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Unsupported operating system detected - Can't install FPGA module for 2016 DS2

Hi all,

 

Trying to install LabVIEW 2016 DS2 which included the FPGA module which is automatically selected due to a previous installation (it also automatically selected both ISE 14.7 and Vivado 2015.4) but when I click next to begin the install I get the following error:

 

Xilinx Compilation Tools - ISE 14.7 for LabVIEW 2016

Unsupported operating system detected.
The Xilinx Compilation Tool for ISE 14.7 does not officially support Windows 8 or later. Refer to the readme file of this product for more information.

 

If I go back and deselect ISE 14.7 it automatically deselects the FPGA module. If I try select the FPGA module but leave off ISE 14.7 it states I must install ISE 14.7 to continue. It will however just let me install Vivado 2015.4 without the FPGA module or ISE 14.7 which I find odd.

 

If I try this then Vivado 2015.4 will allow me to proceed and install but does warn me as follows:

 

Xilinx Compilation Tools - Vivado 2015.4 for LabVIEW 2016

Unsupported operating system detected.
The Xilinx Compilation Tool for Vivado 2015.4 may install and execute on this operating system, but official support is not provided. Refer to the readme file of this product for more information.

 

I need the FPGA module installing so how do I get around this issue?

 

I'm running Windows 8.1 64-bit

 

Cheers for looking and thanks in advance.

 

Mitch

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Hi Mitch,

 

Unfortunately NI LabVIEW FPGA module is not supported in Windows 8 or 8.1. I would recommend reverting back to Windows 7 as the Xilinx tools are also not supported in Windows 10, however the FPGA module (15.0) is.

 

Windows 8 compatibility:

http://www.ni.com/white-paper/14281/en/

 

Windows 10 compatibility:

http://www.ni.com/white-paper/52818/en/

 

Windows 7 compatibility:

http://www.ni.com/white-paper/10383/en/

 

You can also check which OS's are compatibile with different driver versions by going to the driver download page and checking the Operating system section under available downloads. For example the FPGA Module Xilinx Compilation Tool for ISE 14.7 is only compatibilty with Windows 7 (http://www.ni.com/download/labview-fpga-module-2016/6231/en/)

 

Sorry that you are having these problems but I hope this helps out for the future.

 

Pete

Certified LabVIEW Architect
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Morning Pete,

 

Many thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

 

I've actually been dealing with this issue with another NI Application Engineer (Pontus Markstrom) and as you have pointed out, LabVIEW FPGA and Xilinx are not officially supported on Windows OS 8 and above, however, the FPGA module is only stated as not being supported because Xilinx enables functionality within the FPGA module, thus if Xilinx is not supported, FPGA also cannot be officially supported. If only the FPGA module were to be installed and not Xilinx then technically it would be classed as supported (that’s my opinion, not NI’s).

 

Now, in terms of installing the FPGA module and Xilinx tools from the installation discs . . . success! These are your options regarding the installation:

 

  1. You can install FPGA moduleseparately
  2. You can installVivado2015.5 separately
  3. You can install FPGA module andVivado2105.5 together
  4. You cannot install FPGA module andISE14.7 together
  5. You cannot installISE14.7 separately

 

Basically ISE 14.7 is not supported to the point that it doesn't even attempt to let you install. 

 

I know that the installation checks the OS version before you get to the selection page and if it knows ISE 14.7 isn’t supported I would argue it shouldn’t allow you to select it, or at least grey it out with an explanation rather than having to move on one step then jump back. Anyway, it doesn't let you continue with the products that are allowed to be installed, regardless of whether they are supported or not so basically if you have ISE 14.7 selected on Windows 8 or above, you are forced to go back and change the selection.

 

If you choose to install Vivado 2015.5, it does bring up a nice big warning saying the product is not official supported but it will let you install it, along with the FPGA module if you have selected it.

 

In order to select the FPGA module separately (and if you want, install Vivado 2015.5 at the same time) you simply have to do one of the following options:

 

1. When you get the message asking if you want to install the FPGA module and its dependencies. Hit ‘No’, then select Vivado 2015.5. Then select the FPGA module. A message will come up saying ISE 14.7 is required; do you want to install the required products? Hit ‘No’. Done, click ‘Next’.

 

 2. When you get the message asking if you want to install the FPGA module and its dependencies. Click ‘Yes’. On ISE 14.7, click ‘Do Not Install’. This will display a message saying ISE 14.7 is required by FPGA; do you want to deselect the dependent products? Hit ‘No’. Done, click ‘Next’.

