FATAL LabVIEW INSTALLATION ERROR (Garbled Text)

[Anthony_L]

-- When installing LabVIEW 2020, on a PC running LabVIEW 2014, On Windows 7, I get a fatal installation error dialog that reads as shown in screen shot.

-- Same error happens when installing JKI's VPI Package Manager.

Can any one point me to a resolution for this?

Anthony

[Bob_Schor]

That is certainly garbled text!

Sadly, installing LabVIEW (especially "on top of" an existing installation) is not trivial, especially if you try to "do too much" at each step.

There have been many discussions on the Forums since 2017 (when NIPM was introduced) on Installation Woes with LabVIEW.  I'll summarize what has worked (for me and a number of other colleagues) the best, particularly with (as in your case) something appears to "go wrong" --

1. Start with a "clean" PC, with no National Instruments software installed.  There is (probably) only one safe way to do this -- do not try to "force" the installation using Third Party "Uninstaller" software or "Registry Cleaners".
   1. Consider doing a complete backup of your C: Drive "just in case".
   2. I recommend using Control Panel.
   3. In Programs and Features, find National Instruments Software (it might also be NI Software).
   4. Click "Remove All" (or words to that effect).  Note you cannot (and should not!) remove NIPM.
   5. When it finishes (it takes a while!), reboot and do it again (there may be stuff still present).
   6. At some point, you should be left with only NI Package Manager.  Now you can uninstall it.
   7. Finally, try to do it "one more time" -- stuff sometimes "falls between the cracks").
   8. If I'm being "thorough", I'll sometimes look for "JKI" and "VISA" in the Software list and do these, as well, but definitely last.
   9. Finally, look for National Instrument and JKI folders, especially in the "Windows Work Space" (such as C:\Program Files) and delete them.  Again, if you are being cautious, copy these folders to a Flash Drive before deleting them from C:.
2. Download the current version of NIPM.
3. Use NIPM to download and install the version of LabVIEW you wish to use.  Some (including me) would advise installing (only) the 32-bit version of LabVIEW unless you have a need for the 64-bit version.
4. Install "slowly" and selectively -- don't try to install everything in one pass.  I tend to install Drivers last (old habit carried over from LabVIEW 7.0), with the first pass being only LabVIEW and JKI VIPM, the intermediate passes being Toolkits and Modules (a few at a time), and reboots between passes.

Bob Schor

[Anthony_L]

Helo Bob:

Thank you for your reply. This issue started happening when upgrading JKI Package manager, which was before I was attempting to Install LabVIEW 2020 on-top of LabVIEW 2014. I am suspecting that this issue will happen on any attempt to install LabVIEW related software. I have tried running NIPM to clean up the present LabVIEW 2014 Installer but that effort is encountering errors too.

Will be back with results for uninstall and re-Install effort.

Anthony

[Bob_Schor]

Warning -- if you do a complete LabVIEW Removal, you'll get rid of LabVIEW 2014!  This might be a Good Thing, since NI has been trying to keep users "backward compatible" for no more than 5 years (and I've had lots of "fun" and frustration when I accidentally pushed these boundaries).

If you need LabVIEW 2014 around for an older Project, I'd recommend creating a 60 GB VM (the older LabVIEW installations aren't quite as bloated as the more recent ones) and installing LabVIEW 2014 (alone!) there.  You'll also want to install a 2014 version of VIPM (which should come with the installation kit).  Be careful about installing patches on this "legacy" system!

Bob Schor