Invalid 32bit win exe

[malanskas]

I am developing a LabVIEW exe on a windows 10 computer using LabVIEW 2017 32 bit version. When I build the executable and bring it down to a Windows XP computer to run it, I get an invalid win32 exe message. Do I need to create an installer for this or is there another way?

[ZYOng]

Installers and executables are only guaranteed to work on the operating system they are built on.  For example, a Windows 10 installer or executable may not work as expected on a different Windows version (e.g. Windows XP, Windows 8, or Windows 7). 

Reference: Running Executables or Installers on Different Windows Versions

[bjlv]

I have a older PC that has 32 bit Windows 10 as its operating system (and a 32 bit CPU).  I have several small executables written and built in 32 bit LabVIEW 2021 that I would like to run on that PC.  I can not seem to install the 32 bit Runtime support due to the installer requiring 64 bit Windows to do the install.  Anyone know how to get around this trap?

bjlv

[GerdW]

Hi bjlv,

I merged your thread because of the very similar question…

Generic answer: create the installer on the same system as you want to run later on.

More specific answer: since several LabVIEW versions (since 2021?) the AppBuilder uses an installer that requires a 64bit version of Windows. When you want to support older/32bit systems then you have to go back to an AppBuilder that still supports them…

[Scott_Richardson]

These KB's might be relevant to give you more background: 

• NI Installer Requires Windows 10 64-Bit (Version 1507) or Newer
  NI Package-Based Distribution Built on 64-Bit Computer Fails to Install On 32-Bit

[bjlv]

OK, I should have said that I have VIs without an AppBuilder Installer.  I have downloaded the Runtime Engine that I want, but I get the NI Package Manager that is too new and does not support a 32 bit OS.  I see the KB entry about downgrading the Package Manager to version 20.6, but I don't see an option to download any version older than 20.7.  Now what?

bnlv

[rolfk]

As soon as you install anything from NI newer than 20.6 (2020) the according NI installer framework is upgraded and you can not generate installers for non 64-bit Windows system. This also means that you can’t downgrade that framework as long as anything newer is installed that depends on it, The only practical solution for you is to use a different computer or a Virtual Machine instance and install whatever NI software you need but make darn sure that it contains nothing newer than 20.6.

Another solution is to use N AppBuilder Installer anyway if your LabVIEW is not to new. The old Installers are MSI based and as you can see in the Knowledge Base article it’s as simple as editing the according configuration file in your build installer to allow installation on older systems. If you want to use the NI Package Manager however, staying at 20.6 or lower for anything NI is the only solution. Although NIPM has many problems and even more in those early versions so I’m not sure why anybody would insist on using it.

While I can understand that NI wanted to get rid of having to support systems that Microsoft had ended support for themselves I think the removal of support for anything older than 64-bit Windows in the installer framework the instant Microsoft drops official consumer support for Windows 7 was a bit to eager. It’s a shared component among all NI installer build software so a LabIEW 2015 on the same system can’t generate a legitimate installer anymore. It doesn’t support installation on non Windows 10 systems but is officially also not compatible with Windows 10 systems.

That’s something you can force consumers into but industrial users don’t upgrade every second year and often can’t even if they wanted to.

[Hooovahh]

To help with development like this you should think about setting up a virtual machine.  Oracle VirtualBox is free, with a couple licensing restrictions on the extension.  You can install a 32-bit version of XP, then install all the appropriate version of the development environment, and make your EXE and installer there.  Using VMs you can take snapshots and then roll back or forward as needed.  This makes testing things much easier.  You can take a snapshot before installing anything NI, then install a version of LabVIEW, and see if it works.  If not, roll that snapshot back and try again.