Instrument Control (GPIB, Serial, VISA, IVI)

[Dan_TW]

Hi,

I am running into issues regarding the version of the Linux Kernel. I am attempting to install Nikal as part of the NI-VISA package using the procedure found here: https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-6742#comment-21933

When I run the command as in the above procedure $ ./updateNIDrivers I get the following error message:

********************************* ERROR ***********************************
ERROR: 3.0 kernels are not supported!
Running a 2.4.x or 2.6.x kernel is required to continue this installation.
********************************** ERROR ************************************

I also get this error when installing NI-488.2. Has anyone successfully completed this procedure using a 3.0 kernel or does anyone know of a way around this issue?

I am running kernel version 3.0.0-17-generic on Ubuntu 4.6.1

Thanks,

Dan

[Rohama_K]

Hi Dan,

Did you see the response irwan posted to your comment here?

[Dan_TW]

Yes I did see the post by Irwan. I have implemented those changes and I am still getting the same error message.

[Rohama_K]

Irwan also said to try grepping:

cd /usr/local/natinst/

grep -r ERROR.*kernel *

 and see what other scripts out there still have that check. Did that work?

[Sak1s]

you can try this.. :

• nano +253 /usr/local/natinst/nikal/src/utility.sh  

place a comment at the start of this string ..-

 return $statusFail  ->  #   return $statusFail

• nano +314 /usr/local/natinst/nikal/src/nikal/configure

place again a comment at the start of this string

  exit $statusFail  ->  #   exit $statusFail

[Dan_TW]

Thank you for the input. I have double checked to make sure that all kernel version checks have been suppressed and the methods above still produce the same error. 

I have installed VM player running Ubuntu 8.10 (i386) with kernel version 2.6 in hopes of getting the software to install in the suggested enviornment, and worry about making changes for a newer kernel later. It is worth mentioning that the i386 system architecture is required to execute the installs of the software that is linked in the above procedure. My results for each of the software packages are as follows:

1) Nikal

          Install sucessful. 

          Worth noting that entering nikaliPostInstall returns command not found. 

          modprobe nikal returns nothing so I am to assume that nothing indicates that the module is working.

2) NI-488.2

          Install semi-successful.

          modprobe nipalk and modprobe gpibprtk returns command not found.

          modprobe nikal still returns nothing.  

          /etc/init.d/nipal restart return no such file or directory

3) VISA

          Entering ./updateNIDrivers returns NI-KAL sucessfully updated, however missing nipalk.ko, NiViPciK.ko, niorbk.ko, nidimk.ko, NiViPxiK.ko, nipxirmk.ko

          Entering visaconf returns libnipalu.so failed to initialize. Aborted

4) PyVisa

          Install successful

5) NIdaqmxbase

          Entering ./FWUpdate returns libnipalu.so failed to initialize. Aborted

          Entering lsdaq returns libnipalu.so failed to initialize. Aborted

Any thoughts?

[Sak1s]

yes i forgot....edit the /etc/init.d/nipal script end find the following lines...

elif [ "$kernelMinor" -eq 6 ]; then
   KERNEL_MODULE_EXTENSION=ko
else
   echo "nipal: $kernelVersion kernel not supported"
   exit 1
 fi

and replace the  "exit 1" with KERNEL_MODULE_EXTENSION=ko

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

elif [ "$kernelMinor" -eq 6 ]; then
   KERNEL_MODULE_EXTENSION=ko
else
   echo "nipal: $kernelVersion kernel not supported"
    KERNEL_MODULE_EXTENSION=ko
 fi

restart the nipal service