USB 6501 driver...

[Jon_S1]

So I am trying to use the USB 6501 with Labview on an older XP machine with SP 3.  Under MAX, the 6501 shows up as "dev1".  I have read through and watched a video that talks about updating the firmware on the NI USB-6008/6009 with the DAQmx Base Driver 3.x.   I am not sure if this is the solution that I need.  For one thing, in the video before loading the new firmware into the device, the driver is updated to the "NI-USB-6008 Multifunction IO".  Is there a "NI USB-6501 Multifunction IO driver" somewhere that I should be able to download and use?  only a "USB-6501" is shown when I try to select a device.  Where would I get this?  Would this driver also be the correct one to use with Windows XP? - and that is another thing, nowhere in the video does it say what OS the computer is running.

I already have a GPIB-USB-HS device installed successfully that shows up as "GPIB0", and a 3rd party relay board which seems to work just fine with the system without issue.  I would like to add the 6501 to this computer as well...  please advise.

I don't want to use another computer and want the 6501 to work with the system I have LabVIEW installed on without making the existing GPIB or relay board to stop working...and also continuing to use XP pro....

I am running(when I look in MAX [help] >[system information]

Windows XP Professional

5.01.2600

Service Pack 3

CVI Run-Time 10.0.1.434

DAQmx Device Driver 15.5.1f0

NI-488.2 Software 3.0.2

NI I/O TRACE 15.0.0f0

LABIEW    11.0.0

LABVIEW RUNTIME 2010 SP1   10.0.1

MEASUREMENT AND AUTOMATION EXPLORER  15.0.0f0

NI-USI     1.9.0.4551

NI PXI     15.0.0f1

NI PAL    15.1.0

NI SYSTEM CONFIG     15.0.0f0

NI VISA    5.1.1

LABVIEW RUNTIME 2011   11.0.0.0

LABVIEW RUNTIME 2014 SP1 f1    14.0.1

LABVIEW RUNTIME 8.5.0

LABVIEW RUNTIME 2009 SP1    9.0.1

[perhult]

It is unclear what is actually your problem, is the problem that you are not able to use the device in Labview 2011?

In that case check this:

http://www.ni.com/download/ni-daqmx-15.5.1/6100/en/

http://www.ni.com/product-documentation/53326/en/

So, DAQmx 15.5.1 does not support Labview 2011. You need to install DAQmx 14.

[Jon_S1]

The problem is - I read that DAQmx should see this as a NI device and not just a generic "device1".  is this true?  Yes, I don't seem to be able to use the device in Labview 2011.  Where would I find it?  How do I access it's ports?

[natasftw]

dev1 should just be the name for the device that you can change to whatever you please.  It's not a bad thing.  Without seeing it as a device, it wouldn't get a name like this.

Have you tried to use it at all or just seen the device and been concerned?

[Jon_S1]

concerned. 

Are you saying that the ports should be avaliable in LabVIEW?  how do I access them?  Is there a VI that I need to download and add to the library?

[Jon_S1]

in order to install DAQmx 14, do I have to completely uninstall DAQmx15?  will I lose the ability to communicate with the peripherals that I have now and have to relink them?  It has been years since I added new hardware and I remember it being a headache and PIA the first time around.  i have been happily using this system for many years and want all of my current projects to still work once I install the correct items to make the 6501 work.  Any suggestions, instructions, links, or advice?

[perhult]

I agree that should be able to see the USB 6501 in DAQmx and for instance use "Test Panels". That has nothing to do with Labview so if you can't interact with the device there is something strange going on.

Still, you will not be able to use the device with Labview 11 and DAQmx 15 anyhow, there is no workaround

You can only have version of DAQmx installed.

Will I lose the ability to communicate with the peripherals that I have now and have to relink them? Only if you have any device that is only supported by 15 and not 14. Check the DAQmx notes, it is clearly outlined.

My advice would be to buy a new computer, install Windows 10 (or maybe 7 depending on your IT department). Review which devices you can keep and which you need to replace.

I know that is not what you want to hear, but seriously, you will save that money by not needing to go through lots of headaches.

Windows XP is doomed anyhow. I am finally getting rid of my last lab computer with XP in a month and it will be a bliss!

[natasftw]

---

@perhult wrote:

My advice would be to buy a new computer, install Windows 10 (or maybe 7 depending on your IT department). Review which devices you can keep and which you need to replace.

I know that is not what you want to hear, but seriously, you will save that money by not needing to go through lots of headaches.

Windows XP is doomed anyhow. I am finally getting rid of my last lab computer with XP in a month and it will be a bliss!

---

With the exception of the quoted piece, that was great advice you just received.  You can only install a single version.  If everything was working prior to purchasing the new device and installing the drivers, everything will continue to work.  You'll just need to uninstall 15 and install the older version.  Then, everything should work again.

As far as the quoted part, this makes absolutely zero sense with respect to solving your current problem.  You have a working PC for your application.  The drivers you need are supported both on XP and the newer PCs.  If you're looking to purchase anything (which I don't think you need to be), you'd want to take a look at a version of LabVIEW that isn't old enough it can't use drivers that were released over a year ago.  That means any bug fixes moving forward won't be applicable to your system.  If you find you want to use hardware that isn't supported on your OS, you might consider the new PC at that point.  Depending on your PC, it might be a bit cheaper to just pick up the new OS as well.  But, don't throw money at a problem where money isn't the solution.

[Jon_S1]

i guess it is more than just a concern.  I don't understand why these things are not intelligent enough to just be plug and play.

with my current MAX setup, if I open MAX while the 6501 is already plugged in, it shows up under 'devices and interface:  USB-6501 "dev1" '.

however, if I open MAX, then plug in the 6501, MAX crashes and sends an unexpected error message and has to close. 

Are you saying that I won't see MAQmx in Labview because I have an incompatible version of MAQmx and I need to install version 14?  Would this allow lme to use a digital output or input via DAQmx with LabVIEW 11?  or maybe it is there and I am just looking in the wrong place...  where do I fid the DAQmx icon?

[natasftw]

Check out: http://www.ni.com/product-documentation/53326/en/

This will give you all compatible versions.  Yes, the problem you're seeing in LabVIEW is you have a version that is too new for LabVIEW 2011. 

The crash is something unexpected.  It probably requires a bug report (CAR) if you can reproduce it and wasn't something that happened just the once.

Plug and Play is a bit arbitrary here.  You're plugging the device in and can immediately use it.  You're hoping everything goes smoothly with development software that was written in 2011, the measurement explorer written in 2015, drivers from 2015, and an OS service pack released in 2008.  You've got a lot of moving pieces created over the course of nearly a decade.  You should expect some hiccups.  If the entire fix is rolling back the drivers, that's a pretty easy fix.