Creating a desktop PC Utility on USB stick

[Neville D]

I am trying to create a desktop PC Utility on a USB memory stick in order to test requirements for turning a desktop into an RT target.

But the darn MAX utility simply refuses to recognize a perfectly good USB memory stick that has been correctly formatted as FAT32.

I tried two different USB sticks, and different USB ports.

Any ideas?

Neville.

[TobyD]

QUOTE (Neville D @ Oct 20 2008, 10:11 AM)

I am trying to create a desktop PC Utility on a USB memory stick in order to test requirements for turning a desktop into an RT target.

But the darn MAX utility simply refuses to recognize a perfectly good USB memory stick that has been correctly formatted as FAT32.

I tried two different USB sticks, and different USB ports.

Any ideas?

Neville.

I am not familiar with the desktop PC utility tool, so my idea might suck, but you might try formatting your USB drive using the http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,64963-order,4-page,1-c,peripherals/description.html' rel='nofollow' target="_blank">HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. I have found other applications where a drive formatted in windows was not readable, but one formatted with the HP utility was.

[Neville D]

QUOTE (TobyD @ Oct 20 2008, 11:28 AM)

you might try formatting your USB drive using the http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,64963-order,4-page,1-c,peripherals/description.html' rel='nofollow' target="_blank">HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool. I have found other applications where a drive formatted in windows was not readable, but one formatted with the HP utility was.

I tried the HP utility but MAX still can't find the USB drive. Aargh!

Thanks Toby.

N.

[David Wisti]

There is a thread over at the NI forums, and a CAR, about this issue here.

[crelf]

QUOTE (Neville D @ Oct 20 2008, 01:11 PM)

• I am trying to create a desktop PC Utility on a USB memory stick in order to test requirements for turning a desktop into an RT target.
  
• MAX utility simply refuses to recognize a perfectly good USB memory stick that has been correctly formatted as FAT32.
  

I'm not sure I understand - can you explain those two items a bit further?

[Neville D]

QUOTE (crelf @ Oct 20 2008, 12:08 PM)

I'm not sure I understand - can you explain those two items a bit further?

Hi Chris,

Sorry, having internet troubles at work. I was trying to test whether my desktop could be used as an RT target.

Following the http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/9209361E17708D548625744A007FF353?OpenDocument' target="_blank">instructions, I wasn't able to create the USB stick-based utility to test it out.

Using the command from NI-MAX>Tools>RT Disk Utilities>Create Desktop PC Utility USB Drive

fails with "USB device not found".

I can also try building a floppy disk with the utility according to the link, but I have neither a floppy drive nor a floppy, and it seems crazy to try to hunt all that down and try to make it work with a modern quad-core Dell.

Your link was somewhat helpful, but I am still at sea.

N.

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

N.,

I'm not sure if it will make a difference, but can you try the following command line command to setup the USB memory.

Please remove as many other USB devices as possible from your system before running this, especially any that may contain memory or act as a drive (external harddrive, digital camera, iPod, etc.). Keyboard and mouse should be okay.

C:\Program Files\National Instruments\RT Images\Utilities\PXI_Disk\8.5.1\usbformat.exe usb

Update the drive letter and version number for your installation.

[Neville D]

QUOTE (LV_FPGA_SE @ Oct 21 2008, 07:27 AM)

N.,

I'm not sure if it will make a difference, but can you try the following command line command to setup the USB memory.

Please remove as many other USB devices as possible from your system before running this, especially any that may contain memory or act as a drive (external harddrive, digital camera, iPod, etc.). Keyboard and mouse should be okay.

C:\Program Files\National Instruments\RT Images\Utilities\PXI_Disk\8.5.1\usbformat.exe usb

Update the drive letter and version number for your installation.

Hi Christian,

I tried exactly that yesterday from looking at the links. It seemed to run without error, but nothing was generated on the USB stick.

I tried 8.5.1 and 8.6.

Is there any way to specify the drive letter in the command line?

Neville.

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

QUOTE (Neville D @ Oct 21 2008, 12:28 PM)

Hi Christian,

I tried exactly that yesterday from looking at the links. It seemed to run without error, but nothing was generated on the USB stick.

I tried 8.5.1 and 8.6.

Is there any way to specify the drive letter in the command line?

Neville.

Unfortunately no. This utility uses the first USB drive detected by the OS. This is why I asked you to remove any other possible drives or devices that may be detected by the OS and interpreted as the first device.

You could try and see if there is anything else in the System Hardware Device Manager that may be interpreted as a USB device by the OS. For example is there something internal to your computer that is connected to the motherboard using USB.

Another thing to try is to copy the folder, subfolders and contents of the directory containing the USBFORMAT utility (C:\Program Files\National Instruments\RT Images\Utilities\PXI_Disk\8.5.1\) to another (hopefully different) computer and run the utility there on your USB drive.

[Neville D]

QUOTE (LV_FPGA_SE @ Oct 21 2008, 11:05 AM)

You could try and see if there is anything else in the System Hardware Device Manager that may be interpreted as a USB device by the OS. For example is there something internal to your computer that is connected to the motherboard using USB.

Another thing to try is to copy the folder, subfolders and contents of the directory containing the USBFORMAT utility (C:\Program Files\National Instruments\RT Images\Utilities\PXI_Disk\8.5.1\) to another (hopefully different) computer and run the utility there on your USB drive.

Hey that was a good hint! I tried my laptop and it worked!

I guess there are a lot of things connected internally via USB in my DELL desktop.

Thanks!

N.

Maybe a note should be added to the http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/9209361E17708D548625744A007FF353?OpenDocument' target="_blank">NI link about this.

[David Wisti]

QUOTE (Neville D @ Oct 21 2008, 02:59 PM)

Hey that was a good hint! I tried my laptop and it worked!

I guess there are a lot of things connected internally via USB in my DELL desktop.

Thanks!

N.

Maybe a note should be added to the http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/websearch/9209361E17708D548625744A007FF353?OpenDocument' target="_blank">NI link about this.

I would bet there is something wrong with DeviceClasses in the registry of your Dell desktop. Did could try deleting the USB flash disk in the device manager. Then, remove it and re-insert it so windows runs the found new hardware wizard. This might fix your registry and MAX might work.

[Neville D]

QUOTE (David Wisti @ Oct 21 2008, 01:04 PM)

I would bet there is something wrong with DeviceClasses in the registry of your Dell desktop. Did could try deleting the USB flash disk in the device manager. Then, remove it and re-insert it so windows runs the found new hardware wizard. This might fix your registry and MAX might work.

There is no action to delete the device under the Device Manager. It simply shows up as "USB Composite Device". I can only disable it.

I think the problem is that this DELL has a memory card reader connected via USB internally and that might be interfering with the drive letters F, G, H, I, so the utility fails when trying to load software to the appropriate drive. Anyway, it worked with the laptop.

N.