Chemstation b.03.02 with USB-GPIB and HP5890 - won't init.

[aidnai]

Hi All,
I purchased a used HP5890 (series II) system a few years ago complete with windows XP PC running Chemstation B.03.02. The computer is dying (regular BSODs) and so I am looking for a solution.

Here are the tools I have:

- I am "the IT guy" for my company, so there are no issues with domains, networking, running old this or new that etc.
- I have a PCI-GPIB card (82350B) which came with the used system
- I theoretically could build another XP computer
- I have a USB-GPIB converter (agilent 82357B)
- I have install media for chemstation

What I would like is to run chemstation in a virtual PC on one of my modern machines. The last hurdle seems to be getting the USB-GPIB and 5890 to work together. I have tried to get the USB converter working on the real PC first, and that is not working either. I uninstalled the PCI-GPIB (physically removed it as well) and installed agilent IO library version 15 (came with my chemstation install media; I also tried 15.5 and 16.3). USB-GPIB device installation went ok and I configured according to the instructions (GPIB address = 30, SICL name = "hp82341"). I have the converter plugged directly into the GC, and when I open chemstation, it freezes at the instrument initialization (both real PC and virtual PC do this). Any changes to the configuration and Chemstation simply reports "GC not found". When it is frozen on the initialization screen, the converter "Access" light flashes -- unplugging the converter results in chemstation reporting "GC not found" and continuing to open.

The documentation quite clearly states that my hardware/software combination is supported, with the exception of XP/SP2 being supported (I have service pack 3). I do not think this is the issue since the PCI-GPIB adapter works fine. Anybody out there have any advice for me?

Regards,
Aidan

[asm]

Hello,

I don't know if this setting is available at USB GPIB, on PCI GPIB it is, but have you set the "VISA Interface Name" to "gpib0" ?

You added the Instrument in the Configuration Editor correctly?

[aidnai]

Hi asm, thanks for your reply. The answer to both questions is 'yes'.

I thought about it overnight and decided to replace the USB-GPIB converter. I bought it used as well and I wonder if it is the problem... too bad there is no way to use the PCI-GPIB from within virtual PC (at least I have reached that conclusion from trying and googling).

[asm]

Hey,

i recently replaced an old HP Kayak with a Win XP PC with using a PCI GPIB Card. (82350A)

With the A.10.02 Software it works. B.01.03 will also work, but I had a little problem what was too annoying, so I decided to use the A.10.02.

You can try the B.01 or A.10, they definitly work both with Win XP without a VM and a PCI GPIB Card.

[aidnai]

Hi again all,
I replaced the USB-GPIB adapter and everything is working now. For the record:
- WinXP mode running inside Win7 Pro x64
- Chemstation B.03.02
- Agilent 82357B USB-GPIB adapter "attached" to windows XP mode
- Agilent IO libraries 15.5
- GPIB settings: SICL interface ID set to "hp82341"; Logical unit set to "7"; GPIB address set to "30"; Auto-discover set to "Off" (doesn't seem important)
- HP5890 Series II Plus GC-TCD

I am quite happy with the virtual machine set up so far. I am able to run the virtual PC full screen on a separate monitor so it feels like it's own PC. Plus maintenance and security are a breeze and cloning the hard drive is just copying a file....

Thanks everyone for looking, turned out to just be a bad adapter and a big headache.
Aidan

[Bigbear]

When I was running a GPIB 5890 w/ chemstation I had a GPIB card in the computer. I think with your setup you can go as far as chemstation D.03.

[aidnai]

More records --
Setup is now
- XP SP3 running inside win10 pro x64 via VMWare workstation pro version 12
- Agilent IO libraries version 16.3
- Everything else the same. Still working great.

[theller85]

aidnai

Were you running an auto sampler on that machine?

Do you know what the error messages were that you were receiving?

I seem to be running into a similar problem.