LabVIEW 6.1 problem with datasockets server starting

[davy.baker]

I recently installed LabVIEW 6.1, onto a machine with LabVIEW 6.0.2. I opted to use a different directory instead of upgrading, so that I could roll back if anything was wrong with 6.1. Now when I launch a vi that wants datasocket server I get the message: "preparing to install LabVIEW 6i", and then a message from the msi installer saying "The feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable. Click OK to try again, or enter a alternate path to a folder containing the installation package "lv60.msi" in the box below.

The box says "Please insert the disk labeled [NILVName]
or browse.

So I browse to this MSI (found on lv 6.0.2 install cd
under d:\labview\installer), but it comes
back and says:

The file "D:\labview\installer\lv60.msi" is not a valid installation package for the product NI LabVIEW 6.0. Try to find the installation package 'lv60.msi' in a folder from which you can install NI LabVIEW 6.0.

So I click, OK, then cancel, get a error "Error 1706. No valid source could be found for product NI LabVIEW 6.0. The Windows installer cannot continue. Ok

So then it starts rolling back the "install", and I get stuck in a loop asking for the lv60.msi installation package. After 3 or 4 cancel clicks on the uninstaller/reinstaller, it finally gives up and starts the datasocket server (version 4.0 (377))

Thoughts on how to get rid of this ongoing annoyance ?

Thanks for any feedback...

Best,
Davy Baker

[Aaron Marks]

Does this problem happen with anything besides VIs that use the datasocket server. I once had a problem that caused the msi installer dialog box every time I opened Microsoft Explorer. Since the socket server uses explorer components, it might be related. I eventually corrected this problem by removing a certain registry key. This is a shot in the dark, but try deleting the

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\20F22BE295933D11082B000540F95DD5 Transforms value

Make sure you create a backup of your registry before editing, just in case. If that doesn't do anything for you, you might consider just doing a full uninstall/reinstall of LabVIEw 6.0.

[davy.baker]

Thanks Aaron... I installed the lv6.1 run time engine (for a unrelated reason) and it fixed the msi
installer coming up when I start a vi in the labview 6.1 development environment that uses datasockets.

Also, to answer your question; No, it only came up when I started a vi using datasockets.

Lastly, are you sure datasockets uses explorer components ? What makes you think that ? Dependency
walker used to determine this ?

[TimTower]

Hi Aaron
Boy, have you saved me a lot of hassle! I have encountered this problem often (it wants to install LV6.0 when I start or stop Data socket server). Mostly, I have been able to get around it by re-installing LV Runtime 61 (which I also discovered by accident). This time, this solution did not fix the problem, so I went searching at the NI website for a solution, and I spotted yours! Anyway, I tried re-installing LV61 – no help. Then, I tried deleting the Registry key which you mentioned, and Viola! The bug has gone!. Questions:
1. How on earth did you find the fix?
2. What does NI have to say about this? Has anyone asked them? I bet many people have struggled with this.

Many thanks for taking the trouble to post this solution!
Tim