NI-VISA uninstall problems

[Dave Sherman]

Hello, I have run into some significant problems with uninstalling NI-VISA, version 4.1.  I had an application for which I needed to use NI-488, but when trying to install the newest NI-488 (v 2.4), it was complaining about having "OEM software installed".  In Add/Remove Programs, I tried to remove NI-VISA, and on the first computer, I just selected all the components.  Bad move apparently, because the computer failed to reboot after doing that.  Our IT guy said other folks have had this problem with removing National Instruments software, and suggested removing individual components.  On another computer, I tried to continue development, and ran into the same problem.  This time, I started by removing just the NI-VISA runtime engine, but this also ruined the computer.  In both cases, the computers need to be completely restored, because they can't even boot into safe mode after removing.  Needless to say, I'm not liking NI-VISA right now!  So, is there a safe way to remove NI-VISA completely?  These were both IBM ThinkCenters, with Windows XP Professional.

[Lars_L]

Hey Dave,

I'm sorry to hear that you've had such trouble with uninstalling our software. We test a large number of different installation/uninstallation scenarios before we release a driver and I would think something like this would have been caught. Could you give me some more information on these two machines? Here are a few questions for you:

1. What model are these machines?

2. What other software do you have installed on these machines?

3. Did these computers have an image loaded by your IT group or did they start clean and was the software installed afterward?

4. If these were loaded with images, have you seen this same behavior with other machines besides these two?

5. Could you give me more details on the "OEM Software Installed" error? Was there an error number or description or do you possibly have a screenshot?

Lars

National Instruments

[Dave Sherman]

Hi Lars, I'll try to answer your questions.

1. These were both IBM ThinkCenters.  One is a model 8189-WA6.

2.  Lots.  Mine had more software added and removed than I can think of.  The other was relatively new, but had Greenhills Multi 2.0, Visual Studio .Net, Trend antivirus, and Office 2003.

3.  As far as I know these were clean and had software added later.

4.  I can't get any more info from our IT guy, but he swears he's seen this before.  Strangely, nobody else has.

5.  I don't have a screen shot or error code.  During the install I just got a message saying it detected OEM software and it quit at that point.

[Justin_E]

Hi Dave,

When you initially uninstalled VISA, did the uninstall appear to complete successfully? Or did it fail, then crash your system? Is there any way to get a system up and running without any of the IT-software installed? If so, I'd recommend putting just NI-VISA on your system, then attempt to uninstall and see what happens. When your system bricks after the uninstall, at what point does booting fail? Can you see the POST messages and get into the BIOS menu?

To me it sounds like there could be some issue with the MSI installer. If you do manage to get a system to test out a clean VISA install, I would take a look at the Event Viewer in WinXP to see if there were any MSI warnings logged. You can check the event viewer at Start->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Event Viewer. In the Applications section, you should find any warnings from event source MsiInstaller. I would check the event logs after installing, and after uninstalling (assuming your system doesn't crash while uninstalling). If you find any logs there, save them and post them here. 

[Dave Sherman]

Hi Dave,

When you initially uninstalled VISA, did the uninstall appear to complete successfully? Or did it fail, then crash your system?

It appeared to remove successfully.  The first computer that died noted it had to reboot, which I did.  The second one did not give the note that it had to reboot, but I shut it down normally after removing the VISA runtime engine.  In both cases the machine never booted again.

Is there any way to get a system up and running without any of the IT-software installed?

What "IT-software" are you referring to?

If so, I'd recommend putting just NI-VISA on your system, then attempt to uninstall and see what happens.

Sorry, I'm not tempting fate again.  I don't plan on using VISA if I can avoid it, and I do not wish to install it again.  I just want to know either how to remove it safely, or how to install NI-488 if it complains about finding "OEM software".  Could the fact that I tried to install NI-488 without removing NI-VISA first be the problem?

When your system bricks after the uninstall, at what point does booting fail? Can you see the POST messages and get into the BIOS menu?

The BIOS is fine.  It gets to the point where you see the bargraph as Windows boots, then it suddenly shuts down, begins booting again, and gives you the message that it didn't boot properly last time.

To me it sounds like there could be some issue with the MSI installer. If you do manage to get a system to test out a clean VISA install, I would take a look at the Event Viewer in WinXP to see if there were any MSI warnings logged. You can check the event viewer at Start->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Event Viewer. In the Applications section, you should find any warnings from event source MsiInstaller. I would check the event logs after installing, and after uninstalling (assuming your system doesn't crash while uninstalling). If you find any logs there, save them and post them here.

Again, I'm not taking any more chances with my computer.  Spending a week re-installing tools, recovering files, and trying to get back to what I was working on is not something I'd like to repeat.

[Justin_E]

Dave,

The IT-software I'm referring to would be anything put on your machine after a fresh install of the OS, such as Virusscan programs, networking tools, etc. You shouldn't have to remove NI-VISA to install NI-488.2, and I'm not sure why you're seeing this "OEM software" error. Since you're not able to boot into safe mode, this tells me that your disk image is likely unstable. One thing you can try to recover your system is to use the Windows XP Recovery Console. You'll need the Windows XP installation disc for this. Once you're in the console, I would run a "chkdsk /r" command, which will do an extensive check of your drive. Hopefully this will restore your system to a usable state.

Again, I do apologize that you're running into these issues when uninstalling, but going through the basic MSI uninstaller is the way we recommend uninstalling NI software. A screenshot of the "OEM software" error would be extremely helpful for us to debug this issue further

[Rikud]

Seems other people have had their hard disks corrupted too by uninstalled (refer to thread below where two others had problems after removing this exact same version NI-Visa 4.1).

No solution was offered in their case either. Not sure what is going on, but Customers should not be experiencing this kind of failure when simply uninstalling NI-Visa. Is there no acknowledgement that this is a problem by NI? Anyone else seen this problem and not taken the time to report it?

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=270&message.id=6743&query.id=1954112#M6743

[Justin_E]

Hi Rikud,

Are you currently seeing this behavior?

I recently tried installing/uninstalling VISA 4.1 multiple times, and did not see this issue. Our developers also have tried to replicate this behavior, but have been unsuccessful. Since we cannot reproduce the issue here, it makes it extremely difficult to pinpoint what's going on. We do want to investigate this issue further, but without more detailed information (blue screen monitor captures, system event logs, screenshots during uninstallation, etc.) there's just not a whole lot we can do.

If anyone does come across this issue in the future, please get in contact with NI Support and create a phone/email request, or post in the discussion forums.