if it boots up. 

i. 

If it boots up OK with one card in it, shut it down (in 
the proper order, of course) and swap cards. Repeat 
this until all cards have been tested. If they all test 
OK, then add them back one at a time until you find 
the combination that doesn’t work, or you are running 
fine. If you find a bad card, call Technical Support. If 
you don’t – congratulations, you fixed it!