nidmfpan.exe won't start test panel

[encore]

I've got a system with a USB6008OEM board that's been running fine, ready to ship. I temporarily connected an older USB6008 (boxed) to the computer as well, which was properly detected as dev2. However, I can no longer launch Test Panel from inside MAX, or by entering \windows\system 32\nidmfpan.exe /devid:"dev1" - both invocations give me the windows crash send/don'tsend box.

I've unplugged all the USB6008 devices, deleted them from MAX, uninstalled them from Windows Device manager, rebooted, uninstalled all NI software, rebooted (several times), reloaded DAQMX, then LabView Runtime and VISA Runtime. After all this, replugging the USB6008OEM device causes an autodetect, the light blinks, and when I launch MAX it appears as 'dev1' again. I can reset the device, selftest the device from inside MAX, but still can't launch Test Panel (inside MAX or by start/run) without a crash message.

Any ideas? I'd rather not low-level the drive and start over with installing Win XP if I can avoid it.

Tom

[Brooks_C]

Hello Encore,

It would be helpful to get more information on the error that is occurring. 

1.  Can you paste the exact text or a screen shot of the Windows error that is occurring?  Does this error happen every time reproducibly?
2.  Does Windows crash every time you access the device or only when you try to run the test panel?  To test this please try running one of the shipping examples for the USB-6008.  You can access these examples through LabVIEW by going to Help>> Find Examples.  You can filter the results for the USB-6008 in the bottom left of the Example Finder window.
3.  What versions of DAQmx and LabVIEW are you using (if you're using LabVIEW)?  If you aren't using LabVIEW what programming environment/version are you using?

Thanks,

[encore]

The eventual system will be running a LabView runtime application. My part consists of getting the computer and hardware ready for the VI/EXE to be installed. During hardware checkout I use MAX and Test Panel to verify analog i/o and digital i/o.

MAX can see the USB6008 fine, it responds happily to 'reset device' and 'test device', and identifies the module with its proper serial number. The green LED blinks as usual.

The software environment is from installing NIDAQ850.EXE self-extracting archive. Other than the LV and VISA runtime engines, we don't install application software - the next guy down the line adds his application later. We don't have any version of LabView on this computer, so there are no examples to run. The other guy has the development system on his laptop.

I'll go grab a screenshot - it's the standard "windows has encountered an error, would you like to send a report to microsoft" box. It's been 100% reproducible. I could grab the crash report as well, though it's going to be huge. The crash happens the same whether test panel is invoked from inside MAX, or if I start it from Start - Run - \windows\system32\nidmfpan.exe /devid:"dev1"

Tom

[encore]

Here are some screenshots.

nidaqmx.jpg shows that MAX can get the serial number of the USB6008 board.

testpanelcrash.jpg  - standard Windows crash dialog

contents.jpg - first module of very long crash report

[Brooks_C]

Hello Tom,

The next step I would take would be to follow this KnowlegeBase article:  How Do I Recover From MAX Database Corruption?

Sometimes strange behavior like this is caused by a corrupted data folder.  If this article doesn’t resolve the issue then there are a couple other things to look at.

1.  Can you simulate a device and successfully open a test panel?  To simulate open MAX and go to My System>> Devices and Interfaces>> NI-DAQmx Devices.  Right click on NI-DAQmx Devices and select Create New NI-DAQmx Device...>> NI-DAQmx Simulated Device.  You won't be able to simulate a USB-6008, but just try it with an M Series card such as the NI PCI-6220.  If the simulated device fails that will eliminate the hardware completely.
2.  What version of NI-DAQmx and NI VISA do you have installed?  You can check this in the My System>> Software tab of MAX.  The most current versions of these drivers are NI-DAQmx 8.7.1 and NI VISA 4.3.  If you're using an older driver it is possible the problem you're seeing has been fixed in a newer version so upgrading may fix it.

Cheers,

[encore]

I opened MAX, drilled down to NI-DAQmx Devices (which properly showed the USB6008 device) and right-clicked NI-DAQmx Devices. I followed the 'create new ni-daqmx device' option which expanded with a list of several options, including 'NI-DAQmx Simulated Device'.  After clicking that, MAX hung completely. Couldn't move the window, couldn't close it. Even right-clicking on the taskbar wouldn't bring up the menu to close it. Task manager said NIMAX.EXE was running, taking 24,656KB of memory, but when I asked Task manager to end it, it still didn't want to close politely.

Software versions - Max 4.2.1.3001, NIDaqMX 8.5.0f5 NIVisa 4.2. I don't expect software versions will be the problem, as we've built nearly 30 systems like this, using the same software image for each. I've uninstalled it all, rebooted, and reinstalled with no success. I'm guessing there's something corrupt that's not being removed during the uninstall, which is keeping the clean install from working.

I'll go try the knowledgebase article next...

tom

Message Edited by encore on 04-07-2008 08:45 AM

[encore]

I followed the steps in the knowledgebase article. Backed up /last and /data, then deleted the /data folder. Rebooted, started MAX, the real USB6008 device appeared as usual, but Test Panels still refuses to load. I also tried the right-click/Create New/Simulated, and again the MAX window hung; couldn't move it or close it, had to reboot.

Tom

[Brooks_C]

Hello Encore,

At this point it does sound like you may have a corrupted file somewhere.  It would be best if you can contact National Instruments directly so that we can get error log files from you and provide further assistance.  Please go to www.ni.com/contact and click "Request Support" to open a service request.  To save time please reference this forum post when you call/e-mail so that the application engineer you speak with can get up to speed quickly with the troubleshooting we've already done.

Thank you,

[encore]

Posting a followup after a brief vacation...

We reformatted the computer's harddrive, reloaded Windows XP Pro, and all the NI software on our standard install list. We activated XP and let it do its updates from Microsoft, including getting MSIE 7 (which may not have been on working systems a few months ago). Then I plugged on the USB6008-OEM board, which was recognized. Typically on a never-before-used USB6008 we get two sets of Windows' "new hardware found" as it finds the board, then loads firmware. This one had already been set up, so it only "detected" it once. I started MAX as usual, drilled down to the USB6008 board, which showed the board's serial number as expected. I tried to start the test panel, and got the exact same crash message.

At this point I'm assuming it's a bad firmware on the USB6008 that's killing the software... either that, or something in MS updates has broken Test Panels, but nobody else in the NI community has noticed it yet.

Is there a way to force a known-good firmware onto the USB6008OEM board, or otherwise verify it's operating properly?

Tom

[Brooks_C]

Hello Encore,

I will continue to do some research, but it would be helpful to know if this behavior occurs for all the USB-6008 OEM boards you have or just a single board.

1.  Is it just one board that doesn’t work?

2.  Does that board (or all of the boards) that don't work on this computer work on another computer?

If it’s only a single board and that one board doesn't work on any computers then I'm inclined to believe that it’s a hardware issue with that specific device.  However, if you can't open a test panel for any of the boards then I'm inclined to believe that it’s a software issue.  Also, are you plugging these devices directly into the computers USB port, or are you using a USB hub?  If you're using a hub then try it without it.

I will keep looking around here for an answer, but it would be helpful to know the above information.

Thanks,