LV2017 refuses to be installed

[DeOdderKeith]

Has anyone ever seen this?

Is there a reason why NI LabVIEW 2017 is NOT going to be loaded?

I have removed everything in my Program Files and (x86) that it would allow. 

I've also removed every other LabView Installation I had on this system.

I've also REBOOTED every time I've tried to Install or REMOVE anything.

Keith

[Bob_Schor]

You have not provided adequate description of your PC (such as Windows version and whether 32-bit or 64-bit) and the detailed history of LabVIEW installations and removals, it is difficult to suggest what you should try.  Here are some specific questions:

1. What version of Windows are you running?  Is it the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows?
2. Has LabVIEW ever been installed on this PC?  If so, what Version (and 32-bit or 64-bit)?
3. Has LabVIEW ever been uninstalled on this PC?  What technique did you use to remove LabVIEW?
4. Have you ever tried to "aggressively" remove LabVIEW?  Did this involve making changes to the Windows registry?
5. Were you attempting to install LabVIEW from a (static) USB Flash Drive, or were you using NIPM to reach out to NI's Web site to download/install individual modules?

Installation of LabVIEW using NIPM can be fraught with difficulties.  In my experience, LabVIEW 2017, the first LabVIEW version to utilize NIPM, proved to be the most difficult version to install.  In the process of attempting to install it, I ended up reformatting my hard drive, reinstalling Windows, reinstalling all of my other applications, and reloading my profile, and then very slowly, one or two packages at a time, installing LabVIEW 2017.  I installed "as little as possible", and eventually I had LabVIEW 2017 running.

Bob Schor

[DeOdderKeith]

Originally, I had LV2011 

After a couple of weeks, I then loaded LV2017

After a couple of weeks, I then loaded LV2019

Last night I started to add some User Interface packages from VIPM in order to begin designing some new UI's

somewhere in the middle of downloading some of these UI packages the PC froze (stopped working).

I tried rebooting the PC.

LV2019 then began opening and closing immediately,

I tried removing and re-installing LV2019. Same response.

I used NPM (NI Package Manager) to remove 2019. Apparently, there were links to LV2011 which caused LV2011 to be removed as well.

This evening I removed every LV version on the computer and also deleted the Program Files (and x86) files in an attempt to delete all.

I forgot about the registry entries. What registry refers to the Blocking me from Installing LV2017?

Keith

[Yndigegn]

Hi

You have done most of the moves usually needed to to get rid of NI software.

But there are a few more things to do.

Check in Programs and Features that everything from NI is indeed uninstalled. After Package Manager is uninstalled then there is normally one or two entries left ( here 'NI Software' ) to be uninstalled :

Thereafter there should be no more installations left.

But there are still lots of NI related remnants left. The easiest way of getting rid of those is installing 'Everything' ( it is very useful in general ) :

It will -quickly- index the whole disk and show where things from 'National Instruments' are. Delete all folders and related subfolders it finds. You must do this with Administrative privileges for the most parts. There are many File Managers making this easy. My preferred tool is 'Total Commander'. 

I have myself never messed with the Registry. Didn't have to.

Your problem could be related to the Package Manager which was a new concept in 2017. With bugs and second thoughts. Always download and install the newest Package Manager directly from NI before installing anything else, like LV 2017.

Regards

[Bob_Schor]

I partly agree with @Yndigegn.  Uninstalling LabVIEW should always start with running NIPM, asking it to "remove all" (which should remove everything except NIPM), then (after rebooting) doing it again (where there should be only NIPM, with a "warning" to be sure you want to remove it).

     The next step is to run Control Panel (which you can find by clicking the Search bar in the lower left corner and typing "Control Panel").  You may well see some NI Software (maybe under "National Instruments", I don't remember) which could have a bunch of more things that can be safely uninstalled.  Do so.

At this point, my recommendation is to stop "deleting" and start "installing".  Yes, there will still be some files and folders that NI has "left behind", but you'll probably be overwriting them with the re-install.  I very strongly recommend leaving the Registry alone -- I "thought I knew what I was doing", and ended up having to reformat my C: drive and reinstall Windows.  A real pain.

Fortunately, while NIPM is still a "work in progress", it is vastly better than it was in 2017.  Another interesting change is that the former "rule" that you must install LabVIEW "oldest version first, current version last" may be more flexible.  I recall that in 2018, I tried for several months to build a PC with LabVIEW 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, and consistently failed, with the second or third installation (2016 or 2017) clobbering a necessary National Instruments "Service" (as documented using Window's Services tool).  Finally, Marina from NI Tech Support suggested I install the most recent first, and work backwards.  I didn't believe her, but she was right!  The newer NIPM "likes" the more recent versions of LabVIEW, yet can deal with older ones, as well (don't try going back more than 3-4 years ...).

Good luck.  Let us know how it works out.

Bob Schor