 

3. When you get the message asking if you want to install the FPGA module and its dependencies. Click ‘Yes’. On FPGA module, click ‘Do Not Install’. On ISE 14.7, click ‘Do Not Install’. Select FPGA module. A message will come up saying ISE 14.7 is required; do you want to install the required products? Hit ‘No’. Done, click ‘Next’.

 

I’ve listed all three just to cover all bases but any will get you to the same point, option 1 being the easiest. Once this is done it will allow you to continue, accept the warnings and voila! FPGA module and Vivado 2015.5 are installed.

 

I will point out though that whilst I now have the ability to run the FPGA module and compile via Vivado on my local machine, this issue surrounding the lack of support from Xilinx is somewhat annoying and worrying as the shift seems to be heading towards using Linux over Windows for compiling, especially as it was quoted as being up to 30% faster over Windows 7. It was also mentioned that compiling in Windows 8 and 10 is painstakingly slow compared to Windows 7, never mind Linux

 

Pontus mentioned the use of using a compile server or compile cloud rather than using my local machine as a compile worker which can run Windows 7 or Linux. The benefits here are it supports ISE and Vivado, is much faster at compiling due to the OS versions and saves around 8-9GB of hard drive space.

 

However, a few of my machines are not connected to the internet or not allowed on the corporate network so rely on local compiling. This means if I need to compile in ISE I will need to find a Windows 7 machine purely to compile bit files unless there is a way I can upload the code via another machine. Not looked into this yet as I currently have no need but I am intrigued to know what options are available.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Mitch

 

 

 

 

 

Message 3 of 12
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Thanks, Mitch, for looking into this.  I wish I could have given this post 3 stars.  Sigh.  I would be willing to go full Linux (right now I run Windows in a VM) if NI would actually provide full support LV on something other than RH distros.  To this day it is mind boggling to me that Windows is the main platform supported...

PWoodward - this response was pretty lame.  For those who have been running 8 for the past several years or even 10 for the past year, downgrading is no longer a feasible option.  It is surprising that 2015 seems to run well on 10 but now you can't even install 2016??  NI at this point should be looking forward and not relying on a platform that is now 7 years old and several releases behind.

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Hi Cirrusio,

 

I'd recommend putting your suggestions on the idea exchange so that the right people can hear the feedback and possibly respond to it.

 

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW-FPGA-Idea-Exchange/idb-p/lvfpgaideas

 

Kind regards,

Pete

Certified LabVIEW Architect
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Thanks for starting this thread, it is extremely confusing trying to get some of the FPGA stuff installed. I almost feel like NI should off free cloud compile service for some of the older hardware, since, as others have pointed out, Windows 7 is rapidly becoming more difficult to get. 

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Hi guys,

Sorry I didn't put this in my original post, Amcelroy just jogged my memory.

 

NI offer cloud compile service for anyone with active Standard Service Package (SSP) for software:

 

Compile faster with the LV FPGA Compile Cloud Service:

http://www.ni.com/white-paper/52328/en/

 

Direct to portal:

ni.com/trycompilecloud

 

Merry Christmas

Pete

 

Certified LabVIEW Architect
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That approach only works with the native Labview FPGA VIs though. If you can't install the Xilinix ISO, then there doesn't seem to be a way to access the Xilinix IP, such as Xilinx CORDEC, FFT, and Floating Point libraries. 

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Hi Mitch

 

You should summarise the solution and flag it out as the solution to make it stand out.

The solution basically consists of two parts:
a) During the installation process you can press NO to installing the additional products and this will start the FPGA module installation anyway. This will then allow opening projects containing FPGA targets and FPGA code.

b) FPGA bitfiles can then be synthesized using NI's cloud compilation option.

 

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As this thread keeps bumping, let's try to get all the information into a single post. 

 

How do you install FPGA on Win8.x/10?  Install it separately.  You can try installing the compile tools, but I wouldn't suggest such things.

 

What does this limit?  It prevents you from compiling your FPGA.  This is only really an issue if you're offline or using your own IP you want to integrate. In those cases, you need a local compiler and need to find another machine.

 

Why wouldn't NI support a newer OS?  That's really not difficult to understand if you take a broader look at the question.  What are ISE and Vivado?  They're compiler tools built to compile code for Xilinix FPGAs.  ISE is legacy and will never see support for a newer OS.  Vivado JUST added support for Win8.x/10 last quarter.  That came after the last FPGA release.  It wouldn't even be possible for the 2016 release to support something for which a tool didn't exist.  I'd guess we'll finally see support for those new OSes now that Xilinx has updated their tool's support.  But, this has been a limitation of Xilinx FPGAs in all uses up until recently. 

 

Personally, I've installed the FPGA module without any issues into both OSes sans compiler tools.  But, I also don't have the two limitations listed prior.  It may not be supported but it appears to work just fine.

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