Device Manager won't recognize driver for Agilent 34401a

[SophieMac]

Hi! I have an Agilent 34401A, and I am connecting it to a PC to have automated data acquisition through LabVIEW. However, when I plug the multimeter into the USB port, it comes up as an unknown device without drivers installed. I've tried following the following directions: https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA00Z0000019PFISA2&l=en-US

The problem is that when I try to update the driver or install a driver, the correct drivers aren't available. I can't find NI-488.2 (which I've installed, uninstalled, and reinstalled) or the Agilent34401A drivers. They aren't listed as drivers on my device and if I try navigating to their folders separately, the device manager says there weren't available drivers for my device in that folder. Am I missing something? Once the drivers are downloaded and stalled with NI package manager, is there some extra step? 

[Albert.Geven]

Hi

I don't see a usb port on the instrument. So I guess youa are using a GPIB or RS232 to GPIB cable.

Which cable one from which vendor do you use?

[SophieMac]

Sorry! I am using a GPIB-USB-B Cable from National Instruments. Does that change what driver I should be using? 

[Albert.Geven]

The driver for the device is standard available in a standard LabVIEW installation.

The device that you use should be set to use the gpib bus.

Examples in LabVIEW are available. Assuming you have LabVIEW 2020 you should open LabVIEW.

Then select Help/Find examples

In Examples select Instrument drivers/LabVIEW plug and play/Agilent 34401 Read Single Measurement.vi

Or select C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2020\instr.lib\Agilent 34401\Examples\Agilent 34401 Read Single Measurement.vi

Fill in the correct GPIB bus address (found while restarting the instrument).

And try to do a measurement.

[Minions]

This instrument also allows communications using the SCPI protocol.  You could open NI-Max and select the Devices and Interfaces.  Select the instrument then click on the Open Visa Test Panel on the right hand side.  A new window will open - Select the Input/Output button.  Now click Query.  Your instrument response should occur below if your settings are correct.

[SophieMac]

I tried using the example (Agilent 34401 Read Single Measurement.vi) and I got the error I've attached. I checked Device Manager on my computer, and the Agilent 34401 multimeter is still listed as an unknown device that has no compatible drivers (code 28). Any idea why I'm getting this problem?

[Albert.Geven]

So you do have a gpib nterface but probably have selected a wrong address for either the gpib interface or the instrument address.

Show us the frontpanel of the vi, after the error has occurred.

So with filled in visa resource name.

[SophieMac]

I've attached the front panel of the vi after the error occurred. I had copied the VISA resource name from a program using the same multimeter running on a colleague's computer (on a different version of LabVIEW) and I double checked it was 24 by turning the multimeter off and on again. 

I also realized that I accessed the single measurement program through "Program Files" and not "Program Files (x86)". My "LabVIEW2020" folder from "Program Files (x86)" only has a resources subfolder, and does have the single measurement program. I have a 64 bit OS and I've been running the 64 bit LabVIEW. Could this be contributing? 

Thank you for all of your help, I really appreciate it. 

[Albert.Geven]

Hi

It should be possible to use 64 bit LabVIEW but I still use 32 bit.

What is missing in your system is probably the gpib driver for your cabling.

So install VISA drivers via the ni package manager.

I always install LabVIEW including all drivers and I miss in your picture under instruments the GPIB interface.

You probably have to install NI488 driver what is the driver for the gpib card.

And VISA for the intermediate layer.

You should after this software is installed be able to see your gpib interface in MAX and not as a usb interface anymore.

[SophieMac]

I thought I already had those installed, I've attached screen shots of those drivers in my package manager. Are these not the correct drivers or correctly installed?