Windows 10, Labview 2020.1 SP1 Installation, and another Labview version running on a Virtual Machine (Virtual Box)

[noobie_programmer]

Dear Sir:

       Many years ago I purchased a Labview development license and I had to install this version of Labview onto a virtual machine, (I used Oracle Virtual Box), because this old version of Labview could only run on an old Windows operating system  (Windows XP is the "guest" operating system, the "host" operating system is Windows 10).    When I installed Labview onto the virtual machine (guest O/S - Windows XP) I had no connectivity problems with the host operating system, Windows 10.    All my old Labview programs could control all the National Instruments hardware that I purchased such as NI's USB 6009 DAQ.

        A connectivity issue arose when I installed Labview 2020.1 SPI Community Edition onto my host operating system (host O/S is Windows 10).    

        Labview Community Edition runs fine on Windows 10.    However, when I try to use my old Labview program running on my virtual machine (Windows XP) now I have a "connectivity" problem.     This is the problem:

        I plug my USB 6009 DAQ into the USB port and the host operating system, Windows 10 and MAX, instantly interfaces with the USB 6009.    When I run Labview on my XP virtual machine the USB port in XP fails to "attach".    Virtual Box send me the error message that my USB device (NI USB 6009) is "busy with a previous request" and that previous request is the host operating system and MAX.

        I need to find a way to disconnect MAX in the host operating system (Windows 10) so that the USB port will be released to the guest operating system (XP).    

        Can someone tell me how I configure my system so that these 2 versions of Labview can function together (I know that I have to disable one, so that the other may be be enabled)?

[Bob_Schor]

The latest version of LabVIEW that NI says are "compatible" with Windows XP is LabVIEW 2015 SP1.  LabVIEW 2020 SP1 is 5 years past this "compatible" deadline.  You need to upgrade your VM to at least Windows 7.

Bob Schor

P.S. -- do a Web search for "LabVIEW and Windows compatibility".  Also, I've had no problems running multiple versions of LabVIEW simultaneously on a Host and VM (but I've not used Virtual Box recently -- indeed, my only LabVIEW 2020 installations are on VMs at present).

[noobie_programmer]

Dear Sir:

       My old version of Labview is compatible with Windows XP (the guest operating system).   This system is compatible with respect to each other.

       The host operating system is Windows 10, running Labview 2020.1 SP1.   This system is compatible is with respect to each other.

       I believe that this point was made when I wrote:

"A connectivity issue arose when I installed Labview 2020.1 SPI Community Edition onto my host operating system (host O/S is Windows 10)."    

        If you know of the exact source where this incompatiblity arises, please elaborate upon what leads you to believe that this is the source of the error and how this takes place.    Can you please explain this with regard to the Windows 10 files that will be called to cause the incompatibility issue which results in the USB port not being released to the guest operating system?

       Please note that when I did not have Labview 2020.1 installed on Windows 10, there were no compatibility issues.    My old version of Labview ran fine in the XP virtual machine (guest operating system) while Windows 10 was the host operating system.  

[natasftw]

Bob, you're missing the problem here.

Host PC -> LV 2020 SP1 -> Windows 10

VM -> Older LV -> WinXP

The problem he's running into is the Host PC is trying to communicate with the DAQ device and reserving it so the VM can no longer communicate.

OP, you mentioned MAX sees it immediately.  Is it safe to assume you've tested without MAX being open?

It's also worth asking what is keeping you on the older version.  Is it the commercial license?  Anything that's locked into WinXP is ripe for an upgrade so you don't run into issues with EOL.  Is there something in your code that prevents the upgrade?

[Bob_Schor]

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@natasftw wrote:

Bob, you're missing the problem here.

Host PC -> LV 2020 SP1 -> Windows 10

VM -> Older LV -> WinXP

You are absolutely right -- I did miss the problem.  I also missed the subtlety of porting code developed with an old (licensed) version of LabVIEW to LabVIEW Community Edition, presumably with the intent of running on this system, presumably for private, "hobbyist" use.

Bob Schor

[noobie_programmer]

Thank you all for your concerns.

I just need to know how to programmatically release the USB port to the VM.

To satisfy everyone's curiosity of why I am still running an old version of Labview on an old operating system is because I own a full Labview developer's license plus other NI software packages that are built upon that specific version of Labview.     

Hopefully, a NI engineer will be able to answer my question.   It is my belief that this question has probably arisen before in the past.  

[RavensFan]

Could the NI Device Detector be running as a service and immediately seeing it and owning it?  I can't remember the exact name of the service.

[Bob_Schor]

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@RavensFan wrote:

Could the NI Device Detector be running as a service and immediately seeing it and owning it?  I can't remember the exact name of the service.

---

From the Windows 10 Search Bar on the bottom Taskbar, type Services.  Scroll down until you find the list of around 20 Services that start with "NI ".  RavensFan might be referring to the NI Device Loader, which should be in the list.

Bob Schor

[RavensFan]

Yes.  That is what I was thinking of.

I actually do have that service running, but I don't see any icon on the systray.   Perhaps the icon only pops up when I plug in a DAQ device.  ??  I don't have any DAQ devices handy to plug into my PC to test it.

[Bob_Schor]

I never thought about Icons in the System Tray.  Do you mean like this?

I'd never paid much attention, but the one with the Red Arrow pointing to it says "NI Device Monitor" when you hover your mouse near it.  And as far as I know, my laptop is not currently attached to any DAQ device (though there is a myRIO downstairs that I can reach by WiFi if I fire up LabVIEW and open a LabVIEW RT Project).

Bob Schor