Automated install of NI DAQmx 8.6

[RFinch]

I am trying to do an automated install of NI DAQmx 8.6 from a server location.  The issue I am having is that when I try to generate a spec file, the installer gets up to the "features" page and then stops and gives a popup saying "Installation customization is complete".  I never get a chance to complete the install process to complete the spect file.
 
I am issuing the following command in a DOS box to for testing purposes (later on I will write a script to do the automated install):
 
setup.exe /generatespecfile answers.txt
 

A spec file does get generated, but it does not have the information to redirect the installer to the disk two folder, i.e. NIDAQ 2, so that the install will be completely unattended.  Have ways through I get "please enter the location of disk two" or something similar.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
 
Ray Finch
Sr. Electronics Engineering Technician
Automotive Test Solutions, Inc.
Phone: 505-265-4235
E-mail: rfinch@atsnm.com
Web: www.automotivetestsolutions.com

[Dan_K]

Hello RFinch,

I just wanted to make sure that you have referenced some KnowledgeBase articles that we have on this issue, mainly:

KnowledgeBase: Automating the Installation of a Single Installer

This KnowledgeBase article also includes a large number of related links that could also be relevant.

Some other things that would be useful to know:

• What kind of network server are you installing from?

• Have you performed a manual installation from this server copy of DAQmx successfully?
• From what source did you get the installation files that you have on the server, are they from installation disks, or were they downloaded from ni.com?

Any additional information you have would be very useful in further helping you solve this problem.

[RFinch]

Hi Dan,

 

Thanks for your response.

 

To answer your questions:

 

What kind of network server are you installing from?

This is a simple Windows peer to peer network with one computer acting as a server.  I have a mapped drive to the source files on the server.

 

Have you performed a manual installation from this server copy of DAQmx successfully?

Yes.  Manual installation works fine.  The issue is with generating a spec file.

 

From what source did you get the installation files that you have on the server, are they from installation disks, or were they downloaded from ni.com?

Download from NI from: ftp://ftp.ni.com/support/daq/pc/ni-daq/daqmx/8.6/NIDAQ860.exe

 

I have searched the KnowledgeBase and have read the article you referenced.

 

Quoting from the KnowledgeBase “Automating the Installation of a Single Installer”:

 Create the spec file: The installer can be run in a spec file generation mode.  In this mode, you can enter in user information, the serial number, and select each feature that you would like to have installed or not installed.  You can also leave fields to a default value.  You can run the installer in spec file generation mode using the following command: setup /generatespecfile [spec file name].   

The installation dialog will appear.  Instructions on the fields in each dialog exist at the bottom of the user interface.  Once you walk through all of the dialogs, a spec file will be created which you can use to install the software silently.

 

So, if I do a command like:

 

<path the server share> setup /generatespecfile answers.txt

 

The installer will get through the first 2 or 3 dialogs but then the installer will stop prematurely after the “features” dialog and give a popup that says “Install customization is complete”.  Of course it is not complete.  A spec file is generated, but since I was not able to finish all of the dialogs, the spec file is not updated.

 

About a week ago I was able to get through installer *once* and generate a spec file.  I’m not sure what has changed.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, 

Ray Finch

Sr. Electronics Engineering Technician

Automotive Test Solutions, Inc.

www.automotivetestsolutions.com  

Message Edited by RFinch on 10-09-2008 12:34 PM

[Dan_K]

Hello RFinch,

I went through the spec file generation myself and saw the same behavior, the installer would go ask for the installation directory and for installed features, and then quit. 

However, when running the installation with the following command line:

setup.exe test.txt /r:n /q /AcceptLicenses yes

The installer would run successfully without asking for additional disks.  What command line are you using to run the installer off of the spec file?

Also, what other dialog boxes would you be expecting?

A last question, is there a reason you are using DAQmx 8.6 instead of 8.7.x or 8.8?