VLM server software for 2023 or 2024 will not open after install. I get a generic error with no code.

[aeastet]

This issue has been open with NI for about a month now with really no progress. I have talked to four different people from NI from Costa Rica. They go over the same check list and have asked me to do the same things over and over again. I never get a new response. I get a new person and they run through the same play list as the last person. Here is what I have tried:

Here is the list of things I have done:

• Tried upgrading from 3.3 to 2024Q4 had errors and would not install. Many times
• Removed all NI software and tried to install software on the server starting from scratch (just like I did with you)
• I tried installing from the iso. Got the same result three times
• Tried forced install. got the same result as it started the package manage so it effectively just dud the same thing I had done before. I have tried this two times
• Tried removing everything and installing 2023 Q1. That did not work did this twice
• Tried installing 3.3 and then updating to 2024Q4. That did not work did this three or four times.
• I did try to remove the file in this image and that did help: located in this link: https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA00Z000000PA8VSAW&l=en-US

This is the error I get after I finally got 2024 Q3 to install with no errors. I get this when I try to start the VLM after reboot.

Any help that you could provide would be appreciated as NI really hasn't been much help.

[ramamoorthy.v]

It looks like the migration from SQLCE to SQLite did not happen correctly.
You can try the following two solutions:

Solution 1:

1. Install VLM 2024 Q4 along with the DatabaseMigrationTool
2. Reboot the machine
3. Remove (delete) the file: C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\Volume License Manager\nivlm.sqlite.dat
4. Launch command line and cd to the directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\Volume License Manager\Database Migration Tool
5. Run the command: 
• NiVlmDatabaseMigrationTool.exe "C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\Volume License Manager\nivlm.dat" "C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\Volume License Manager"
• Ensure that this command does not throw any error, if it does, please report the errors to us along with the log file: C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\Volume License Manager\NiVlmDatabaseMigrationTool.log
6. If the above command runs successfully, launch VLM 2024 Q4
7. Alternatively, you can send us the nivlm.dat file and we can migrate it from our end and send it back to you.

Solution 2:

If you have a backup of all the data, follow these steps:

1. Copy the VLM 3.3 backup file and important files from the ProgramData folder to a different location.

2. Uninstall VLM from NI Package Manager.

3. Delete the ProgramData folder.
   Note: The ProgramData folder for VLM is located at: C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\Volume License Manager

4. Perform a fresh installation of VLM 2024 Q4 using NI Package Manager.

5. Launch VLM (the Getting Started Wizard will open).

6. Provide the license file path and click Next.

7. On the Import Settings from Backup page, select Import settings from a previous NI VLM 3.x installation and click Next.

8. Select the backup file that you copied in the previous steps.

9. Click Next and complete the Getting Started Wizard.

VLM should now open without any issues.

[aeastet]

I tried option 1:

The result was this:

I followed all of your steps and there were no error thrown.

Option 2:

Deleted everything and did a reinstall of everything.

Installed with no errors.

Rebooted

Tried to open VLM and this was the result:

No Errors except for this one.

[ramamoorthy.v]

• Can you please share the following two log files:
  1) C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\Volume License Manager\NiVlm.log
  2) C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\Volume License Manager\NiVlmDatabaseMigrationTool.log
• Can you also please share the backup file and nivlm.dat file?

• Does your system have any other software installed? If so, verify whether any of them are using the same version of the SQLite library (1.0.117) and if it is installed in the GAC at one of the following locations:

  • C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_32\System.Data.SQLite
  • C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Data.SQLite

  Having SQLite installed in the GAC may disrupt VLM’s functionality. Note that installing SQLite in the GAC is not officially supported. You can refer to the first point in this article: SQLite Encryption Extension: System.Data.SQLite with SQLite Encryption Extension via NuGet

• If the DLL is present in the GAC, try renaming or removing it and check if the issue persists.

[aeastet]

Here is the files that you asked for:

[aeastet]

The backup file is too big to add

[ramamoorthy.v]

1) The image you shared, where you attempted migration using the database migration tool, shows some exceptions.

However, since the VLM window is overlapping it, I am unable to see the full exception message. Could you please share the complete image or copy and paste the exception message?

2) If the backup file and database file are too large to upload, could you please upload them to SharePoint and share the link with access to this email "ramamoorthy.v@emerson.com"?

[aeastet]

Here is the window with nothing in front of it.

[aeastet]

The other file does not exist:

[aeastet]

OK renaming this dll seemed to fix the problem.

Now I need to see if anyone else is using this file on this server.

This is what I see once that dll is renamed: