Updating NI-Serial driver after Windows 10 update

[Ettepet]

A recent Windows 10 update invalidated our NI-Serial driver (COM-Port doesn't show up anymore).

Last year I switched the software we use from Labview 2013 to Labview 2018sp1.  The serial-driver was from that (recent) Labview-version.

To solve the invalidated driver NI now forces me to update many software parts in one HUGE, ULTRA-SLOW update.  I frankly only care about the serial-driver.  Is there a (simple) way to just update the serial driver for my users?

[crossrulz]

Download it from here: NI-Serial Download 

Select which version you want first.  On the right side below the "Download" button, there is a link to download an "Offline Installer".  I keep a copy of those for specific drivers on a local server.

[Ettepet]

That is exactly what I did.  Instead of a map with separate installers that I'm used to you currently get everything as a NIPM-file.

Trying to install "ni-serial_19.5.0.49152-0+f0_windows_all.nipkg" it asks to install "NI ADE Development Support (>= 19.5.0)" first.  I just wanted the driver, not manually back-track until I find it wants to install the lot anyway.

[crossrulz]

Why not just run the Install.exe?  That will open up NIPM and prompt you for what to install.  It will then include all of its dependencies.

[Ettepet]

That is precisely what I did and why I started this topic.  The 820MB file wants to install/upgrade all kinds of Labview-stuff, costing half an hour.  I just want the driver.

The cable costs a staggering amount of money.  If I bought a cheap $23 cable I could just update the driver and my Labview-program would function as it always has.

Having bought the expensive cable the company selling me this uses a cheap-method update mechanism that updates everything in sight, even though nothing of this is of any use to my Labview 2018-software.

A serial-driver meant for Windows should at least also come in a format for Windows (.exe, .msi or other), not only for a custom installer that shields regular handling of such matters.

This installer is twice as big as a full installer of the software I support/maintain.

[crossrulz]

Under the Select section of the installer, just make sure the Runtime installers are selected.  There should be a button to deselect everything.  You then just find the NI-Serial parts you care about (runtime).  Adding the configuration options is what is causing so many dependencies to have to be loaded.

[Ettepet]

Ah!  That saves time.

The Installer seems to have no option to run unattended though.  So apart from dealing with a huge file size it means that for all my 50+ users the Support department has to manually go through all the installer steps, just for a driver update.

[crossrulz]

You may be able to make a dummy installer in LabVIEW that only includes the drivers and/or runtime engines your application needs and give that to your customers.  You can control what goes into the installer a lot more this way.

[Ettepet]

Since the issue of "NI not giving a proper NI-Serial installer" didn't get resolved here it appears I need to file a complaint at NI itself.

[Jonah_TSE]

Currently the best way to install software to a large number of systems unattended/automatically is to create a silent installer using the steps in this article.
You would need to enter the commands specified into notepad, then save this as a .bat file. You can then run this on any PC to install NI-Serial run time without needing to select options or click on prompts. 

I've done this successfully on my own PC with the following commands:

cd C:\Program Files\National Instruments\NI Package Manager
nipkg.exe feed-add "D:\pool\ni-serial-runtime_19.5.0.49152-0+f0_windows_all.nipkg"
nipkg.exe feed-update
nipkg.exe install ni-serial-runtime -y --accept-eulas

You may need to change the file path on line 2 to point towards the location of this file on your system.

Best regards,

Jonah Winn

National Instruments Technical Support