I just received my AD5821A-AEBZ evaluation board. I am attempting to conduct my preliminary evaluation using the provided Windows software. I am using Win7 Pro. I saw the warning sticker on the package stating that the software from the CD needed to be installed prior to connecting the hardware to a USB port, and followed its instructions. After installing that software, I was instructed to reboot.
When I connect the eval board to my USB port, the power indicator diode, D4, lights up. The jumper configuration matches the jumper configuration shown in the documentation for powering the board from USB. Windows attempts to install device driver software. After about 30 seconds, it reports that the installation has failed. The access LED on my CD-ROM drive never turns on during this process.
I have had problems of this kind in the past, with other devices. I have solved this problem by guiding Windows to manually install DLL files, using the Windows Control Panel. When the eval board is plugged in to USB, I have an "Unknown Device" visible on my Devices and Printers page. I can see two DLL files on the CD-ROM, in the "supportfiles" folder. However, when I click "Update Driver" and ask it to look on the CD-ROM and all subfolders -- or, directly at the "supportfiles" folder -- I receive the following message:
"Windows was unable to install your Unknown Device. Windows could not find driver software for your device. If you know the manufacturer of your device, you can visit its website and check the support section for driver software."
The only hypothesis that I have left is that the device driver on the CD-ROM is not intended for Win7, but rather for some older(?) version of Windows. I would be surprised if that turns out to be true, since the software release date on the CD-ROM is January 2014.
I found http://www.analog.com/en/support.html, but no direct link from that page to search for drivers. I can perform searches from that page. Searches for "AD5821", "AD5821A", or "AD5821AEBZ" turn up nothing useful. A search for the term "driver" pulls up many articles about line drivers, but very few about software drivers.
Please advise me on how to proceed. If Win7 is a hassle (and when is it not?) I can use Linux instead. Thanks.
