VISA Warn Config

[Grasshopper]

Previously I had NI software running on a XP machine but earlier this month transitioned to a Windows 7 machine.  Upon doing so it seemed like each piece of NI software installed "stomped" on another piece so once they were all installed a repair was needed.  After that, GPIB & DAQmx functioned.  VISA seems to not work.  Today I updated to the latest GPIB, a newer DAQmx, and the latest VISA drivers in case one of the previously installed drivers didn't work on Windows 7.  Now I get a VISA Warning under Devices and Interfaces in Measurement & Automation Explorer which also now makes DAQmx and GPIB ( I can get a handle but a device doesn't register as online ) not function.  Is there a mismatch in drivers?  Thanks.

Here's the warning/error text as seen in Measurement & Automation Explorer:

viOpenDefaultRM returned 0x3FFF0077 (The specified configuration either does not exist or could not be loaded. VISA-specified defaults will be used.)

This error usually occurs when a Passport either could not be found or could not be loaded.  Please make sure your Passports are correctly configured by using the Passport editor, and then refresh your configuration tree.  The following Passports were enabled on your system but could not be found or loaded:
    C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\WinNT\Bin\NiVi488.dll;C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\VISA\Win64\Bin\NiVi488.dll could not be found
    C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\WinNT\Bin\NiViAsrl.dll;C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\VISA\Win64\Bin\NiViAsrl.dll could not be found
    C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\WinNT\Bin\NiViEnet.dll;C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\VISA\Win64\Bin\NiViEnet.dll could not be found
    C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\WinNT\Bin\NiViEnetAsrl.dll;C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\VISA\Win64\Bin\NiViEnetAsrl.dll could not be found
    C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\WinNT\Bin\NiViPxi.dll;C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\VISA\Win64\Bin\NiViPxi.dll could not be found
    C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\WinNT\Bin\NiViRpc.dll;C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\VISA\Win64\Bin\NiViRpc.dll could not be found
    C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\WinNT\Bin\NiViUsb.dll;C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\VISA\Win64\Bin\NiViUsb.dll could not be found

Possible reasons for this warning:
1. A Passport was either renamed or deleted.
2. A Passport depends on other components in your system that are no longer present.
3. Your installation of VISA is corrupt, i.e. an internal registry key is missing or changed.
4. An older installation of VISA may have caused this warning without specifying more information.  Try refreshing the configuration tree to get more information.

[Grasshopper]

UPDATE:

So I had installed GPIB 3.0 and DAQmx 9.1, restarted, and then upon logging in received an error that nidevmon.exe can't run.  I shut down the PC, removed the cards, started the PC and reinstalled GPIB 3.0 and DAQmx 9.40f1.  ( both are the latest that I can find )  Another restart and another nidevmon.exe error.  Opening MAX results in an error with MAX ( attached ) which after following the directions in the message led me to the NI System Configuration tool.  I attempted to run the 5.0 version but it indicated I had nothing to install ( all was up-to-date ).  I also tried the DAWmx 9.4 Config Tool with the same result.  I then shut down, reinstalled the cards, and started up.  Again, the nidevmon.exe error and the cards have a device driver error.  (See attachment)  Ever since installed VISA 5.1.1 the NI software doesn't appear in the Programs and Files list ( used to be Add/Remove Programs ) except for a Run-time engine and TestStand.  I read online that there's a registry entry that enables/disables nidevmon from running on start-up.  I looked in the described location and there wasn't an entry for nidevmon so I can't seem to stop it from loading.  I've updated as far as I can go and the drivers aren't recognized and I can't uninstall the drivers. 

[Jeff-P]

Hi, 

this seems like an unusual issue you are having. I see that you tried reinstalling and updating both the GPIB and DAQmx drivers. Have you reinstalled the VISA drivers? All the information I have found on this error seems to indicate that this is caused by a corrupted VISA install. Another possibility is to try and do a system restore to a restore point before the drivers so you can run a clean install.

Please let me know if that helps,

Regards,

[Grasshopper]

Jeff P,

Another VISA install was fruitless as the installer thinks VISA is already installed and up-to-date so it does nothing.  I have since managed to get the nidevmon to run and GPIB to be detected by device manager but not by MAX or provide a valid device handle in my software.  I then decided a clean slate was in order and found an uninstaller in the NI folders and uninstalled everything it listed.  ( it listed what you'd see in the Add/Remove Programs or Programs & Features selection in the Windows control panel ).  I then painfully tried and finally did get TestStand reloaded.  CVI as well.  I then installed GPIB 2.80 and the installer informed me I needed to uninstall the older version of VISA that was on the machine ( from the TestStand install v2.5.2 ).  I uninstalled it and completed the GPIB installation.  On that restart the machine blue screen of deathed and won't boot even in safe mode.  The startup utility in Windows 7 also didn't fix it.

[Jeff-P · Accepted solution]

Hi,

It seems that something is wrong with Windows, are you able to do a reformat of this computer?

Regards,

[Grasshopper]

Just an update that I reimaged the machine and started over.