Installing NI488.2 manually

[RAMS_Anite]

Hi,

Can anyone advise me on how to manually install/configure the NI488.2 v1.7 driver - without using the Installshield?

I'm using a PC104-GPIB board on an embedded PC running XP Embedded. In order to productionize this unit, I need to be able to configure the XP Embedded Target Designer to install the necessary NI488.2 driver bits and configure it. Having to manually run installshield on every production unit is not an option!

The NI488.2 installer cluster-bombs the windows registry with a huge amount of information. Most of which I suspect is not required. I've identified a minimal set of files required, but need to know which ones require registering and/or any further system configuration, below...

c:\WINDOWS\INF\nigpib.inf
c:\WINDOWS\system32\Gpib.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\Gpib-32.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\GPIBI32.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\GpibN32.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\GpibNotify.ocx
c:\WINDOWS\system32\GpibNotify.tlb
c:\WINDOWS\system32\gpib-vdd.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\nispylog.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\gpibatnt.sys
c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\gpibclsb.sys
c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\gpibclsd.sys
c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\gpibpci.sys
c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\GpibStub.sys

I've put this request through to my NI sales rep and got the usual non-response.

Can anyone help?

Cheers!

Mat

[ScottieB]

Hello,

While we do not support or test NI-488.2 on XP Embedded, it should work. You are using a rather old driver version (2.3 is the latest right now for XP). We also do not support loading the driver "manually" as you are trying to do. Is it possible to load it once using the installer and then ghost or something similar to image to the rest of your machines?

Scott B.
GPIB Software
National Instruments

[RAMS_Anite]

Scott,

I'm using v1.7 because I'm using a PC/104 GPIB card. I was advised that this is the only version of NI488 which would work with this card.

The NI drivers will install fine onto XP embedded using the installshield - this works no problem. However, thanks to Microsoft's licensing strategy, it is impossible to ghost a pre-built image of XP embedded. Once an image has been blown to the device (and unique license key installed), it performs a "sealing" operation which locks itself into that machine/license key.

The XP embedded design tools allow you to build a configuration for software to be dynamically installed during this sealing period. Alas this requires knowledge of how to install the application - file copying, executable running and registry entries. i.e. no user intervention.

I'm really only looking for a "basic" install just to get the card working with my custom app. Really not bothered about Add/Remove stuff, any documentation, shortcuts or apps (NISpy / Measurement & Automation / etc).

Cheers!

Mat

[ScottieB]

I see why you're using 1.7 now, that makes sense. Still, we can't help you here as this is unsupported. The number of things that the installer "touches" is very large and is not limited to just files. You might look into doing a "system diff" between a system with and without NI-488.2 if utilities such as this exists.

Scott B.
GPIB Group
National Instruments

[JLangston]

Mat,

This is not entirely true. There is a utility that comes with the Target Designer called FBARESEAL.EXE. You need to add it to your runtime image (it's already there, but gets clobbered when you run FBA, so you need to add it someplace else). Build your image, allow it to complete FBA, and then install the GPIB drivers onto your system using the install disks. Once done, run FBARESEAL.EXE to 'reseal' your image. This way when you boot the image again, it will create a new SID, as well as a new unique machine name. It is completely legal to clone the same image over and over to your devices, as long as you have purchased licenses from Microsoft and affix the COA label to the device showing the license number.

That said, does NI offer ANY support for its drivers (2.3 or up) for Embedded XP using ISA-bus GPIB cards? I am having some intermittent issues with failed ibrd() and ibwrt() calls -- no errors are returned, but the data does not get through to the other end...? Anyone?

Thanks,
Jim

[Nickos]

Hi All,

Have a related question that you may be able to answer. I have installed the labview runtime successfully on my computer without a problem running windows XP embedded. I want to get basic serial comms up and running however the NI serial driver will not install. The installer is asking for disk1 when disk1 is present.

The same thing occurs if I deploy my application as a windows installer and include the serial comms in the installation. (I think this is new to 7.1).

Would love to know how to install the VISA serial component manually as my project has come to a complete stop and my Boss is not happy since we can't get a serial port to work.

Cheers