I'll leave the multiple machine installs to the other capable guys, but here's some other information to note...
Installation...
The normal order of installing multiple versions of RSLogix 5000 is to start with the oldest and work your way up. This way, as different components are installed, the versions are incremental and should upgrade the components to the newer versions as you go.
If you start with the latest, such as RSLogix 5000 v20, and work your way backwards, there is the potential for some newer files to be overwritten with older versions. This can cause issues with several things, not least activations.
Activation...
RSLogix 5000 V13.xx - v19.xx all support either EVRSI Master Disk or FactoryTalk Activation. They will run on the Grace Period and once that has expired you will get a prompt stating as such and also offering the option of activating using either Master Disk or FactoryTalk Activation. You can then select the FactoryTalk Activation method and if there is already a valid license for the product, on the FactoryTalk Activation Manager Server, then it should activate against it.
If it does not activate successfully after this prompt, then one possibility is that a certain "rsl5kcp.dll" file is corrupted or is too old a version.
To correct this you can take a copy of this file from another working version from the following location...
C:\Program Files\Rockwell Software\RSLogix 5000\ENU\vXX\Bin
...where "vXX" represents a working version.
Another reason for activations not working, where multiple version are installed, is again where you have installed the older versions, such as v13 and v15, after installing the newer versions. It's also possible that certain licensing DLL files, required for FactoryTalk Activation to work correctly, have been overwritten by older versions.
If this is the case, then you have no choice but to uninstall all versions and start again with the oldest first.
Compatibility...
RSLogix 5000 v19 or greater are supported under Windows 7 64-bit.
RSLogix 5000 v13 - v18 are known to work under Windows 7 once User Account Control (UAC) is disabled.
Elephant in the room...
EDS Subsystem...
Another overriding factor I've noticed here is the mix of pre and post EDS Subsystem products in your list above. You also have not specified which version of RSNetWorx you are installing?
I've mentioned this a few times here before...
With the release of Studio 5000 v21, and other concurrent products, the EDS registration system was updated. The older system registered each EDS file in the Windows Registry. This meant that each EDS file was required to be parsed before doing so, and made the installation of many EDS files quite slow. As observed while installing RSLinx Classic.
To speed this registration process up, and to provide more efficient access to the files, an SQL Database was introduced to handle the registration of all EDS files.
Once certain products are installed, at certain versions, in alignment with the Release of Studio 5000 v21, the newer SQL Database is installed and the older Registry based EDS files, if any already exist, are converted over to the Database and then removed from the Registry.
Any older versions of products, from before the cut-off point, that rely on EDS files registered through the Windows Registry, will no longer have access to them, as they have been removed. This is where you see Yellow or Gray question marks for devices in RSLinx Classic, RSNetWorx, etc.
From your list...
Studio 5000 up to V24 <<< Installs newer EDS Subsystem (v21 and up installs newer EDS)
Logix 5000 V12-20 <<< Requires older EDS Registry
Logix 500 up to V9 <<< N/A
Linx V2.59 <<< Requires older EDS Registry (v3.51 and up installs newer EDS)
RS Networx <<< What Version? (v11 requires older EDS, V21 newer EDS)
View ME transfer Utility 6.1 <<< N/A
Because of this incompatibility, it is most advisable to install...
RSLogix 5000 v12 - v20
RSLinx Classic v2.59
RSNetWorx v11 (if installing v11)
...within a Windows XP environment, preferable within a VMware session inside the Windows 7 Host Operating System. You can then install all the v21 compatible software products within the Host OS and there will be no conflicts.
The specific products that install the newer EDS Subsystem include:
Studio 5000 Version 21 or higher
RSNetWorx Version 21 or higher
DeviceNet Tag Generator Version 21 or higher
FactoryTalk View Studio Version 7 or higher
RSLinx Enterprise Version 5.51 or higher
FactoryTalk Services Platform (FTSP) v2.51 or higher
RSLinx Classic Version 3.51 or higher
Add On Profiles built using AOP core 9.0 or higher
Installing any of these product versions will install the new EDS Subsystem and unregister the old EDS files from the Windows Registry.
I'm sorry if I'm a bit late with this news, but if you've ploughed ahead and feel that things are "working OK" thus far then proceed as you will. But if you do run into some strange issues, you at least have the above to bear in mind.
Regards,
George
