problem after uninstalling old LV versions

[Blokk]

I face a strange problem, and I would like to ask for help before doing more drastic step, like trying to reinstall all required NI components, or even reinstalling the whole PC.

History of the PC: I had LabVIEW versions (all 32 bit) installed on this laptop 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 finally. I only wanted to keep version 2015 on this laptop, so I went to Windows' (Win7 32bit) control panel, "remove/uninstall programs" menu, and I uninstalled all components with older version numbers. After this step LV2015 works fine as before, however I see strange things in "NI Update Service", see below the screenshot.

I have also copied the content of my "c:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\" folder here, see below (by the way, is there any NI tool to list ALL installed NI software components?? The list from Windows' Soft uninstall menu is not exportable 😞  )

EDIT1: So one thing I do not understand: what are those driver upgrades, do I need them? and why the update is telling me to update LV2014, it is even not installed anymore!

_Legal Information\
CompactRIO\
DataSocket\
Interfaces\
IVI\
LabVIEW 2015\
MAX\
MeasurementStudioVS2010\
Modulation\
MXI\
Network Browser\
NI Device Monitor\
NI FlexRIO\
NI IO Trace\
NI-488.2\
NI-DAQ\
NI-Embedded CAN for RIO\
NI-P2P\
NI-PCNet\
NI-RIO\
NI-Serial\
NI-Sync\
NI-TimeSync\
NI-TSU\
PXI\
Real-Time Trace Viewer 2015\
RT Images\
Shared\
Spectral Measurements\
System Identification Assistant\
_Legal Information.txt

[DanRen_IQA]

I have found that the best way for uninstalling any NI software is not using the Windows uninstalling routines, and instead using the NIUninstaller. On my system it is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\Shared\NIUninstaller\. Run uninst.exe from that folder and it removes components that Windows doesn't get. It also lets you choose which components to uninstall. 

Good luck!

Dan

[Blokk]

When I run this exe, I get the same dialog window as via Windows' Uninstaller menu. I guess the same exe is called.

EDIT: So I see the same list, there is no LabVIEW 2014 to be removed. There is LV 2014 Runtime, but I guess it is needed, when I mark it to be uninstalled, I get a warning that many other components depend on this Runtime, even LV2015 ...

[Bob_Schor · Accepted solution]

I've been through this a number of times.  Sadly, there are sufficient "complications" in the way that LabVIEW is installed and uninstalled that the only practice that has reliably worked for me (and, in almost every case where I've tried something "simpler", I've followed up doing it this way) is the following:

1. Back up your C: drive (or wherever your main OS and Program files live).
2. Gather the installation media for the Versions you wish to run.
3. Uninstall everything in the NI entry in Programs and Features.
4. Uninstall everything that "hangs off" LabVIEW (such as VIPM).
5. If you are comfortable editing the Registry, try to remove as many "LabVIEW" and "National Instruments" entries as possible.  This can take an appreciable amount of time!
6. Remove files and folders in Program Files and Program Files (x86) that are NI-related.  Don't forget NI Downloads, which might be on the root of C:.
7. Reboot.
8. Start installing, oldest first, device drivers last.  I typically install a Version (without its associated Device Drivers), reboot, install the Device Drivers that are appropriate for my hardware and the just-installed Version, reboot, set the LabVIEW defaults (e.g. enabling TCP/IP, setting Block Diagrams as I like, etc.), reboot, then do the next Version, repeating all of these steps.
9. When all the LabVIEW Versions you wish to run are installed, install VIPM and the packages you want for each of the installed LabVIEW Versions.
10. Have a glass of wine -- you've earned it!

Bob Schor

[Blokk]

Thanks Bob for the nice list! 🙂

Actually I just started to think about re-installing the whole Windows on this laptop, and then do a fresh install of LV2015 + the required addons (Real-Time and FPGA) + VIPM...

But for sure, during the install I will follow your list with the installation step order!

I just recently switched my laptop, the previous one had a SSD, this one has a conventional HDD...a real pain the slowness, so another excuse for a total system reinstall after disk replacement 🙂

[AuZn]

I'd love to a clean installation everytime, but I usually keeps the old version for a few weeks to make sure all my vi s work properly under the new version. I just ended up uninstalling all the components that has a lower version number and is not required by components of current version. But some dependency is weird. I am sure I still got some components dated back to 2010 installed that is required by current version. If only NI figures out a better way to handle dependency between all those components....

[Bob_Schor]

I almost never do a "clean install", but install "on top of" previous versions.  Doing an "uninstall" is sometimes as much (or more) work than doing all of the individual installs.  In some cases, I've made the decision to "skip a year" (hello, LabVIEW 2013), but my current practice is to limit myself to two per year (yeah, I usually do the SP1 install, too).

Bob Schor