Finally forced to surf the bleeding edge (Win7 64 bit)

Due to the fact that Autocad is killing my tired 5 year old desktop, IT is building me a new dual monitor 8gbDDR3 design workstation and I gotta migrate a bunch of software to it.

I found most of the answers but I got lost looking for Drive Executiuve, aka Drive Explorer, aka Drive Tools, aka (several others I can't recall),

Anyway, it must work over ethernet or devicenet through RSLinx and be able to connect, monitor, configure, and save setup files and run on 64 bit Windows7 (probably business edition? will check tomorrow)...

We tested DL5 programming software on win7 64 bit by the way, and it was successful with a real serial port on the PC, so I may be the guinea pig on Drive Exploder Plus or whatever its current name is when IT Tom brings me my new screamer.

I swear Autocad 2010 can't run on 2gb Ram...he says the latest version he's giving me is Autocad 2012 Electrical and Plant Design Something Er uther, which sounds cool, but I want formal training this time up front, I am so ready to ditch Acad for mechanical design where modelling needs to be more intuitive and intelligent...

Oh, and Ultraware...I didn't see it on the insane new RS Compatibility Spreadsheet I downloaded the other day. I plotted it...two pages on Tabloid paper in tiny print barely readable with my 20/20...

OkiePC said:

Oh, and Ultraware...I didn't see it on the insane new RS Compatibility Spreadsheet I downloaded the other day. I plotted it...two pages on Tabloid paper in tiny print barely readable with my 20/20...

Click to expand...

Have you thought about VMWare or Virtualbox?

Where is the RS Compatibility Spreadsheet?

TWControls said:

Have you thought about VMWare or Virtualbox?

Click to expand...

IT requirement for VM is HyperV and yes, we plan to have that available to try out.

I have read all the threads here about VMWare, so if we hit too many wall with the Macroshaft schtufff I will go that route (VMWare).

I am seriously planning to VMWare our FactoryBalkPuke Studio (now that Ken is not with A/B, I feel like I can bring out the bash-words every now and then...). There is no way that FactoryTalk gets installed on the clean new host...i don't care how many PICs and PCMMK cards I have to toss...

No offense to you Rockwell employees out there, past or present

And, no disrespect intended unless you're on their software design team.

Paul

One More, does anyone know if the Crimson 3.0 Emulator works (including connecting over ethernet to real SLCs and Logix) on Win7 64 bit yet? Last time I tried was Build 218 I think. At that level, I was running Vista, though, Home Premium If I Could Remeber Scheet. And Crimson would crash, generate a log, and recover most of the time, all of my work on restart. It coincided with my Wireless provider software ddriver running too...If I stayted off the web at home, I could run it on that junk Toshiba laptop without crashing, but I didn't have to connect. We don't require live running emulation to develop, because its easully fast and handy to have a real G3 sitting on the desk...But to use the emulator as a freeware time limited logger for an intermittent problem or a place to take the math out of a calibration that your teche need to enter in grams, or inches...I have several emualtors that work on WinXP SP3 over RSLinx CLassic Gateway to live machines.

It sure is nice for demos and quick troubleshooting screens that I can turn loose to my floor techs. They will all be using win7 64 bit too soon.

We have cd3 file developed that runs on the emulator nicely for adjusting oven line speeds that is handy too...as soon as the PlanalittlewaitbeforeyouView700+ that's out there goes poop...I should have a G306 on the shelf...

RsView plays decent in a virtual world

I'm running the Crimson 3.0 Emulator on the virtual machine as well so can't say for sure. I went ahead and loaded all my programming software this way.

I've had pretty good luck with XP Virtual machine that comes with Win 7. Only thing quirky I have had that I can't get around is the activation for my version of Factory Talk and a weird anomaly when talking to PF40s through Ethernet from Logix5000.

I have found that a solid state hard drive makes a huge difference in the performance of Autocad. I typically have my entire drawing packages grid style in one file and I can work on 100+ pages without too much delay.

OkiePC; said:

...as soon as the PlanalittlewaitbeforeyouView700+ that's out there goes poop...I should have a G306 on the shelf...

Click to expand...

I can't wait to use that fresh new nickname on my distributor when he begs us again to try a Panelview Compact or Component...

