Labview 2019 offline install

[skaluf]

I am installing LabView 2019 on a bunch of lab computers and have two related

questions.  I broke up the LabView 2018 and prior installs into 4 groups:

Install - main Labview components - 8gb

Drivers - nidaq, etc - 24gb

Addons - addons - 12gb

Extras - everything else - 11gb

For 2019, I downloaded to two iso files (32 and 64-bit) from here using the "Individual

Offline Installers" link:

https://www.ni.com/en-us/support/downloads/software-products/download.labview.html

I can get some subset of each to install, but the install.exe does not seem to have

a way to selectively install which parts to install.  I see some posts about using the

NI-VLM, the group I work with does not have access to the license server.  For

Labview and Labview NXG installs I just copy the servers.ini file that contains the

license server information once Labview is installed.

Is there a way with the offline installer.exe to selectively pick which features to

install?

[asukumari]

Please use PACKAGE MANAGER to manage (add/remove) your development environments, drivers, suites and add-ons.

Uninstall your broken environments and install the latest with required drivers. The package manager should automatically review what's available on your system and install the components. 

Also, do you have the admin rights to the systems you are installing ?

[skaluf]

First, yes, I am attempting to run this as admin.

Second, I require running these installs silently using Microsoft SCCM.  I have

found a few NI KB's that discuss installing things silently with the Package

Manager, but it is not straight forward.  With the old NI installer, I could generate

spec files the outlined everything that I wanted to install.  This new method

does not seem to be able to do that easily.

[Bob_Schor]

In my somewhat limited experience (I've only been using and installing LabVIEW for about 13 years -- I've done maybe a hundred installations, and until LabVIEW 2017 and the introduction of NIPM, never had much of a problem (I always did it "manually", and really appreciated the Installation program that organized the LabVIEW offerings by function so you could be sure to get all the "pieces" you needed, but not stuff you weren't using, and then did the installation in the proper order, Device Drivers last).  However, since NIPM was introduced, I have had numerous problems, particularly involving Updates, but also involving "starting over" when the installations failed (I'm in the midst of one of these right now, involving LabVIEW 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 -- this is my 3rd or 4th failed attempt to get 2019 installed with these older versions, and I'm not happy about it).

My advice would be to "do it manually".  Yes, it is a pain, but if you have Installation Media, you can go from PC to PC starting installations sequentially (you may want to burn a few DVDs or USB Sticks, or use a Shared Drive).  I've done this with LabVIEW 2015 and 2016 for teaching labs with 10 PCs -- it took about 25% more time to do 10 than to do 1 (by my guesstimation).

Bob Schor

[natasftw]

You've posted in other threads that part of your installation pain was due to a beta.

You're also making the assumption it's possible to go to each machine physically (that's not always the case).

If that's the best advice, wouldn't it be better advice to try to work with the server admin to get access to the server once per release to build a Volume License Installer?  That has to be better than going to each machine manually.

I'd also expect someone upgrading to the newest versions has a support contract.  Are you able to work with the support staff to try and find how this works with 2019?

[Bob_Schor]

@natasftw:  Assuming you are commenting on my Post, I am, indeed, working closely with the wonderful NI Support Team to try to understand the issues that I'm currently having.  It may well be a combination of the modules and toolkits I am installing.  It also seems to involve possible interactions with NI Updates.

Bob Schor

---

[ThomasEhlerAU]

With Labview 2019 the following issues has arisen:

The license server NI License manager licensed package cannot install unattended with the command used previously,
Install.exe /q /AcceptLicenses yes /disableNotificationCheck /confirmCriticalWarnings /r:n
as the installer does not accept the /AcceptLicenses yes

After building a 2019 package with NI Package builder and setting all apps to mandatory, you then configure license for the package through the license server License manager.
That process ruins the "always install" settings you made in the package builder so you need to manually copy over the install files from the Package Builder package to the "License configured" package's _src folder.

When installing you also need to run the Install.exe from the _src folder with the following command:
Install.exe --passive --accept-eulas --prevent-reboot

However this installer cannot run under the SYSTEM account as the install tries to write to user folders that the SYSTEM account does not have..

In my opinion this needs to be escalated as status is:

1. The 2019 NI License manager licensed package cannot install unattended with the previously used command, as the installer does not accept the /AcceptLicenses yes
2. The NI License Manager licensing mechanism smashes/resets the setup options (Always install) set in NI Package builder, when licensing the package.
3. The program built by the package manager cannot be deployed through SCCM as it cannot install under the System account.
   Command used: Install.exe --passive --accept-eulas --prevent-reboot
4. This means it is only installed to the user it is installed under, so if the supporter installs it, the user won’t have any shortcuts.
   Same goes if more users use a PC in a LAB.

/Thomas Ehler
Deployment specialist SCCM
Aarhus University