Problems installing real-time software on a cRIO-9022 controller

[Robert_Read]

Hi,

I am trying to install real-time software on a legacy cRIO-9022 controller and having problems. The controller is mounted on a cRIO-9111 chassis with 9202 and 9207 modules installed. The RJ-45 Ethernet Port 1 on the controller is connected to my laptop via an ethernet cable. When I start the Measurement and Automation Explorer with the controller powered on, it detects that the controller is present, and the status is given as "Connected - Safe Mode (No Software Installed)" (see attached screenshot). To install the required real-time software on the controller, I select the Software submenu under Remote Systems and select the "Add/Remove Software" tab. I click on the National Instruments RT Software drop-down menu and click on "Select all for install" (see attached screenshot). However, when I do this a box appears saying that no items are selected for install or uninstall (see attached screenshot). I do not therefore understand how I can install the required software on the controller.

I have already tried deleting the controller, adding it again, and formatting the disk, but I still get the same message. The controller DIP switches are all set to off. When the controller is connected, the green power LED is lit, and the yellow status LED flashes twice at intervals. I attach two screenshots showing the NI software I have installed on my laptop (these correspond to the standard Academic Volume License with a few extras). The operating system is Windows 11 Enterprise, version 22H2.

I would be very grateful for any thoughts on what I am doing wrong here, and how I might install the required software on the controller.

Many thanks,

Robert

[AustinManinTown]

The cRIO-9022 is a discontinued controller. It uses the VxWorks OS, which NI no longer supports. This is why you can see the target, but cannot install anything. Current NI real time targets use NI Linux RT, as it offers a lot of benefits over VxWorks. 

I don't recall the last version of LabVIEW/NI-MAX to support VxWorks, but it has been a few years. Long enough that I cannot find any useful information with Google.

If one is available, get a cRIO that runs NI Linux RT. 

[Robert_Read]

Hi David C,

Many thanks for your quick post and for the useful information it contains.

I will certainly investigate getting hold of a cRIO that runs NI Linux RT, but in the meantime are you suggesting that I may be able to use the cRIO-9022 if I install an older version of LabVIEW? I have access to versions of LabVIEW between 2013 and 2017. Do you think this might do it? If so, will such an installation of an older version of LabVIEW include the Add-ons and drivers necessary for operation of the 9022? Can these be obtained elsewhere?

Any thoughts you have would be much appreciated.

Many thanks for your help.

Robert

[AustinManinTown]

Hi Robert,

I need to revise my statement about the 9022 using VxWorks. According to the NI hardware/OS compatibility page, the 9022 does use NI Linux RT: OS.

https://www.ni.com/en-us/support/documentation/compatibility/21/ni-hardware-and-operating-system-com...

Type 9022 where you see ---10xx--- and it will find the cRIO. 

The cRIIO 9022 is compatible with NI Linux RT 19.1 to 19.6. If I have my versions correct, 19.6 is the 2019.12 system image download, on the download page.

https://www.ni.com/en-us/support/downloads/software-products/download.ni-linux-rt-system-image.html#...

[ZYOng]

AustinManinTown, you didn't remember it wrongly. cRIO-9022 is indeed running VxWorks.

Archived: Real-Time Controllers and Real-Time Operating System Compatibility

I think there are some mistakes in the NI Hardware and Software Operating System Compatibility

Besides, two more things I observed from the screenshot:

1. cRIO-9022 requires drivers that are not supported in Windows 11. 
2. You have 64-bit of LabVIEW, LVRT and LVFPGA modules installed. NI-cRIO driver support for 64-bit LabVIEW is first available in CompactRIO 2022 Q4 (Real-Time Target Not Available in LabVIEW 64-bit Project).

If you want to use this old cRIO-9022, the latest version of software you can use is LabVIEW 2019 32-bit and NI-cRIO 19.6 in Windows 10.

[Robert_Read]

Hi ZYOng and AustinManinTown,

Many thanks for your thoughts and suggestions regarding my difficulties. They are very much appreciated.

I now understand that if I want to use the cRIO-9022 then I will need to install LabVIEW 2019 32-bit and NI-cRIO 19.6 on a computer running Windows 10. I will try to do this as soon as I can get hold of a laptop with the correct operating system.

I'm thinking now about add-ons and other drivers that might be need. I'm guessing that the correct versions of the LabVIEW Real-Time module and LabVIEW FPGA module will be installed with the LabVIEW 2019 installation, but what about the CompactRIO device drivers such as NI-DAQmx, NI-RIO, NI-VISA etc.? Will the correct versions of these be automatically installed with NI-cRIO 19.6, or will I need to install them manually? If the latter, should I also install version 19.6 in these cases?

Many thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Robert 

[ZYOng]

NI-compactRIO is the only driver you need. cRIO-9022 does not support DAQmx. You can install NI-VISA if you want to do serial communication.

Make sure you install them in the correct order. What Software Do I Need to Program My CompactRIO Hardware?

[Robert_Read]

Okay, great. Thanks for the clarification. I will give this a try as soon as I can.