NI USB-6216 intermittently shows up as "USB Firmware Loader" in Device Manager

[chrissz]

Hi,

I have a USB-6216 and a USB-6525 connected to the same PC (Windows XP, standard setup).  Both are connected through a USB 2.0 powered hub. 

Occasionally either one or both will fail to enumerate, or enumerate as "USB Firmware Loader".  When they are in this state, they don't function as DAQ devices and just disconnecting and reconnecting them doesn't bring them back.  You generally have to reboot the PC, sometimes more than once. 

I read http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/2E02F8EC5D0197928625758C005FFD8D "Why Does My USB DAQ Device Show As USB Firmware Loader in Device Manager?" already but the advice it gives doesn't really help.  My "NI Device Loader" service is already started, and restarting it doesn't seem to have any effect. 

In NI Measurement & Automation Explorer, while the devices are in this state I sometimes get "MAX Database Connection Error".  I also read http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/B9107A7F281F9B408625720B0078E5A8?OpenDocument&metc=MAXGeneral... "Why Do I Get a Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) Database Connection Error?" but none of the advice it gives seems to help either.  The error is intermittent, so any explanation for this would have to also explain why they work most of the time. 

Has anyone seen this, and knows how to fix it?  We are trying to use these devices in a production line environment, where failures like this can lead to many lost hours of down time. 

Cheers,

Chris Szmajda

Mpowa Pty. Ltd. T/As Netpage Holdings

[Carisa_L]

Hi Chris,

Please make sure that your devices are plugged in to the back of your computer and not in the hub on the front. 

If you disable your anti-virus, do you still experience the same issues?

Please make sure you have the most up-to-date DAQmx drivers that are compatible with your system: http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/DC7EBB1316F3406A86257894007BD75C?OpenDocument

In order to make sure that your NI Device Loader starts up automatically, please follow these steps: Under the Device Loader Properties Recovery Tab set all the failure modes to restart the service, Device Loader = Started, Startup Type = Manual, Reboot computer, Device Loader = Started, Startup Type = Automatic, Reboot computer

Did you follow every step in the "Why Do I Get a Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) Database Connection Error?" KB? Here is some more information on how to clear a corrupted MAX Database: http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/86256F0E001DA9FF86256FFD005B827C

Please let me know how this works out for you. Thanks!

-Carisa