MAXVISATimeoutError when 82357A USB-to-IEEE488 installed under Windows 7.

[RonW]

I have an Agilent 82357A USB-to-IEEE488 adapter on a Windows 7 64-bit machine. The problem is that I can't communicate with IEEE488 devices after I cycle power to the system, but instead get a MAXVISATimeoutError in NI-MAX.

I'm looking for help getting reliable communication to the IEEE488 devices for my LabVIEW app. Here are the details:

When I install NI-VISA 5.4.1 and Agilent IO Libraries 16.3 under Windows 7, I can see IEEE488 devices attached to the system under both NI-MAX and the Agilent software.

If I reset the system I can still see the devices, and access them without error. So far so good...

But if I cycle power to the system, I get a MAXVISATimeoutError in NI-MAX when I try to expand the Software entry under My System, or use Tools -> NI-VISA -> VISA options.

From the Agilent IO software I can still communicate with the devices - query them and get responses.

At this point, in order to communicate with the IEEE488 devices from MAX I have to uninstall Agilent IO and NI-VISA and reinstall them. This works until the next time I cycle power.

I understand the 82357A is an obsolete product. I've found one post that says it doesn't work under Windows 7. Can anyone verify this?

This same configuration works fine under Windows XP.

Thanks.

[DollaBrillz]

Hi Ron,

Is the only change the operating system update? Because the hardware is older, it is very likely that the drivers may not be supported in Windows 7. I have included some information below from the Agilent webpage concerning communication with NI LabVIEW

http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/editorial.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=488498&nid=-33232.0.00&id=48849...

I hope this helps!

[RonW]

The provided link explains the basics of how to install Agilent IO so LabVIEW can see the 82357A.

We can already install Agilent IO, and after installation, everything seems to work - MAX and our application can use the IEEE-488 hardware and the PCIe-6537 board. After restarting (without shutting down), everything still works. Consequently, the link tells us nothing new and is unfortunately of no help.

The problem occurs after we cycle power for the first time after installation. At that point we get a MAXVISATimeoutError when in MAX and a MAXGeneralTimeoutError (-2147220688) in our application when it tries to use the PCIe-6537 board.

We only get the error when the 82357A is plugged into the PC's USB port. When it's unplugged and we refresh MAX the problems go away, but of course we can't access the IEEE-488 hardware.

[DollaBrillz]

It could be that the Timeout error is happening because VISA is attempting to communicate with the unconnected devices or remote devices. Below is a link to a KnowledgeBase Article on our website that explains the source of Timeout Error and how to troubleshoot this issue.

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/D57A25E7B74F31E8862577A7005426D7

I hope this is of better use!

[RonW]

That was one of the first pages that popped up in researching this problem. (I think MAX actually directed me to it when the error popped up.)

I want to emphasize that MAXVISATimeoutError only occurs when the Agilent IEEE488 adapter is plugged in, and that the system works after driver installation until the power is actually cycled - that's when I start getting MAXVISATimeoutError. Apart from that, I went through the exercise of disabling passports to no avail. There are no remote systems.

I also tried telling MAX to use Agilent VISA instead of NI-VISA. That didn't work either.

Thanks for your persistence with this.

The system is on a network and is managed via Windows policies. Could something like this be explained by policies being pushed or reset at powerup but not at restart?

[DollaBrillz]

It may be that the NI-VISA is not the the primary installed VISA.

Configuring NI-VISA as the Primary VISA:

http://ae.natinst.com/public.nsf/webPreview/B283196340462DFD86257633006DC799?OpenDocument

You may also need to enable NI 488.2 from within the Agilent libraries, as described here:

http://ae.natinst.com/public.nsf/webPreview/F7C187DBF09EBE1186256F550065BD32?OpenDocument

Are you running antivirus or firewall software? This has also been known to interfere with compatibility.

Best Regards,

[RonW]

NI-VISA is the primary VISA; I briefly tried setting the Agilent VISA as the primary VISA to see if it would fix the problem. It didn't.

Neither of your links will open in my browser ("Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage").

I don't have access to the PC right now, but if NI 488.2 needed to be enabled I doubt this would ever work. The fact that it works once installed, and continues to work through restarts tells me that if it needs to be enabled, it's enabled.

The fact that even though it works after a restart, it stops working once the power has been cycled tells me the problem is not something like a missing or disabled driver.

Since this is a "managed PC" I have no doubt that there's antivirus software, but the same question applies: how could antivirus software allow the Agilent and/or NI software to continue to work after resetting, but cause it to fail after the first power cycle until it's reinstalled?

[DollaBrillz]

I have reattached the two links below. I apologize they did not work the first time.

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/F7C187DBF09EBE1186256F550065BD32

http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/CC76C6A93C0F3623862574E50047E269

I believe it may have something to do with access to the DLL. Let me know if you are able to access these links and if this helps.

Best Regards,

[RonW]

I can access the links this time.

I don't have access to the PC yet, but I do know that NIVISATulip.dll is enabled. I also know that NI-MAX believes that NI-VISA is the primary VISA driver.

[DollaBrillz]

Thank you for the update. If possible, I would suggest confirming these two things when you are at your PC next. The next thing to test would be whether or not this works with a Test Panel in NI MAX. This may help determine if it is a Software issue or a Hardware issue.

Best Regards,