NI 488.2 install failure due to incomplete uninstall

[incandescentcrow]

I'm trying to uninstall NI 488.2 version 1.74 in order to replace it with the current version 3.0.2. After the uninstall was completed, but before I restarted, the computer crashed.

Now 488.2 1.74 still shows up in the NI Add/Remove Software dialog, but I can't remove it because of the Windows Installer error 1612. (I successfully reinstalled Windows Installer 4.5 twice, but it didn't help.)

I tried to repair the old version, but it asks for the NI Device Drivers from May 2004. I downloaded several versions from around that date from the NI website, including one labeled v1.7, but none seem to be the right one (they are "not a valid distribution location" for the necessary repair files).

I was able to successfully install and uninstall 488.2 version 2.24 from the NI website, but it did not help.

A full system search yields no files referring to v1.74. In addition, no version of 488.2 appears in MAX. These facts lead me to believe that the old version is, in fact, not installed on the machine anymore. However, the install DVD for v3.0.2 and the NI Add/Remove Software dialog still think it's there.

Are these looking for a DLL or other specific file to indicate the presence of an earlier version? Where would such files be located? I am running XP SP3, Labview 2011 SP1, MAX 5.1.

Alternatively, can someone please provide me with MSI blast?

[The_Hunt]

Mr. Crow, 

It is not necessary to uninstall previous versions of NI 488.2 when you are planning on upgrading to a newer version. It is only necessary to uninstall if you are attempting to revert back to an older piece of software. Since you were successfully able to install NI 488.3 version 2.24, this indicates that you should have no issues in downloading the newest version. 

I would suggest reinstalling version 2.24 and then attempt to install version 3.02

When you attempted to uninstall your previous version of NI 488.2 did you go through the uninstall process in the NI Add/Remove Programs in MAX? Or did you manually locate the folder and delete its contents? If you performed the latter, then this actually does not delete every file located in the system, and that is why it is still being identified in the Add/Remove programs.

In reference to MSIbast, this software can potentially harm your computer's hard drive as well as other program files. National Instruments does not recommend using this software. 

[incandescentcrow]

Thanks for your reply.

The install disk containing 488.2 v3.0.2 will not proceed with installation until the old version is removed. The specific message is "Legacy NI-488.2 Software Detected: A legacy version of NI-488.2 has been detected. You must exist this installer and uninstall the legacy NI-488.2 software before you can install this software."

[incandescentcrow · Accepted solution]

Here's what worked for me (removed legacy 488.2 v1.74 and installed the newest 488.2 driver, v.3.0.2). It has taken all day and I hope I have remembered the correct order:

1) Disable all NI services in msconfig, then restart

2) Delete the folder C:\Program Files\National Instruments

3) Follow the MSI blast instructions on this page, up through Step 8, then restart: http://forums.ni.com/ni/attachments/ni/170/193600/1/MSI%20Blast%20instructions.txt

4) Download the Windows "Program Install and Uninstall" utility:

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/program_install_and_uninstall

5) Run the utility, specifying that you have a problem uninstalling a program. All the NI programs I just deleted were still visible! Select the one that previously failed to uninstall, in my case 488.2 v1.74. (The utility removed this program without error.)

6) Reinstall Labview from the DVD, then re-enable all NI services in msconfig, then restart

7) Install the new instrument drivers. Even more surprisingly, a few of the drivers I just deleted were still found to exist! Luckily, 488.2 was not among them, and the new version installed correctly.

Here's what did not work for me:

--Messing around with the registry badly corrupted the boot sector on my 😧 drive (this is partly my fault, because I stored my registry backup on the 😧 drive)

--About 10 different freeware/trialware programs of all stripes failed to repair the sector

--A registry repair tool found problems with the registry and failed to repair them. It is still corrupted.

--The internet is full of horrible programs that wreak havoc on your system if you don't spend a lot of time reading about them in forums everywhere

--This took all day to figure out

In my view, National Instruments should really get its act together and release an uninstaller tool that actually works. Or better yet, release compiled versions of instrument drivers for Mac OS X.