Damian said:

I've had pretty good luck with XP Virtual machine that comes with Win 7. Only thing quirky I have had that I can't get around is the activation for my version of Factory Talk and a weird anomaly when talking to PF40s through Ethernet from Logix5000.

I have found that a solid state hard drive makes a huge difference in the performance of Autocad. I typically have my entire drawing packages grid style in one file and I can work on 100+ pages without too much delay.

Click to expand...

I think Mr Sawyer told me that Virtual Machine is okay with IT. Yes my IT guy is named Tom Sawyer...he has learned to hate RUSH too..so sad, he is such a cool guy otherwise...

I'm very happy with VMWare 7.10 running all my automation software on XPSP3, with a Win7-64 host. I maxed out what Dell was offering in a M4500 Precision mobile workstation; quad-core i7, SSD drive, all that jazz.

I haven't had to try Ultraware on a virtual machine yet, but DriveExplorer and anything that will run through the supported serial/usb/ethernet interfaces will work.

There are going to be some serial drivers that don't work; obviously 1747-PIC/AIC+, and I've seen trouble with the 1761-NET-ENI serial utility.

I still maintain a native XPSP2 computer to run the stuff that won't run in virtualization.

I know youre post was specifically about Rockwell but I found an Issue with VMware, actually relates to IsaGraf software (as used with ControlMicorsystems RTU's) The online debugger crashes if I am running the Isagraf on my Windows XP VMWare Virtual PC. However it runs fine on my Windows XP Mode Virtual Machine (free with Windows 7 Professional). The only thing I found with "XP Mode" is that Microsoft wont share any USB devices that are HID type and unfortunately the USB connection to my RTU is one of those. Other than that Micorsoftt not "sharing" some USB's XP Mode works well

IT requirement for VM is HyperV and yes, we plan to have that available to try out.

Click to expand...

I'll bet you learn to hate that real fast.
Plus it has no usb support, no sound, and the temperamental serial port works on it's own schedule.
If Microsoft built a vaccum cleaner, it would be their only product that didn't suck.

I am running Omron stuff straight on Win 7 x 64 bit without any issues at all. Evern have 64 bit drivers for the Omron USB/232 converter and do not have a problem at all.
Machine has 12 meg RAM triple threaded - goes like the powers of.
Use XP mode for all other autnmation software these days. Not much into AB but others work pretty well.

I run Drive Executive v5.03 and Drive Observer with RSLinx v2.57 on my W7 64bit Dell E6510 with 8Gb Ram and it works well. I usually use the 1203-USB to talk to the drives. I also use VMware with WinXPsp2 for most of my VMWare images. (I had to set up a WinXPsp3 so that I could load the new software for the PanelViewCompont displays)

Alan

ps. I just saw a handy little device if you use PF4xx drive's it is a 22-HIM-A3 it lets you connect to the drive and set up new 22-COMM modules without using a computer.

Okay, yesterday I got my new machine started up, and began the process of installing software.
It is a Dell Optiplex 990 with Intel Core i7-2600 @3.4 GHz with 8GB Ram, Win7 Pro 64 bit.
It screams. My plan is to install all the trustworthy stuff on the host and FTView and non-64bit stuff in a VM. I should have no trouble running VMs with this much power (although I have zero experience with virtualization).

I have successfully installed and run on the host:

• RSLinx 2.57
• RSLogix5 v7.40
• RSLogix500 8.40.00
• Panelbuilder32 v3.83

I had trouble with Ultraware 1.64 on the host. At the end of the install I get a 'General Error' msgbox, and the Ultraware Program icon isn't there, although the Help and Motor Database icons are.



I still have a few more to go:

• Ultraware
• RSLogix5000
  
• Claricom Clarity Config
• VNC Ultra
• RSNetworx for Devicenet
• Datalogic Genius
• Drive Executive
  
• 1761-NET-ENI Utility
• Fanuc Pallet Tool v5.11A
• EZTouch
  
• Digi Port Authority/Device Discovery
  
• Sew Eurodrive Movitools
  
• Toshiba G7
  
• Crimson 3.0
• Autocad 2010 (mech and elec)
  
• and the Beloved FTView 5.10
  

I am probably forgetting some oddballs...
Any advice on any of the items in my list would be appreciated.

Paul

You can try installing in compatibility mode.