USB-9171 installs as USB Flash Firmware Updater

[StevePR]

I have just received a USB-9171 with 9401 module.  Trying to install it on a WIndows 7 64 bit Dell Vostro laptop. Already installed is Labview 8.5.1 which has been working fine with a USB-6212 for some time.  I installed the NI-DAQmx 9.6 which came with the new 9171, and the Labview 2012 Run-Time as recommended by the update manager.  On plugging in the USB-6212 it loaded the driver, recognized it in MAX and operates correctly as before.  But on plugging in the USB-9171, the driver loaded by Windows identifies it as USB Flash Firmware Updater.  The 9171 does not show up in MAX.

How can I get the proper USB-9171 driver to load?

Thanks - Steve

[StevePR]

OK, I misnamed the module in my title.  Should be cDAQ-9171.

[StevePR · Accepted solution]

Found a solution by calling tech service.

Unplug the USB device.

Using MAX, go to Tools>>Reset Configuration Data.  This will wipe the MAX configuration and reboot.

Open MAX.  Open Windows Device Manager.

Plug in device.

Initially, I got the balloon from Windows saying it installed the USB Flash Firmware Updater successfully.  But then waiting while the Device Manager window updated (it flashed several times), it finally indicated the correct device (cDAQ-9171) as well as the module I had plugged into the cDAQ-9171, which is a 9401.

The tech service rep explained that there is a Windows service called NI Device Loader which should load the correct driver, but sometimes the service may shutdown too soon.

In any case, I had tried all of the things here before, but what was different this time was having both MAX and Device Manager windows open at the same time before plugging in the device (after wiping the configuration).

[planc]

Hmm, did not work for me.

Looking around what to try next.

[WillPwr]

Note: I had this issue today with a USB cDAQ-9178 chassis. Plugged in the chassis (with 9411 in slot 1), and it detected as USB Firmware Loader in device loader, white icon with red x in MAX. 

I left it plugged in for 10 or 15 minutes while doing other things, and the chassis eventually detected on its own. First MAX and device manager recognized it as a 9178, and another 5-10 minutes and it detected the 9411. During the process, I heard the Windows "USB device connecting/disconnecting" sound a few times. The sound of "connect-diconnect-reconnect" was heard right before it detected the chassis. This was, again, after the chassis had been plugged in for a bit - the cable was not disturbed.

Just wanted to share this with the forum - patience may be the key!

[StevePR]

This is the original poster again.  Just wanted to add additional experience I had with this problem.

After getting the original 9171/9401 to be recognized as described above, I added three new 9171/9401 modules to the system several months later and encountered the original problem again.  This time the original 9171/9401 would always be recognized, but the three new ones would not.  I upgraded my LV from version 8.5.1 (uninstalling this version) to LV version 2012.  Upgraded the DAQ from 9.6 to 9.7.  There is a newer version of the MAX configuration utility that was not compatible with LV 8.5, so I needed to upgrade LV AND remove the 8.5 version to get the newer configuration utility to install.

I followed my previous procedure of wiping the configuration and then plugging in the USB modules one at a time.  As WillPwr found, I needed to have patience because it didn't happen right away.  Even with the configuration wiped, it would recognize the old module right away but not the new ones.  This suggests that there is some record of module serial numbers retained even after a configuration reset.  But eventually it did recognize them all.

[Fred_V]

I just had the same issue with a myDAQ, although the culprit turned out to be the 8ft USB cable I was using. Replaced the USB cable, and it works correctly. FYI

[PenguinsEgg]

Just to add my experience to those above. My 9171 was appearing as 'USB Flash Firmware Updater' in device manager (under Windows7), but somehow was also being seen as 9171 in NI-MAX (but couldn't be used, unsurprisingly). I followed the various steps above, but even after multiple driver reinstalls it was the same. It was only when I changed to a new port that the fresh install seemed to get past the previous hurdle and go from 'USB Flash Firmware Updater' to 'cDAQ-9171'. I did have both the Device Manager and NI-MAX open at the time. Maybe it gives some hope to someone else struggling with the issue!